Know-how

Charity for the children of Afghanistan

Every year, the celebrated Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti organizes a benefit show for helpless children all over the world. These annual performances in the Parco Novi Sad located in his Italian hometown Modena have become a real tradition, and the audience can listen to world's most famous voices from classic and pop music.


The 8th Pavarotti and Friends Night took place on 29 May 2001, this time titled »Pavarotti & Friends for Afghanistan«. The sales of the concert will help two projects – one taking care for Afghan women and children in refugee camps, the second one supporting the construction of schools and medical facilities.

Once again, numerous stars from the music scene joined the event, and old as well as young artists were eager to contribute.
After duetting with celebrities such as Bono, George Michael, the Spice Girls, Celine Dion, Sting, Mariah Carey, or Jon Bon Jovi during the years before, Luciano Pavarotti sang with the 60-year old Welsh singer Tom Jones, the British cult act Deep Purple, and the soul and jazz legends Barry White and George Benson this year – all of them successful musicians during the last decades. On the other hand, artists such as Morcheeba and Anastacia who joined the all-star spectacular, too, have taken the charts much more recently.

A choir of 30 Afghan children accompanied the various musicians during their performances.

Amongst others, the US actor Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband Michael Douglas were present and, both being honorary Ambassadors of Peace of the United Nations, addressed to the audience. All the artists ensured for proper entertainment.

For his commitment to the support of indigent children, 65-year old Pavarotti will soon receive the Nanson medal that has previously been awarded to kings and presidents only.

Pavarotti and Friends was not only broadcasted by the Italian RAI broadcasting service but was at the same time recorded to a multitude of digital multitrack recorders using two CANTUS/NEXUS systems.