FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Will.i.am launches song live in New York as part of new campaign action to end poverty.

‘in my name’, a new song by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am written for the Global Call to Action against Poverty will premiere today – across MTV, YouTube and inmyname.com

The song and its video involve celebrities, dignitaries and citizens, all holding their governments accountable for the lack of progress on meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

To drive home the message, this new campaign action will see activists, dignitaries and Oxfam ambassadors Kristin Davis and Rahul Bose alongside Elle Macpherson signing their names on a pledge wall outside the UN building.  UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, Queen Rania and Mary Robinson will address crowds, before singers Will.i.am and Angelique Kidjo perform ‘in my name’ for the first time. Oxfam Canada Ambassador, Mary Walsh, has also signed her name to this campaign.

“We can be the generation that ends poverty,” said will.i.am. “Politicians promised in 2000 to halve poverty in 15 years. They made this pledge in my name, now they must act to achieve it.”

YouTube will launch an ‘in my name’ channel in which will.i.am encourages citizens from every country to upload a video stating their name, their country and a specific ask of their government to end poverty ( www.youtube.com/inmyname ) .  The YouTube homepage will premiere eight educational videos produced by leading nonprofit organisations.  Each video outlines a different Millennium Development Goal and showcases why that goal is an important milestone to ending world poverty.

Messages from celebrities feature in an ‘in my name’ video to air on MTV and also on a short film called Be the Generation. 

###