U2 Frontman Leads Email Campaign to Drop the Debt

Should an email from one of the world's most famous rock stars drop in your in box this week, don't be too hasty dumping it for fear of being tricked or attacked by a virus. U2's Bono has spearheaded an email campaign on behalf of the international debt-relief campaign Jubilee 2000. The aim of the cyber petition, which kicked off last Friday, is to persuade the world leaders at the G7 conference in Okinawa, Japan on July 21 - 23, to finally make good their promises and erase the $100 billion dollars owed by forty of the poorest nations. Thom Yorke of Radiohead and members of Travis are also participating in the Web chain gang.

The short message from Bono reads:

Hi, Bono here.

How's things? I believe the leaders of the richest nations want to drop the debt. But they seem stuck. They need a big virtual e-push NOW. Please do this action and forward to your friends.

4 love and peace, Bono

Anyone who gets the email, which is called "Drop the Debt at the Okinawa Summit," will find the link to www.dropthedebt.org and can immediately register their support from their email, and their message will be automatically forwarded to the G7 government Web site.

Bono, Yorke and Travis aren't the only celebrity supporters of Jubilee 2000, according to the Drop the Debt Web site. Lauryn Hill, Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie, Jarvis Cocker (Pulp), Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, the Prodigy, Sheryl Crow, Tricky, Robbie Williams, Oasis, Sting, Van Morrison, REM, Peter Gabriel, Madonna and Will Smith have all lent their support to the organization. David Bowie and Catatonia recently appeared in a "Drop the Debt" video that was shown at the Glastonbury Festival launch.