Today's Globe and Mail Guest-Edited by Bono and Bob Geldof

The Globe and Mail produces special issue on "The African Century"

TORONTO, May 10 /CNW/ - Today, The Globe and Mail introduces a special issue focused on the future of Africa, guest-edited by anti-poverty activists Bono and Bob Geldof. As the eyes of the world prepare to turn to Canada as host country for the G8 and G20, The Globe and Mail has launched an in-depth look at the future of Africa and how it will impact not only the billion people living on the continent but the rest of the world as well.

The Globe is collaborating with Bono, Geldof, and their organization ONE (one.org) to explore these issues and how they impact Canadians in today's print edition, bringing a new perspective to Canada. This is the first time The Globe and Mail has invited guest-editors into the news room and the first time Bono and Geldof have guest-edited a North American newspaper. The Globe has also partnered with celebrated Kenyan blogger Ory Okolloh to serve as the guest digital editor of globeandmail.com beginning today and over the next few weeks as The Globe continues with additional coverage from and about Africa leading up to the G8/G20 meetings.

"Bob and Bono are known as musicians, but they do know Africa. They did their homework, came prepared and made The Globe better," said John Stackhouse, Editor-in-Chief, The Globe and Mail. "I hope our readers are inspired and challenged by their work."

Inside today's Globe and Mail:

As the only Canadian newspaper with an African bureau, Africa correspondent Geoffrey York provides a detailed account of the new and ambitious Africa. Investors are turning to Africa more than ever, and the economy is projected to grow by 4.75 per cent this year. In 2008, it attracted nearly $40-billion in direct foreign investment; by contrast, just a decade ago, it averaged less than $5-billion per year. York explores Africa's progress and potential for the future.

In just one month, Africa will play host country to the World Cup, the most popular sporting event in the world. Columnist Stephen Brunt profiles South African journalist and author Kevin Bloom who shares insights about the emotional impact of the World Cup, the concerns over the economic impact it will have and his hopes, despite its flaw, that it will be a transformative event.

Today's special edition also features content and commentary from African political leaders, business owners and grassroots activists. In addition, today's Globe includes contributions from other well-known international political leaders and advocates including US President Obama, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, UN Secretary- General Ban Ki Moon and Kofi Annan.

Online at globeandmail.com:

Today, Kenyan activist and blogger Ory Okolloh joins the team as guest-editor of globeandmail.com. Okolloh is overseeing stories from and about Africa and is participating in a series of online discussions at 9:00 am EST today.

In addition to Okolloh guest-editing, the online edition of The Africa Century also includes web extras including timelines, photo galleries, audio interviews and interactive graphics. During the month of April The Globe and Mail will also examine online the issues of governance, climate change and maternal health in the weeks leading up to the G8-G20 summit.

Over the last week, The Globe asked readers to send in their video questions for Bono and Geldof. The guest-editors took time to answer select questions, from the Globe and Mail news room. Visit globeandmail.com/africaone to see how they responded.

Additional behind-the-scenes footage from their visit to the newsroom will be posted throughout the month of May.

Guest-editor Bono said:

"Backstage is always an interesting place to be for a front man. I love to see the process - what makes a world class newspaper like The Globe and Mail what it is. Just like in my world, I suppose in the end it comes down to the people who get you there. I met some really great people at The Globe. The molecules seem to vibrate a lot faster in the newsroom than in most places. We were all gathered around the same question: Can the world really be different, more equitable, more inclusive? The simple answer is yes. Monday's Globe and Mail will try to also inform their readership about the more complex question - how?"

Guest-editor Geldof said:

"The 21st century is 10 years old. It is already and unpredictably utterly different to the 20th. Whole new issues of a global nature have assaulted our dangerously unprepared world and in the West we reel from the effects. The future may not be ours but our values must shape it. Today in The Globe and Mail we try to tell Canadians about one of these new 21st Century dynamics. It is called Africa - a continent poised to become one of the great giants of our new century. China yes - Africa huh? This might seem wilfully counter-intuitive and wishful, but in this extraordinary edition of your paper we have tried to assemble giants from the world of politics, business, the arts and sports to make our case. Canada and its leaders must come to terms with this new 21st Century reality and not only begin to engage with it, but to also lead the world in its engagement at your G8 and G20 summits this June. I hope today's Globe and Mail at least helps to fuel a debate in this amazing country about the relationship between Canada and the new Africa. Thank you for the immense privilege of hijacking your average Monday and allowing us into your heads. Don't worry we'll be gone soon."

"I've been given the opportunity to show a different side of Africa - a continent that is complex and diverse and not always holding a begging bowl in its hand," said Ory Okolloh. "Ultimately it is up to us Africans to tell our own stories and solve our own problems. As guest-editor at globeandmail.com, I'm able to share just how much progress we've made."

Bono is the lead singer of Irish rock band U2 and the co-founder of ONE (www.one.org), an advocacy organization backed by more than 2 million people around the world who are dedicated to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. As part of his work with ONE, Bono has lobbied U.S. Presidents and Congressional leaders, along with the heads of many other G8 nations. He was a leader in the global campaign that has cancelled nearly $100 billion of debt for African countries. Bono is also cofounder of (RED), an initiative that has to date delivered $150 million in corporate funds to fight AIDS in Africa through the Global Fund. Bono has received a number of awards for his music and activism, including the Legion D'Honneur from the French Government in 2003, TIME Magazine's Person of the Year for 2005 (along with Bill and Melinda Gates), and an honorary British knighthood in 2007.

Sir Bob Geldof is a musician, businessman and activist. His involvement with Africa started in 1984 with founding Band Aid and then putting on the Live Aid concert in 1985 which raised $150 million. He organized Live8 - ten concerts on July 2nd 2005 with an estimated global audience of 3 billion, timed to put pressure on the G8 leaders who then made many significant poverty alleviation pledges. He works continuously to compel the politicians to keep these promises. He is currently a member of the Africa Progress Panel and works closely with ONE, effectively lobbying world leaders - directly and through the media and campaigning. He has written and recorded 12 albums with The Boomtown Rats and as a solo artist and has received many music awards. He is currently founder and director of Ten Alps, the UK's largest independent factual television production company.

Ory Okolloh is a Kenyan activist, lawyer and blogger. When parts of Kenya were swept up in violence after the disputed presidential election in 2007 she created a website called Ushahidi.com (Swahili: "testimony) where people could record and report incidences of violence. She runs her own blog, The Kenyan Pundit www.kenyanpundit.com, and is a frequent speaker at conferences including TED Global and Poptech on issues around citizen journalism, the role of technology in Africa, and the role of young people in reshaping the future of Africa. She has also She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh and her law degree from Harvard Law School.

The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper, is a division of CTVglobemedia, a dynamic multi-media company, which also owns CTV Inc., Canada's number-one private broadcaster.

Attention editors: B-roll footage is available:

    
    DATE OF FEED:   TODAY - Monday, May 10, 2010
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    TIME OF FEED:   7:00 - 7:30am ET Continuous Loop
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    COORDINATES:    Anik F2 C
    ------------    Transponder 3B
                    Audio subcarrier 6.2 and 6.8
                    Downlink frequency 3820 vertical
    

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information: Jill Anzarut, [phone], [email protected]