LINKIN PARK, UNITED NATIONS Online Event Engages Fans About Rebuilding In Haiti

The United Nations Foundation hosted a Facebook Town Hall on Tuesday, February 22 to keep the public engaged in rebuilding Haiti after last year's earthquake, and giving participants unique access to experts and high-profile speakers from the United Nations, multiplatinum alternative band LINKIN PARK, and the United States government. The Town Hall was the first time UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has spoken alongside members of a band to educate and raise awareness about efforts to rebuild Haiti.

The unique speaker lineup engaged a wide base of participants for the interactive online forum. Attendees watched live and asked questions as representatives from the United Nations, members of LINKIN PARK, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),and the UN Foundation spoke about the latest developments in Haiti and ways for individuals to continue helping the Haitian people one year after the devastating earthquake.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "Significant progress has been made in Haiti in the thirteen months since the earthquake, and there is still tremendous work to do. Governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals all have a role to play in supporting the rebuilding efforts. This Facebook Town Hall provided an innovative, effective way to educate people on the work the UN is doing in Haiti and ways that individuals can get involved."

During the event, fans were able to log on to the UN Foundation's Facebook page to participate in the live-streamed Town Hall through a live chat feature. Participants were encouraged to Download to Donate as part of LINKIN PARK's charity, Music for Relief, where a one-time donation offers year-long access to a growing catalog of music from a variety of artists. Donations made to Download to Donate support the work of five organizations in Haiti: Artists for Peace and Justice, charity: water, Direct Relief International, Partners In Health, and the UN Foundation. By partnering with Download to Donate, the UN Foundation aims to raise enough money to enable UN agency partners to provide 100 new solar lights to keep the women and children of Haiti's tent camps safe at night.

"As a band we have always focused on creating the music our fans are passionate about," said LINKIN PARK's co-lead vocalist, Mike Shinoda. "Now we are asking our fans to direct their passion to help others. That's why we established Download to Donate, giving music lovers a way to access a unique lineup of songs while helping the rebuilding efforts in Haiti."

"Helping Haiti rebuild and transform is a long-term process that requires global support," said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation. "The UN Foundation and others have used Facebook in new and innovative ways to mobilize the resources needed to help the Haitian people. Today we have once again come together on Facebook to maintain the focus on Haiti, to continue the conversation, and use the power of social media to get people involved."

"This is a time of great challenge for Haiti, but also a time of great hope," said Mark Feierstein, USAID's Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean. "The United States' commitment to Haiti's recovery and reconstruction will endure. The people of Haiti deserve partners who will stick with them over the long term, empower them to take the lead in their own development, and invest in building up their capacity to govern and support themselves."

"By working with Facebook, the United Nations, the UN Foundation, and LINKIN PARK gained the ability to reach a global audience on a global issue, without having to travel," said Facebook Marketing Director Randi Zuckerberg." We are proud to have had this opportunity to help the UN Foundation raise awareness that there is still work to be done in Haiti, and anyone can get involved and donate."

After welcoming participants to the Facebook virtual Town Hall meeting, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with members of LINKIN PARK and its official charity, Music For Relief, to recognize their significant contribution to relief efforts in Haiti and other countries affected by natural disasters. The organization was founded by LINKIN PARK following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Since then, Music For Relief has raised over $3.9 million for survivors of multiple disasters across four continents and initiated programs to help reduce global warming. During the meeting, LINKIN PARK and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon explored ways Music for Relief and the United Nations can continue to work together to mobilize the public on global issues.

In the image below released by the United Nations Foundation, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, far right, and Grammy award-winning LINKIN PARK band members Chester Bennington, Joe Hahn, Rob Bourdon, and Brad Delson, left to right, participate in a Facebook Town Hall hosted by the UN Foundation to raise awareness and funds for Haiti through Music for Relief's Download to Donate campaign, Tuesday, February 22, 2011, in Los Angeles. (United Nations Foundation/Rene Macura)