Week of January Events Will Provide Information and Benefit Mercy Corps Tsunami Relief Efforts

On Sunday, December 26, 2004 a powerful earthquake triggered huge tsunamis that struck the coastline of Southeast Asia, India, and East Africa, in one of the worst natural disasters in human history. The devastation is immense, the scope of the tragedy enormous, and the world's loss grows with each passing day. Relief experts and world leaders are unified in their message: what is needed now, most of all, is money—for food, medicine, supplies, and relief workers.

The Berklee community has expressed great concern for those affected by this calamity, and a desire to help. For this reason, Berklee will dedicate the January 27 Great American Songbook concert to tsunami relief; proceeds will benefit Mercy Corps tsunami relief efforts in Southeast Asia.

Related Events

Counseling and Advising Center Gathering
Wednesday, January 26, 2005, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
David Friend Recital Hall
Berklee students from countries directly affected by the tsunami are invited to come together.

Memorial
Wednesday, January 26, 2005, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
David Friend Recital Hall
There will be a remembrance gathering, open to the community, where attendants will be encouraged to express themselves creatively through music and poetry.

Firsthand Account Symposium
Thursday, January 27, 2005, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Berk Recital Hall
Nancy Lindborg, president of Mercy Corps, has just returned from the tsunami–affected areas of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and will talk about working with relief teams and explain how efforts by Mercy Corps will evolve from immediate relief to the development work that will help the communities become self–sustainable again.

Tsunami Relief: An Evening of Hope
Friday, February 18, 2005, 8:15 p.m.
Berklee Performance Center
In a concert to benefit survivors, faculty and students will perform, and also featured will be personal stories and images of the destruction caused by the tsunami.

Benefit Concert for Mercy Corps Tsunami Relief Efforts:
The Music of Cole Porter
Sunday, April 10, 2005, 8:15 p.m.
Berklee Performance Center
Song's Nothing Conservatory About It concert series continues with Great American Songbook: The Music of Cole Porter, hosted by Ron Gill of WGBH. Mercy Corps CEO Neal Keny-Guyer will speak briefly at the start of the concert. Come enjoy a night of great music and know that your ticket purchase is going to aid people affected by the recent tragedy in Southeast Asia. Read more...

More Ways to Help

The following charities are reputable, well regarded organizations through which members of the Berklee community can confidently offer donations:

• Mercy Corps
• American Red Cross
• Save the Children
• Oxfam America
• U.S. Fund for UNICEF
• Also, see the site for Charity Navigator, an organization that evaluates charities and helps people make educated decisions in their charitable giving.
  

Berklee has long been an international community, one where people of all backgrounds come together and speak in the universal—and unifying—language of music.

Let's do whatever we can, be it small or large, to help our global brothers and sisters during this tremendously difficult time.