John Lennon was murdered thirty years ago today. Still, his legacy as a peace activist lives on.
In 2009, Yoko Ono and Lennon’s sons, Sean and Julian, released a 40th anniversary single of the the Plastic Ono Band’s legendary anthem “Give Peace A Chance.” The catch, though, was that proceeds from the Itunes download of the single would go to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
The Peacebuilding Fund is a relatively new endeavor by the United Nations to support the countries making the transition from war to peace. It has ongoing economic development and rehabilitation projects in at least fourteen countries. The fund is entirely voluntary, meaning that countries and individuals may contribute to the fund as they wish.
According to a spokesperson from the UN Peacebuilding Fund, Yoko Ono’s donation to the Peacebuilding Fund from the sales of the re-released “Give Peace A Chance” was $1,300. Considering that the entire fund is close to $200 million, $1,300 does not amount to too much. Still, maybe Ono’s decision helped draw attention to the Peacebuilding Fund in a way that will attract more supporters in the future?
Also, I love the symbolism of the effort. John Lennon may have passed 30 years ago, but his legacy as a peace activist remains alive and well.
Here’s my personal favorite John Lennon song: