War Child patrons Keane are continuing to show their support for our work by donating profits from their new single 'The Night Sky' to our cause. What a thoroughly nice bunch of guys. The single will be available to download exclusively at www.warchildmusic.com from 22nd October before going on full release on 29th October.

'The Night Sky', produced by Keane and Andy Green, is written from a child's perspective about the war-torn devastation around them. It's yet another beautifully moving piece of work from a band that just keeps getting better. Lead singer Tom Chaplin explained why Keane wanted to be involved:

"We are very proud to be patrons of War Child. One child dies every three minutes because of armed conflict, and all of us can do something about it. War Child do something quite extraordinary and unique in helping to make the lives of future generations better, we hope everyone wants be a part of that. If you're interested in learning about this magnificent cause, then please go to warchildmusic.com"

We'll keep you updated with the latest news on the single and post a link to the download as soon as it's ready. In the meantime head to War Child Music for full tracklistings and lyrics.

Brisbane-based artist Kathryn Brimblecombe-Fox supports War Child Australia with her forthcoming exhibition Prayers For Our Planet: We are all the Same, at Dogett Street Gallery 85 Dogett St Newstead from 12 October until 3 November. 9% of proceeds from sales at the exhibition will be donated to War Child Australia.

War Child demands G8 action
Current mood: determined
Category: News and Politics

With the G8 summit now underway War Child is calling on participants to set up a task force and long-term fund to protect children in conflict and post-conflict areas.

A G8 Child Protection Fund would fund protection, food, shelter, education and reintegration for children. Creating this fund would cost approximately US$ 10 per head of population in the G8 countries.

The Task Force would ensure that:

• the structures are in place to secure the required levels of humanitarian funding (which are not currently being met) from G8 countries and that disbursement is expedited in a responsive manner to conflict based humanitarian emergencies;

• G8 countries provide significant financial support for the deployment of peace keepers in conflict and post conflict countries with a robust mandate to pro-actively protect civilians, and especially marginalised communities, in order to avoid the levels of civilian casualties that have been experienced in places like DRC and Darfur;

• existing international agreements established to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed forces - including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child's (CRC) Optional Protocol and the recently agreed Paris Principles - are reinforced by carefully targeted sanctions against those individuals who defy them. These sanctions might include denying individuals visas for travel, suspending their bank accounts, applying legal international instruments and using the media to expose their activities publicly;

• juvenile justice structures and systems are put in place and the skills to run them developed in conflict and post-conflict areas, and that where children are detained thorough protective and well being provisions are made while their release, rehabilitation and reintegration is planned and negotiated; financial and technical support is provided to the relevant and appropriate agencies in conflict and post-conflict areas to plan and implement the UN CRC;

• financial and technical support is provided to the relevant and appropriate agencies in conflict and post-conflict areas to plan and implement the UN CRC.

There will be huge pressure on the G8 leaders to address high profile issues such as climate change and extreme poverty and we support them in their efforts in this but we ask that they find time to consider the lives of children devastated by conflict.

Our parent organisation, War Child UK, along with its sister organisations War Child Holland and War Child Canada, we have written to German Chancellor and G8 Chair Angela Merkel, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to urge them to consider our proposal. We hope they (and you) will support our aims.

South Australian student Abbie is raising funds for War Child this term. So far, she has raised more than $2500 through a combination of asking for gold coin donations, sausage sizzles and more. Abbie is hoping to raise enough money to allow us to build a kitchen at one of our drop in centres for street children in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Thanks Abbie! And good luck with the rest of your fundraising..

Do you have a jar of small change? A motley collection of dusty coins under the bed? Why not pop into your local post office, turn them into a money order, and send it to us at PO Box 3800 Middle Camberwell 3128? We can turn your small change into change in the world. Change for good.

No small change? Make a small donation via PayPal (paypal@warchild.org.au). If every friend gave just $1, we could nearly fund a kitchen at one of our centres for street children at Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Today we welcome our 1000th friend! Thanks to all for spreading the word and helping us with the work we do. Rock on.

For those who celebrate Easter, we wish you a peaceful and happy few days! If you're travelling, stay safe, and if you're eating chocolate -- keep it sensible! :-)

Just been to Williamstown High School's term 1 school assembly today, at which we were presented with a $2500 cheque which is the proceeds from the end of 2006 music students' concert. The challenge was thrown down for this year's organisers to get a bigger, better lineup -- and more funds for charity!

Way to go Danielle and the rest of the gang! Thanks for your support.

Are you interested in helping manage War Child Australia's MySpace? If you're interested in social justice and the work we do, have some time to hang out on MySpace to make friends and blog, drop me an email. In it, tell me what you'd do with our space (and why), what you do in the rest of your life and direct me to your own space as well (so I can see your style).

Jane

Funky Sydney fashion house Funkulo has got behind the War Child cause. Five new 'peace' tshirts have profits coming to War Child! The tshirts are made from organic fair trade cotton.

Read more here and see www.funkulo.com.

You can identify the tshirts by their labels, which introduce War Child and our work.