We’ve seen it before. Many times. Particularly in China.
Businessman picks an issue (Environment, Peace, Famine), prepares a prospectus with a massive list of star names (all “invited”), and then looks around for c. US$15m-20m in sponsorship. Nine times out of ten, the initiative comes to nought.
Is the Show of Peace, slated for the 17th April in Beijing any different? Rick Garson has an interesting history. From the (very impressive, but rather empty) website Show of Peace, he has already tried for this event at the Vatican, Geneva and Beijing. Now it seems that he has pulled together the Chinese authorities, the owners of the Bird’s Nest (one and the same) and Jimmy Page (from Led Zeppelin) to get the whole thing up and running – you can read the press release about Page’s involvement HERE.
The slogan is the catchy:
PEACE = GREEN + NO WAR + WATER + FOOD + HEALTH + EDUCATION
The only page that talks about anything vaguely philanthropic is the “Green China” page that has a single (and short) post, dated back on October 9th. It features a few facts and figures about trees and their ability to absorb CO2. We are invited to read the blog, but there is nothing there.
The principle partner is Garson’s own company ZZYX Entertainment (the one that brought us the Beijing Olympic Games “premier” entertainment piece, Divas in Beijing). ZZYX’s own website introduces itself as one founded to create and own television and film programming, which to us sits uneasily with the Show of Peace ideal.
We feel churlish writing this – initiatives to promote world peace, an end to poverty, improvements in the environment etc. are worthwhile and to be applauded. However, they are often cheapened by being ill thought out and “for-profit” events, based around the opportunism of an organizer. Sponsors, artists and the world at large get inured to the noise created by the over-promise, under-deliver routines.
We hope we are made to eat humble pie sooner rather than later, and that the Show of Peace is a wonderful event that raises awareness and money for those that badly need it. There is just little evidence of that so far.