UN Refugee Agency to Honor Tony Bennett With 2007 Humanitarian Award

UN Refugee Agency to Honor Tony Bennett With 2007 Humanitarian Award

WASHINGTON, April 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (the UN Refugee Agency) will honor Tony Bennett with its 2007 Humanitarian of the Year Award in recognition of Bennett's lifelong contribution to human rights and his recent work as spokesperson for USA for UNHCR's AID DARFUR campaign. Past award recipients include former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, actress Angelina Jolie and Dr. Khaled Hosseini, refugee and author of "The Kite Runner."

The UN Refugee Agency will honor Mr. Bennett in Washington, DC on June 20, 2007 during World Refugee Day. Tony Bennett has helped the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) bring greater public attention to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises -- Darfur. As a result of the ongoing violence in Darfur, Sudan, 2 million people have been internally displaced and more than 220,000 are living in refugee camps across the border in Chad. UNHCR provides both protection and live-saving assistance.

Mr. Bennett has said of the Darfur crisis, "They say the situation in Darfur is deteriorating. Let me translate: People are dying." The AID DARFUR campaign sends 100% of individual donations directly to the UN Refugee Agency's life-saving work in Darfur and across the border in Eastern Chad where refugees have fled seeking sanctuary from the violence.

For additional information on how you can join Tony Bennett in his campaign to AID DARFUR, visit www.AidDarfur.org.

For additional information on the UN Refugee Agency's work and how Americans can get involved, visit www.UNrefugees.org.

TONY BENNETT AID DARFUR PSA FOOTAGE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

ABOUT THE UN REFUGEE AGENCY:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provides protection and assistance to the world's refugees. During its lifetime, UNHCR has helped more than 50 million people successfully restart their lives, earning two Nobel Peace Prizes in the process. The UN Refugee Agency has major relief operations in Darfur, as well as in nearby Chad and considers this operation one of its most important.

ABOUT TONY BENNETT:

Tony Bennett has been associated with the UN over the years, having received their "Citizen of the World" Award, and was commissioned as a visual artist to provide art on two separate occasions, including the UN's 50th Anniversary. With over 50 million records sold worldwide and platinum and gold albums to his credit, Bennett has received fifteen Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2006, Tony celebrated his 80th birthday on August 3rd, launching an extensive celebration of his life and career which was marked by the release of "TONY BENNETT: DUETS/An American Classic," which has become the best selling CD of Tony's recording career.

The son of a grocer and an Italian-born immigrant, Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born on August 3, 1926, in the Astoria section of Queens. He attended the High School of Industrial Arts in Manhattan, where he continued nurturing his two passions -- singing and painting. Tony sang while waiting tables as a teenager then performed with military bands during his Army enlistment in World War II. Bennett's big break came in 1949 when comedian Bob Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village in New York City.

His initial successes came via a string of Columbia singles in the early 1950's, including such chart-toppers as "Because of You," "Rags To Riches" and a remake of Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." He had 24 songs in the Top 40, including "I Wanna Be Around," "The Good Life," "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" and his signature song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," which garnered him two Grammy Awards. Tony Bennett is one of a handful of artists to have new albums charting in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and beyond. He introduced a multitude of songs into the Great American Songbook that have since become standards for pop music. He has toured the world to sold out audiences with rave reviews whenever he performs.

Tony has pursued his passion for art and paints every day. His original oil painting, "Central Park," was recently accepted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. He conceived and spearheaded the effort to honor his great friend, Frank Sinatra, with the establishment of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, which opened its doors as a New York City public high school offering an extensive arts curriculum in September of 2001.

For more information on Tony Bennett please visit

www.tonybennett.net

and www.benedettoarts.com

Source: RPM Records/Columbia Records

CONTACT: Tim Irwin, UNHCR, +1-202-296-5191, irwint@unhcr.org; Nancy
Langer, USA for UNHCR, +1-202-296-1115, +1-202-236-0025,
nlanger@usaforunhcr.org;: Sylvia Weiner of RPM Productions, for Tony Bennett,
+1-908-301-1779, sweiner@rpm-productions.com

Web site:

http://www.aiddarfur.org/
http://www.unrefugees.org/
http://www.tonybennett.net/
http://www.benedettoarts.com/
http://www.columbiarecords.com/

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