USA: On the 35th anniversary of the Concert for Bangladesh, Olivia Harrison receives an award on behalf of her late husband George Harrison who organized the 1971 Madison Square Garden concert to raise money for support relief efforts by UN

Madison Square Garden marked the the 35th anniversary of George Harrison's 'Concert for Bangladesh' with a plaque that will be installed permanently in the venue's Hall of Fame. There it will sit alongside the plaques of other music legends like the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones The 'Concert for Bangladesh', which George Harrison put together in aid of the newly created state of Bangladesh was the first time musicians came together to raise awareness for a cause. The soft spoken Beatle was approached by friend and sitar guru, Ravi Shankar to help the thousands who were suffering in the newly created nation. "He often said that, you know, people need to be inspired and people also need a channel through which they can channel their compassion and generosity and I think that's the most important thing he discovered," said his widow, Olivia Harrison who continues to support the UNICEF's George Harrison Fund to aid the suffering in Bangladesh. Harrison was inspired himself when in five weeks he persuaded many of his musician friends to join him in the benefit concert. Fellow Beatle Ringo Starr, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, pals Billy Preston and Eric Clapton among others came together to perform at New York's Madison Square Garden. "I think his friends were the easiest. The musicians were the most willing. I think it was the getting the halls together, getting people, getting crews, I think the production, was most difficult," said Olivia Harrison. Eventually, 40000 people attended the two part concert on August 1, 1971 at the Madison Square Garden. The concert set the precedent for many others after it, like Live Aid and Farm Aid. "You know for George it was, for him it wasn't his normal line of duty, you know. But just not being afraid to act and also that you can achieve more than what you think you can. I think that was one thing they all learned from it," she said

ITN Source | August 4, 2006

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