ELECTRIC BURMA Concert
18 JUNE 2012/LIVE IN DUBLIN

The Concert

The concert documentary film, shot with 8 cameras, will be available soon on DVD and will be screened on TV. RTE 2 in Ireland will show the TV version on December 27th for the first time.

It captures Aung San Suu Kyi’s historic visit, remarkable story and the extarordinary music concert celebrating her visit to Dublin in June 2012 – her first to Europe in 24 years, having spent 15 of the past 22 years under house arrest as a political prisoner in her native Burma. It was the first concert ever held in her honour and in her presence outside of Burma.

Over 30 international acts performed music, dance and spoken word. Highlights include:

- musical performances by Bono, Damien Rice, Lupe Fiasco, Bob Geldof, Angelique Kidjo, Gerry Wonda, Carl Carlton and others.

- special dance performance by Riverdance.

- the presentation of the Amnesty International ‘Ambassador of Conscience’ Award by Bono to Aung San Suu Kyi and a short very personal and intimate speech by Aung San Suu Kyi.

- spoken word by Vanessa Redgrave, Saoirse Ronan and (Game of Thrones) Jack Gleeson.

ELECTRIC BURMA FEATURED ALL-STAR LINE-UP OF ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, ACTORS, AND PERFORMERS

UNPRESCEDENTED DUBLIN CONCERT CELEBRATED THE LIFE AND WORK OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI

BONO PRESENTED RENOWNED BURMESE NOBEL LAUREATE WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S PRESTIGIOUS AMBASSADOR OF CONSCIENCE AWARD

DIVERSE ROSTER INCLUDED BOB GELDOF, DAMIEN RICE, VANESSA REDGRAVE, LUPE FIASCO, ANGELIQUE KIDJO, AND MORE

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE SONG “TOAST TO FREEDOM” PERFORMED BY CARL CARLTON AND OTHERS

Artists from all corners of the globe were on hand for Electric Burma: A Concert for Aung San Suu Kyi on June 18th at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Organized and promoted by Bill Shipsey, the extraordinary event was a celebration of Nobel Peace Prize recipient and leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi.

All profits from Electric Burma will go to Amnesty International and the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Trust for Health and Education.

“The unprecedented interest in Electric Burma and the demand for tickets is a testimony to the affection of the Irish people for Aung San Suu Kyi,” says Shipsey, founder of Amnesty International’s global artist engagement program, Art For Amnesty. “Her courage and leadership have been a source of inspiration not only to people in Ireland but all those who value democracy, freedom of speech and an end to military rule.”

Electric Burma was highlighted by Aung San Suu Kyi’s acceptance of Amnesty International’s prestigious Ambassador of Conscience Award, conferred on individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership in the fight to protect and promote human rights. Longtime Amnesty International campaigner Bono, who initially announced Aung San Suu Kyi as an Ambassador of Conscience during U2’s 2009 concert at Dublin’s Croke Park, made the presentation. Previous recipients of the Ambassador of Conscience Award have included Václav Havel, Mary Robinson, Nelson Mandela, Peter Gabriel, and U2.

A stunning array of artists from the worlds of music, cinema, art, and dance took the stage. Among them were such iconic performers and activists as Bob Geldof, Damien Rice, Angelique Kidjo, Lupe Fiasco, Vanessa Redgrave, Jack Gleeson (of HBO’s Game of Thrones), Tibetan singer/songwriter Yungchen Lhamo, violinist Sarah Nemtanu, cellist Vyvienne Long, pianist Romain Descharmes, Ireland’s own Riverdance and the Co-Musical Producers Gerry Wonda and Carl Carlton

Electric Burma further included a very special live performance of “Toast To Freedom,” the exclusive commemorative song celebrating the 50th anniversary of Amnesty International. The unique multi-artist rendition featured an all-star band led by the song’s writer, veteran guitarist/producers and Electric Burma Co-Musical Producer Carl Carlton (Robert Palmer, Eric Burdon, Keb Mo).

“It was a great honor perform ‘Toast To Freedom’ for Aung Saan Su Kyi,” said Carlton. “She stands for everything I believe in and fight and write for. She is not only a guiding light but a voice for every soul in this universe in the name of human rights. She is the spirit of ‘Toast To Freedom’.”

As if all that weren’t enough, a noteworthy roster of talent was also involved behind the scenes. Electric Burma saw the musical co-production from Grammy Award-winner Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis (U2, The Black Eyed Peas, T.I.), while the event was filmed by Dig For Fire founder Natalie Johns, an acclaimed broadcaster, director, and creative executive known for her work with such superstars as Jay-Z, Peter Gabriel, and The Rolling Stones. In addition, renowned Catalan artist and filmmaker Lluís Danés has especially created the concert’s artistic direction and set design.

Electric Burma was being held to mark Aung San Suu Kyi’s first trip to Europe in more than two decades. The European visit saw the Burmese opposition politician and General Secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) accepting at long last the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize she received while having been imprisoned or under house arrest for almost 15 of the 21 years from July 1989 until her most recent release in November 2010. She was only recently granted a passport by the Burmese government, allowing her to travel abroad for the first time since 1988.

More than just a celebration of Aung San Suu Kyi’s remarkable life’s work, Electric Burma also stands as an important opportunity to echo the powerful message that she and Amnesty International have long supported: that human rights matter.