Peace

"The Art of Peace Foundation is dedicated to achieving the Dalai Lama’s vision of creating peace within our selves and in the world. His message is as simple as it is profound — by cultivating inner peace, our actions in the world generate happiness and peace in others. While committed to nonviolence, we actively engage injustices in the world. Our view is that nonviolence is not passive but demands that we engage the world to promote peace. Nonviolence does not equal non-action." -- The Art of Peace Foundation

I can't think of a better album to begin 2009 with. Although the album earmarks profits towards charity projects for Tibet, the songs offer messages of hope and peace for the whole world as well as affirming individual value. As a whole, the concept works well without sounding contrived like some other well-known, celebrity charity projects have been. I find it hard to understand when promotion costs are more than the donations. This CD avoids that.

And since it's for charity, I know you'll want to buy the CD if you like it (or any charity supporting human rights, if they mean it, should also work). 

Ironically, without the controversy China created blocking this album, I probably wouldn't have paid much attention to Songs for Tibet. Or known about projects like Baneki. So thanks China!

Songs for Tibet - The Art of Peace: Various Artists

part 1

part 2

01 Hide & Seek/Imogen Heap
02 Send Your Love (Art of Peace Mix)/Sting
03 Versions Of Violence/Alanis Morissette
04 Belief/John Mayer
05 Better/Regina Spektor
06 We Are All Made Of Stars/Moby
07 Making Noise/Damien Rice
08 More Than This/Vanessa Carlton
09 Nothing Fades/Duncan Sheik
10 Where Are You Going/Dave Matthews
11 Song Of Sand/Suzanne Vega
12 All The Good In This Life/Garbage
13 Hope (Live for The Art of Peace)/Rush
14 Madonna On The Curb (Peace Mix)/Jonatha Brooke
15 In These Times (The Concord Mix)/Joan Armatrading
16 All My Mistakes (Featuring Tarira)/Tarira
17 Alive In The World/Jackson Browne
18 Better Way/Ben Harper
19 The Heart Of The Matter/Rupert Hine
20 To Heal (and Restore Broken Bodies)/Underworld

Make up your own mind:
The Missing Peace Art Project

Dalai Lama - Advice to Artists

Why are the happiest people, the poorest?