Posted on 10/22/2005 11:47:46 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Campaigners in Scotland have turned to spicy Indian curry and lilting music to raise funds for rehabilitating earthquake victims in South Asia.
Posters have gone up across Edinburgh inviting people to 14 Indian restaurants participating in the Asia Quake Appeal.
In the restaurants, diners will be given a leaflet about the struggle to save lives and rebuild communities in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They will be invited to make a donation that will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).
Said Judith Robertson, chairperson of the DEC in Scotland: "We urge people in Scotland to have a curry this weekend and make a donation after you've eaten. You will be helping to save lives."
Curry is one of Scotland's favourite foods and this idea gives people the opportunity to do something practical while enjoying it.
Abdalaziz Aziz, owner of the Village Tandoori restaurant at Jock's Lodge said: "I think it's a great idea. Curry lovers everywhere will be able to come into the restaurant and help out in a very important way."
A major concert on the lines of Live 8 is also to be staged in Edinburgh to raise funds for the earthquake victims.
Bob Geldof and Midge Ure are being asked to return to Edinburgh to help pull together a star-studded line-up. Organisers hope to raise at least one million pounds by attracting a string of major stars to the city in the spring.
The city's Lord Provost, Lesley Hinds, and leaders of Edinburgh's ethnic minority communities are behind the ambitious plans.
Hinds said: "I've been asked to write to both Bob Geldof and Midge Ure because of the work the city did with them over the Live 8 concert, which was a huge success, along with the Make Poverty History march in Edinburgh.
"They have obviously done so much for Africa and it would be great if they could both get involved in something like this as the effects of the earthquake are going to be felt for a long time.
"It would be great to have a real mixture of acts from Scotland and some big superstars from India and Pakistan, and for the concert to attract a real mix of people from all the communities in the city and from all walks of life," Hinds added.
Meanwhile, a 12-year-old boy from Luton has been confirmed as the first British victim of the earthquake in Pakistan.
A foreign office spokesperson said the boy was in the disaster zone with his family during the earthquake.
His relatives are still thought to be in the area dealing with the aftermath but were being given help by embassy officials, the spokeswoman said.
"He is the first and only British death. His family are still out there, as far as we are aware. We are in consular contact with them and we are assisting them," the spokesperson added.
Of course, I can get free Indian food from the Krishna's if I can bear an hour of chanting.
Kudos to those who are helping the victims. Better private aid than foreign aid.
The Krishna's give away free Indian food?
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