John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'Bed-In' remembered at 50

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - In March 1969, newlyweds John Lennon and Yoko Ono skipped a honeymoon and instead staged a “bed-in” in Amsterdam to promote world peace during the Vietnam War.

Dressed in white, the artistic duo received visitors and held press conferences from bed in the presidential suite atop Amsterdam’s Hilton Hotel from March 23-29.

A photo exhibition and other events remembering Ono and Lennon, the Beatles songwriter who was shot and killed in New York in 1980, are being held this week in the Dutch capital to commemorate the events 50 years ago.

Amid flowers and self-made signs reading “Hair Peace” and “Bed Peace”, the couple put forward a simple strategy for achieving world harmony: reject violence of all forms.

“If you believe violence will solve the problem, that’s up to you. I don’t,” John told one reporter.

“Nobody’s ever tried the peace thing.”

The incident was memorialized in “The Ballad of John and Yoko”, released shortly before the Beatles broke up:

Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton / Talking in our beds for a week / The news people said, “Say what you doing in bed?” / I said, “We’re only trying to get us some peace.”

In 2012, Ono released for free “Bed Peace”, a documentary about the Amsterdam bed-in and a second bed-in the couple held several months later in Montreal, Canada.

At one point, Ono dismisses a book of poems and manifestos handed to her by a self-styled “revolutionary”.

“I’m sorry, no matter how beautiful your poem is, if you can’t share with people, it’s crap,” she said.

To honor their memory, a white “Peace Tulip” will be planted outside the hotel on Thursday.

Other commemoration events in Amsterdam include a film evening, concert and tour of the famous room #902.

Fifty years later, world peace has not yet arrived.

Skeptics at the time pointed out that not everybody can afford to stay in bed all day or be as famous as John and Yoko.

“Stop asking if it’s going to work, do something yourself,” an annoyed Lennon told one reporter in the documentary.

“Grow your hair, wear a sign.”

Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Anthony Deutsch and Andrew Cawthorne

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Fil-Ams celebrate International Day of Peace

PASADENA, California – The United Nations recently celebrated the International Day of Peace, a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace within and among all nations and peoples.

Peace and unity and Filipinos were at the forefront of the United Nations celebration.

The Los Angeles chapter of the United Nations held its annual United Nations International Day of Peace with the Philippines and Sri Lanka as host nations of the special day.

"We should have more of this," said one of the performers, Gelo Francisco.

Another performer, Joan Almedilla added, "It's good to know other people, especially the arts, their dances, other food, and their culture because we can't really go to every country"..

The theme for this year's celebration: Human Rights.

Former LA County Sheriff Lee Baca and Miss Sri Lanka 2004 Anarkali Akarsha, celebrated with them, sharing their insights on the need for human rights.

"World peace and human rights are something that can be categorized as a responsibility not just of government, not just of a city in any country in the world. It is beyond just one domain that we're ever going to have," Baca said.

For Filipino community leaders, the acts of goodwill and fight for equality are part of their daily lives.

"Our work is concentrated on doing good for others, making sure that families that are suffering in their lives are given dignity," said Yey Cornell of the Filipino American Service Group Inc.

The United Nations began observing the International Day of Peace every September since 1982. This year was a grand celebration as Pope Francis visited the UN headquarters in New York just days after the special day.

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source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Miss Philippines is runner-up in Miss World in London

LONDON—A human resources graduate from Venezuela, who grew up an orphan and spent five years in an orphanage, was crowned Miss World 2011 at a glittering beauty pageant in London on Sunday.

Ivian Sarcos, 21, took the ultimate beauty accolade at Earls Court in London, the city where the first Miss World was staged in 1951. Miss Philippines, French-Filipina Gwendoline Ruais, a buxom six-footer from Muntinlupa City, was named the first runner-up, or second place.

Ruais tied for the highest finish for the Philippines in the Miss World pageant, which the pageant-crazy nation has never won. Evangeline Pascual was also first runner-up in 1973.

Miss World is considered a British Commonwealth rival to the US-organized Miss Universe pageant. Shamcey Supsup was third runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant in July.

Nervous

In a telephone interview aired on GMA News TV's "News to Go" on Monday morning [Manila time, Ruais said she was nervous, but she chose to focus on herself and her country.

"Syempre po, I'm competing against 112 gorgeous girls from all around the world, so mahirap po 'yan. Pero, 'yan lang, nag-focus ako sa sarili ko. Hindi ko po iniisip 'yung ibang kandidata. Ako lang po and 'yung buong country ko po, 'yung Pilipinas," Ruais said.

"You never know what will happen, so hindi ko talaga iniisip kung anong mangyayari. Inisip ko lang na I should do my best talaga to make the Philippines proud. 'Yun lang po ang nasa isip ko," she added.

Ruais' return to the Philippines is not yet scheduled, but she hopes she has made her country proud.

"Sana lahat po kayo proud sa akin. Ginawa ko talaga 'yung best ko para sa buong Pilipinas. Sana happy po kayo," she said.

'Woman of responsibility and reason'

Wearing a pink dress with diamante studs that had giant frills slashed below the waist, the 22-year-old Ivian Sarcos threw her hands to her face as she was announced the winner.




“I believe that the next Miss World should be a woman of responsibility and reason," Sarcos said before winning the title.

“I believe the woman should be committed to the organization and help people in need. Beauty with a heart," added the Venezuelan, who works for a broadcasting company. She and her seven siblings lost their parents when she was eight years old.

Miss Philippines, Gwendoline Ruais, was named the runner-up, while Miss Puerto Rico, Amanda Perez, came third in the contest, which was back in its home city to celebrate its 60th anniversary.





Some 113 beauty queens from Albania to Zimbabwe took their place on the stage, with the show being broadcast live to an estimated audience of more than one billion viewers in 150 countries.

'Being a woman is not a competition'

Around 50 feminists staged a demonstration outside, waving placards reading “Objectification won’t achieve world peace", “Being a woman is not a competition" and “Sexism is pretty ugly".

Around a half dozen were veterans of the 1970 pageant protest, which caused a major disturbance.

Inside the Earls Court Two auditorium in west London, the few thousand fans cheered, waved national flags and shouted for their favorites.

To whittle them down to the 15 semi-finalists, several point-scoring rounds were held during the contestants’ tour of Britain over the previous two weeks, with the results revealed on stage.

Miss Venezuela topped the interview round; Miss Dominican Republic, Marianly Tejada Burgos, was named the general sports champion; home favorite Miss England, Alize Lily Mounter, won the beach beauty title, while Miss Kazakhstan, Zhanna Zhumaliyeva, was named top model.

The crowd were played clips from the talent round — where performers sang, danced and gave piano recitals — won by Miss Chile, Gabriela Paz Pulgar Luco.

Miss Ghana, Stephanie Adwoa Agyeiwaa Karikari, and Miss Indonesia, Astrid Ellena Indriana Yunadi, were the joint winners of the beauty with a purpose category, where contestants can highlight a charity project.

With the scores in and only the top 15 going through to the semi-final, Miss Puerto Rico topped the leader board, ahead of Miss Venezuela, Miss Philippines, Miss Ukraine and Miss Scotland.

The final seven, chosen by the judges, were Miss England, Miss Korea, Miss Philippines, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Scotland, Miss South Africa and Miss Venezuela.

It was announced that Ordos in Inner Mongolia, China, will host the 2012 competition. - with Carmela Lapeña, AFP, Reuters/HS/RSJ, GMA News


Source: gmanews.tv