There is something decidedly different about Monday's edition of the Globe and Mail. Not only was it being guest-edited for the first time, but the guest editors were Irish rock stars and anti-poverty activists Bono and Bob Geldof.
Monday's edition of the newspaper contains a special section called "Emerging Africa," a topic close to both men, and features content from African political leaders, business owners and grassroots activists.
The section's front page is a sea of red. The words "The African Century" are written boldly in black, and are surrounded by a sea of other words _ such as "women," "oil," "China," "good governance," and "equality" _ written around it in contrasting white and grey.
Geldof and Bono flew into Toronto on Saturday to work in the Globe newsroom on Monday's edition. Globe editor-in-chief John Stackhouse says in an interview Sunday with CTV News that they've guest-edited newspapers on other continents before, but this is the first time they've done this with a North American paper.
Geldof and Bono also answered video questions from the public. One question, which was posted on the Globe's website, was asked by Sarah Kibaalya of Toronto.
"Why does it take two white men to discuss the positive things that are happening in Africa? Africans can speak on their own behalf and they are more than capable of highlighting the positive things that are happening," Kibaalya said.
"Yeah, it’s pathetic. I agree with her," responded Geldof as he sat down with Bono and Stackhouse in the taped video clip.
Geldof says poverty has always bothered him and that one of the main pools of poverty on Earth is in Africa.
"Africans are the people who will get out of it by themselves. But if we can help to point to this unnecessary condition of millions of humans _ regardless if they’re Africans, black or white or whatever _ I think it’s part of our job. I truly understand we’re annoying, but I’m speaking for me. I don’t try to speak for him or anyone else and whether you like it or not, believe me, I will continue to speak to this issue until it is resolved,” Geldof said in an impassioned reply to Kibaalya's question.
Bono echoed that he isn't trying to speak for anyone else, but is rather following orders from former South African President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, both of whom he considers to be his bosses.
"They asked me to do this. That’s why I’m doing it. I’m responding to orders," Bono said. "And the absurdity of the fact that celebrity is currency around these times. But, you know, we want to spend ours wisely.”
Bono is the lead singer for Irish rock group U2, while Geldof rose to fame as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats.
FYI, Globe and Mail is like Canada's USA Today.
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