Vanity Fair Special Africa Issue
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Posted by Sean Sinclair-Day Jul 8, 2007 |
The July issue of Vanity Fair is devoted to the world's most troubled and diverse continent. Annie Liebovitz paired 21 people to create 20 different "historic covers." The faces on the front include President George W. Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Muhammad Ali, Bill and Melinda Gates and Maya Angelou in this special African issue, which will not be available much longer.
Musician and anti-poverty advocate, Paul "Bono" Hewson, the issue's guest editor, says they are "trying to bring some sex appeal to the idea of wanting to change the world." Inside, the unreserved activist, who has campaigned for third world debt relief and awareness for the AIDS pandemic, asks America's 2008 presidential candidates what they would do for Africa. Seven Democratic hopefuls and six Republican challengers share their thoughts on this complicated question.
Highlights
Other articles focus on a wide variety of captivating stories. Jeffrey Sachs's $200 Billion Dream by Nina Munk explores the economist's vision of eradicating extreme poverty. Millions perish each year because of utter destitution but "the basic truth," states Sachs, "is that for less than a percent of the income of the rich world nobody has to die of poverty on the planet."
China's insatiable thirst for oil is examined in Enter China, the Giant. Sebastian Junger's piece looks at how the Chinese-African codependency has contributed to regional conflict and has kept the violence simmering in Darfur.
In The Lazarus Effect shows how more affordable anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs have transformed and extended the lives of thousands. In 2002, only 50,000 Africans had ARVs. Now, 1.34 million are being treated.
Other features include Hollywood icon, Brad Pitt, interviewing Desmond Tutu as well as Bill Clinton's observations of Nelson Mandela's HIV/AIDS crusade. The Continental Shelf will be enlightening for those who want to know about the fresh voices emerging from a new generation of African writers.
Spirit of Africa
It is hard to ignore African poverty, disease and corruption but in Spirit of Africa, Vanity Fair profiles 71 Africans who continue to inspire and offer a more moving glimpse of those on the continent. Amongst these leaders, economists, artists and athletes are Liberia's Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, writer Ishmael Beah, Angelique Kidjo, in addition to a host of African filmmakers and the Ivory Coast Football team.
