Bono, K'naan meet with Somali activists in Minnesota

Photo courtesy ONE

​In addition to braving a downpour of rain to perform in front of nearly 60,000 fans on Saturday night at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium, U2 frontman Bono took time on Saturday afternoon to meet with singer and rapper K'naan and several Somali activists from Minnesota to discuss the looming famine crisis that is threatening the Horn of Africa. Bono is the cofounder of ONE, an anti-poverty activist group, and called the meeting to discuss what can be done about the lack of food and water in Somalia while he was in the Twin Cities, which is home to the largest concentration of Somalis in the United States.

"The crisis in the Horn is going to be solved by Somalis taking control, taking charge," Bono said after his meeting on Saturday. "I'm here, and ONE is here, to listen and learn and to serve their efforts. We're here to sound the alarm bell in the United States, where there has been very little media coverage of the food crisis -- and now a famine which is threatening the lives and livelihoods of 12 million. This is monstrous. Pay close attention, this is a defining moment for the world. History will be very harsh if we don't move quickly."

In addition to calling on K'naan and leaders from the American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa and the American Refugee Committee, Bono met with three Somali Minnesotans who are active in relief efforts.

Here is a larger photo of Bono and K'naan with Somali activists Mohamed Samatar, Shukri Abdinur and Ruqia Mohamed:

Photo courtesy ONE

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Bono also performed a duet with K'naan on Saturday night; they sang "Stand By Me" as a symbol of their solidarity with Somalia.

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