Youssou N'Dour Cancels US Tour

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Youssou N'Dour Cancels US Tour Over Threat of War

Youssou N'Dour, the acclaimed Senegalese singer and bandleader and UNICEF 
Ambassador, has announced the cancellation of his seven-week tour of North 
America, originally scheduled for March 26-May 15.   The 38-city tour was to 
be the most extensive series of performances in North America in his career. 

Youssou N'Dour says, "It is my strong conviction that the responsibility for 
disarming Iraq should rest with the United Nations.  As a matter of 
conscience I question the United States government's apparent intention to 
commence war in Iraq.  I believe that coming to America at this time would be 
perceived in many parts of the world - rightly or wrongly - as support for 
this policy, and that, as a consequence, it is inappropriate to perform in 
the US at this juncture."

"I understand that there are many in the US who do not support the idea of 
their government initiating war in Iraq at this time, and I offer my greatest 
respect to them.  I also regret the difficulties this causes those who were 
to present my concerts in North America and those who were looking forward to 
seeing me and my band.  This tour was over a year and a half in the planning 
and was the greatest commitment I had ever made to performing in the US."
"It is my fervent wish to return to the US in better times.  But I find it 
impossible to imagine playing concerts in America when such grave issues are 
confronting all the peoples of the world."

Further information: info@africanhypertext.com