Since the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948 with the promise of "Never Again," there have been more than 250 armed conflicts with more than 12 million casualties - more than 500 thousand since 2022 alone. There are more than 110 million displaced people, 42 nations that do not observe the International Criminal Court and 360 million people worldwide in need of humanitarian assistance, all overseen as we are bombarded with flows of information 24/7. The global military spending for 2022 alone was 2.24 trillion U.S. dollars, money that could have been spend on medical research, climate action and the eradication of poverty.
Sports and music can heal. As the world darkens day by day, we're spreading the light by introducing the Songs 4 Peace Festival, an unprecedented international peace, golf and music festival. Music, with its ability to transcend borders, cultures, and religions, has the extraordinary power to heal and uplift. From September 27 - 29, we are bringing together golfers, the most connected community in the world, singers, luminaries, and dignitaries from around the globe for a soul-soothing peace concert and a solution-finding roundtable discussion on ending conflicts through transparency and accountability.
The golfers, singers, selected dignitaries and politicians will be in the audience to help amplify and campaign an appeal for peace resolution, to demand the release of hostages, political and religious prisoners, an immediate ceasefire, and an end to occupation in conflict-ridden areas. We're calling upon the UN and global leaders to intensify pressure for accountability. In a heartfelt gesture, singers from affected regions worldwide, from Iran, Israel, Myanmar, Palestine, Russia, Sudan, Tibet, Ukraine and the Uyghur Silkroad Region Xinjiang, will join this global initiative with the support from artists from Europe and the United States, to stand together for peace, justice, and human rights where music becomes a powerful force for positive change.
The proceeds of the festival will go towards our music and roundtable platform to drive campaigns and petitions for peace, tolerance and human rights and to the charities and foundations of our singers, many of whom come from and live in developing or conflict rattled regions, being able to work on the ground and reach millions.