Philip Lawrence composes "Begin Again" for 2 Unite All Gaza and Middle East peace benefit album

LOS ANGELES - April 6, 2016 - PRLog -- Project Peace On Earth (PPoE) is releasing an original song composed for its 2 Unite All Vols. 1 & 2 benefit album called Begin Again by 2016 Grammy Winner and celebrated singer/songwriter Philip Lawrence of Bruno Mars. His song Begin Again is featured amongst the 30 songs of Volumes 1 & 2 of the 2 Unite All album which includes such music legends as Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), Stewart Copeland (The Police), Thomas Bergersen (2 Billion YouTube hits), Sasha Cooke (Grammy Opera Winner), Gary Nicholson (Grammy Country Music Winner), Beth Nielsen Chapman, Rick Allen (Def Leppard), Fox Lima (Enigma MMX Social Song) and more.

Proceeds go to Palestinian and Middle East relief agencies supported by Project Peace on Earth (PPoE), the US-based humanitarian organization run by Steve Robertson. The aim of the album is to unite people who are separated by conflict and prejudice through the healing power of music. Beneficiaries of the album include: Palestine Children Relief Fund, Friends of UNRWA USA, National Centre for Community Rehabilitation (NCCR) in Gaza and Project Peace On Earth's peace initiatives in both Palestine and Israel.

"The 2 Unite All album," states Robertson, "is a collection of musical prayers to celebrate the goodness of the Palestinian and Israeli people. Each song is a prayer for greater love, forgiveness and togetherness which, we believe, is the vision that Palestine and Israel can model for us all ... a vision of world peace."

Lawrence explained the reason he decided to be part of the album and write an original song for it: "Throughout my life I've been blessed in so many ways but most humbly through the gift of my children. I live to protect, teach and love them unconditionally so they can then share that life experience wherever they go. Knowing there are children and families in the world who have experienced lives of pain, trauma, violence, injustice and feelings that they've been forgotten simply breaks my heart and should never be tolerated."

He continues: "… I wanted to be part of this album to use my God given gifts to give these children and families some peace even if only for a moment. In the end we are all one family and those are all my children, brothers and my sisters."

The story behind the 2 Unite All album is heart wrenching. Robertson started the album project immediately after watching a distressing TV news report in the Summer of 2014 about a four-year-old Palestinian girl (Shymaa) who was hospitalized and in a coma following a bombing in Gaza. "The doctors weren't sure if she would survive, but said if she did regain consciousness, she would learn that her mother, father and sister - her entire family - had all been killed … My tears wouldn't stop and I said to myself: That's enough. I have to do something now to offer some sort of healing support to not only the people of Gaza, but the many other children and families who have suffered the violence of war in the Middle East."

Robertson engaged the NCCR to help find the little girl and then had her be part of the Gaza's children's song Haumea on the album. Together, Robertson, Richard Gannaway (composer of Haumea) and the NCCR team worked for three months to train children with no singing experience (the NCCR Gaza Children's Choir) to be part of the album. Shymaa took part in the song and music video edited by the esteemed musician and filmmaker, Fritz Heede. Ricky Kej, 2015 Grammy winner, generously donated his time to produce the album.

Steve Robertson, CEO of Project Peace on Earth says:

"When I heard the song Begin Again that Philip had written for the album I was brought to tears. His song serves as an anthem to remind us about how love's power can help us to begin again through forgiveness so that we find our togetherness. The whole album serves to bring necessary surgical teams, supplies and PTSD therapies to the region as well as to support the worldwide message of Love All Love Wins and the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), both sponsored by PPoE and the NCCR. The 2 Unite All album is really a collection of musical prayers to bring healing to this Middle East region. It is a prayer to envision and help empower the realization of Palestinians and Israelis living together as brothers and sisters."

Mr. Khaled Abuzaid, Founder of the NCCR, stated that:

"We know that music is the universal language and we know that the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights speak of a more loving way to be with one another.  It is our prayer, through music, that our children will have the chance to share their voice with other world-famed musicians to remind our world that love and peace are always possible. This is always a choice. This is the choice of the Palestinian people. Towards this goal, we believe that Palestine will one day be a center for peace and reconciliation around the world."

Proceeds from sales of 2 Unite All Vols.1 & 2 will fund the provision of medical and psychological assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and people in the Middle East region.

Philip's inspired song "Begin Again" will be available for sale on iTunes and all good digital stores on the 2 Unite All album VOLS. 1 & 2 on 19th April 2016.

Interviews are available with Steve Robertson, CEO of Project Peace on Earth and Producer of 2 Unite All Vols. 1 & 2, Ricky Kej Producer of the album, Mr. Khaled Abuzaid, Founder of the NCCR, and select musicians, upon request.

Notes to Editors

The 30 songs of Volumes 1 & 2 feature the music legends Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, Stewart Copeland, Philip Lawrence, Thomas Bergersen, Sasha Cooke, Gary Nicholson, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Rick Allen and more. Full list at www.2uniteall.com/artists.

https://youtu.be/JzCSyILliZ0 is the video of the song Haumea (meaning We Are The Ones).



Project Peace on Earth is the US-based humanitarian organization run by Steve Robertson that aims to unite people who are separated by conflict and prejudice through the healing power of music.

Beneficiaries of the album include: Palestine Children Relief Fund, Friends of UNRWA USA, NCCR and Project Peace On Earth.

Websites & Social Media Links

2uniteall.com/
Facebook - 2 Unite All
Facebook - Project Peace On Earth
Twitter - 2 Unite All

PRESS PAGE: 2uniteall.com/press-page
PRESS CONTACT: Steve Robertson press@projectpeaceonearth.org
AVAILABLE AT: Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and all good online digital stores from 19th APRIL 2016