Bono Raises $40M At A Valentine's Day Auction

2/15/2008
Janet Onyenucheya
Bono and Damien Hirst hosted an evening benefiting RED.

Rocker Bono and artist Damien Hirst raised more than $40 million for AIDS relief Thursdaty. The money was promptly sent to Africa Thursday night.

The Daily News reports that Queen Noor, Martha Stewart, Christy Turlington, Ed Burns, and Anna Wintour were among the celebrities who turned out at Sotheby's auction house to bid on the work of some of the world's top artists.

Contribution from the auction benefited (RED), the charity Bono and Bobby Shriver founded 18 months ago that has now generated more than $100 million for the UN-created Global Fund, according to (RED) organizers.

Bono vowed that unlike St. Valentine, the evening's bidders wouldn't be famous for "selfless acts known only to God."

Bono admitted, "It's been a bizarre day for me," noting that he'd also attended a memorial in D.C. for Rep. Tom Lantos, "a great champion of our work." Bono performed an a cappella version of the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love."

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