UNICEF behind the scenes - Popfoto

Photo captions: As usual, Olivia was accompanied by her friend and manager, Lee Kramer. Popfoto is now also on the reading table at the Newton-John household.

Presenter David Frost with Andy Gibb and Olivia Newton-John. Andy and Olivia had rehearsed a duet especially for the gala.

Page 2: Yes, sir. Director. Fine, sir. Olivia giggled as he scolded her for constantly looking at the wrong camera.

More details from the UNICEF concert.

If the Bee Gees' expectations are met, the A Gift of Song event, which they organized with their manager Robert Stigwood and David Frost, will raise a staggering 200 million guilders. This immense sum will go entirely to the global children's organization UNICEF. The campaign, which will continue for some time, was launched with a grand gala in New York. Popfoto took a look behind the scenes.

As everyone recently witnessed on Dutch television, the UNICEF Gala held in New York at the beginning of the Year of the Child was a unique event.

But there was also plenty going on behind the scenes at the United Nations headquarters, where the action took place. Popfoto, the only Dutch pop magazine, took a look with its own reporting team.

The rumors about Agnetha and Björn's separation circulating in the corridors were, of course, sensational. Rumors that were later confirmed, but there was no evidence of this in Agnetha and Björn's behavior during their stay in New York. They sat on stage like lovebirds during rehearsals. Firmly hand in hand, they entered the post-gala party, even though they had already been separated for two weeks. After all, Agnetha had already tied the knot on Christmas Day and moved into her own house. A house that she has apparently already left to live with her new love: the psychiatrist Haken Lonnbach.

Björn only wanted to say: We parted as good friends. That's why we decided to continue raising our children, Linda and Christian, together despite the divorce. And of course, Abba will continue!

In New York, we also noticed that Donna Summer is having problems. Donna is very worried about her daughter Mimi. I'm traveling so often that I hardly see Mimi, Donna said. Mimi is separated from me. I used to not be so bothered by it, but Mimi has now reached an age where she can somewhat express that she misses me. Only now have my eyes opened, and the terrible thing is... I don't know how to change the situation.

During the gala, Mimi was fortunately able to be with her mother. Donna even sang a song she had written especially for her daughter. Mimi was even briefly brought on stage by her mother.

And then we met the non-singing Gibb family: father Hugh, mother Barbara, and the youngest Gibb, eighteen-year-old Bernice. Although Mom and Dad Gibb must have gotten used to things after all these years, the pride and admiration for their musical children still radiated from their faces.

/p>.Only Bernice seemed a bit lost. Of course I'm proud of my brothers. But I don't really need to be involved in music myself; I'd rather stay in the background, she laughed, while her brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice were naturally extra busy as hosts. But it's for a good cause, said Barry, who donated the worldwide hit Too Much Heaven, which he co-wrote with Robin and Maurice, to UNICEF.

All the other artists also donated the copyrights of the songs they sang to UNICEF. For example, the proceeds from Abba's Chiquitita also go directly to UNICEF.

The plan, by the way, is to make a compilation LP of all these songs. This gala is just the beginning, said a satisfied Barry, because the campaign will run as long as the given-away songs are sold or played on the radio worldwide. And that could go on for a very long time!

What is Unicef?

Two hundred million guilders are now expected to go to UNICEF. But what is UNICEF? In short, UNICEF is the United Nations Children's Fund, which uses voluntary contributions from governments and individuals for the well-being of children worldwide, regardless of race, religion, nationality, or political affiliation.

The fund provides more than one hundred countries with materials, instruments, medicines, dairy facilities, hospitals, food, and educational materials. UNICEF funds the training of local populations as medical personnel and social workers and teachers.

It also supports projects such as mass campaigns against common diseases, nutrition programs, and drinking water supplies. Every year, 100 million children and mothers receive direct aid from UNICEF.