Courtesy of The Material World FoundationThe Material World Foundation, a charitable organization created by George Harrison in 1973, has donated $500,000 to three charities aiding those affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and has launched a campaign that encourages others to help raise additional money for the cause.
The new initiative, dubbed The Inner Light Challenge, asks people around the world to share a verse, chorus or line from the Harrison-penned 1968 Beatles song “The Inner Light” and post it on social media along with the hashtag #innerlight2020.
“Just sing it, play it, hum it, strum it, paint it, knit it, chant it, plant it, pray or meditate and post it,” a press release instructs.
For every person that shares an “Inner Light” moment using the hashtag, the Material World Foundation will donate another $1 — up to $100,000 — to the chosen charities: the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, Save the Children and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders).
“These lyrics sung by George are a positive reminder to all of us who are isolating, in quarantine or respecting the request to shelter in place,” says George’s widow, Olivia Harrison. “Let’s get and stay connected at this difficult time. There are things we can do to help and we invite you to share your Inner Light.”
The spiritually themed song begins with the lyrics, “Without going out of my door, I can know all things on earth/ Without looking out of my window, I can know the ways of heaven/ The farther one travels, the less one knows.”
You can check out a video of Harrison’s son, Dhani, performing his own a cappella rendition of “The Inner Light” at George’s official YouTube channel and a lyric video for the original Beatles version at the Fab Four’s YouTube channel.
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