The U2 band’s well known rocker Bono along with artist Damien Hirst have been instrumental in raising a sum of over $40 million through an art auction conducted on Valentine’s Day in New York. The auction is considered to be one of the biggest charity events to take place all over the world and the proceeds of the auction will go to the United Nation supported Global Fund to fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis and this fund is to be mainly used to fight AIDS in Africa. The RED campaign, one of the largest fundraising company for the consumers who need humanitarian assistance, started by Bono and Bobby Shiver in 2006 had organized this art auction charity event.

A huge medicine chest sculpture that had hundreds of HIV pills made of metals titled “Where There’s a Will There’s A Way” was the top money grosser which fetched $7.15 million. Some of the popular celebrities who visited the Sotheby’s house of auction to bid for the art work of about 100 artists were Michael Stipe, Martha Stewart, Helena Christensen, Christy Turlington and Queen Noor. The Global Funds executive director said that the event has shown the trust that the people have on the organization as well as the humanitarian efforts taken up by the organization and the RED money collected will be invested directly into the AIDS programs in Africa