Article about Lady Gaga’s new organisation to combat bullying.

Level: Intermediate +

Contributed by: Sean Banville - find Sean's websites at: www.freeeslmaterials.com

Reading, listening and discussion activities, together with printable class handouts, and online quizzes for the article below are available from www.breakingnewsenglish.com 

Lady Gaga Launches Anti-Bullying Foundation

Pop diva Lady Gaga launched her Born This Way Foundation (BTWF) at Harvard University on February 29. She told reporters the goal of the foundation is to empower youth, inspire bravery, increase tolerance of others and stamp out bullying. The singer told her audience that she hoped to use her fame to change the world for the better. She said: “If you have revolutionary potential, you must make the world a better place and use it….This is about transformative change in culture.” Gaga explained how important the foundation was to her, saying: “The culture of love is not going to change overnight but youth are the answer to creating a braver, kinder world…This might be one of the best days of my life.”

Lady Gaga arrived at Harvard with her mother, and her friend Oprah Winfrey. She signed autographs for students and posed for photos. The Harvard event was the first of a series of initiatives for the foundation. The Born Brave Bus was at the university and will travel around America to encourage kids to get more involved in their communities. The bus will also accompany Lady Gaga's next concert tour in the U.S. Gaga hopes her foundation will also reach out to and help gay and lesbian youth. It is named after her global hit song “Born This Way” and has been adopted as an unofficial anthem for lesbians and gays. Lady Gaga has contributed $1.2 million of her own money to the BTWF.