Tokiko Kato, a singer and United Nations Environment Program goodwill ambassador, will perform on two days later this month in South Africa to promote conservation efforts, organizers said Saturday.
Kato and three local musicians will hold concerts Aug. 28 and 29, in the suburbs of Johannesburg. The city is the site of the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development, being held from Aug. 26 to Sept. 4.
It will bring together representatives of governments, nongovernmental organizations, businesses and other groups. A wide range of issues, including food security, health and energy, will be discussed.
The concerts are intended to urge the summit participants to halt destruction of the environment.
Kato, 58, will conclude the concerts performing "Now is the time," which she wrote. The song conveys her hopes for an end to the destruction of the natural world, the organizers said.
Kato has worked with the three musicians before, including on a visit to South Africa in spring 2000 to make a recording.
UNEP, based in Nairobi, made Kato its special envoy for the environment in October 2000.
The agency was established in 1972 to promote international cooperation on environmental issues.