STARS COME OUT FOR MANDELA

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Alicia Keys, Lil Kim, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder lent their star power to a party for former South African president Nelson Mandela on Saturday (19Jul09) in celebration of his 91st birthday.

They performed at a Mandela Day Concert in New York's Radio City Hall, with money raised going to Mandela's Aids foundation, 46664.The civil rights leader missed out on attending the bash in person as he was too frail to travel, but he sent a video message to those celebrating the event, saying: It is on your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.Soul legend Stevie Wonder sang a rendition of his hit Happy Birthday - originally written to remember Dr Martin Luther King.France's first lady Carla Bruni wowed the crowd as she took to the stage to perform two songs including Bob Dylan's Blowing in the Wind, accompanied by former Eurythmics guitarist Dave Stewart.Queen Latifah and Aretha Franklin also performed, and Cyndi Lauper teamed up with Lil' Kim for a duet. Shawshank Redemption star Morgan Freeman - who is set to play Mandela in an upcoming biopic - gave a speech to the crowd and President Barack Obama delivered a personal message via video, saying that Mandela's life teaches us that the impossible can be done, but only if people have the courage to make change happen.