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Taj Mahal concert to open '8th Wonder of the World' series
By Jyotirmoy Datta, Indo-Asian News Serice 

New York, Dec 6 (IANS) A grand concert at the Taj Mahal on Feb 25 will kick off a semi-annual concert series to benefit HIV/AIDS efforts around the world, the entertainment production company, 8th Wonder of the World, announced here.

MTV Asia, YouthAIDS and entertainment wizard Lou Pearlman have joined hands to host the 10-part concert series at exotic locations around the world.

The international guest artists/ambassadors initially named for the event are Lou Pearlman, the legendary entertainment mogul who among other launchings promoted the Backstreet Boys, Claude Challe, the Tunisian born French DJ who is known for his Buddha Bar series, and Tina Sugandh, New Jersey reared Mumbai native known as the 'Tabla Girl'. 

From India sitar legend Ravi Shankar, his daughter Anoushka Shankar, and Bollywood dancer and singer Javed Jaffery would be at the event.

A royal inaugural procession with horses and elephants and a recreation of the Mughal court of Empress Mumtaz Mahal is planned at the beginning of the concert. 

The 800 to 1,000 celebrity guests will be seated on imperial Mughal divans, fanned by attendants with 'pankhas'(huge fans) and the most important guests will arrive in palanquins.

MTV Asia will broadcast the event to its over 32 million viewers across the continent, a release said. 

YouthAIDS, an HIV/AIDS education and prevention initiative of Population Service International, has been selected as one of the beneficiaries from the funds raised through sponsorships and advertisements. 

Pearlman and his company Trans Continental Records will help secure artistes for the concert. 

The 8th Wonder of the World and MTV Asia will continue to secure media partnerships globally to expand the reach of the awareness campaign. 

YouthAIDS, with its strong network of celebrities and entertainers, will encourage artistes and youth ambassadors across the globe to participate. 

Among the other venues of concert are the Forbidden City in Beijing; Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; the Great Pyramid in Cairo, Egypt; Parthenon in Athens, Greece; St. Basil Red Square in Moscow, Russia; the Coliseum in Rome, Italy; and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.