Imagine is broadcast around the world

On the 50th anniversary of John Lennon’s birth, his 1971 song ‘Imagine’ is broadcast simultaneously by approximately 1,000 radio stations in over 100 countries.

The broadcast originated from the United Nations building in New York City, and was introduced by Marcela Pérez de Cuéllar, the wife of UN secretary general Javier Pérez de Cuéllar. The short programme also included an excerpt from an archive interview with Lennon.

The initiative was conceived with the involvement of Yoko Ono, who said: “I wanted to provide a way for John’s fans to do something together, but, at the same time, I wanted it to be original and simple.”