Material World Charitable Foundation
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| Founded | 1973 |
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| Founder | George Harrison |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Website | MWF at georgeharrison.com |
The Material World Charitable Foundation (MWF) is a charitable organisation founded by English musician George Harrison in April 1973. Its launch coincided with the release of Harrison's album Living in the Material World and came about in reaction to the taxation issues that had hindered his 1971–72 aid project for refugees of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Harrison assigned his publishing royalties from nine of the eleven songs on Living in the Material World, including the hit single "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", to the foundation, in perpetuity.
The MWF's purpose is to donate to various causes, and promote diverse artistic endeavours and philosophies. Its first project in the latter regard was sponsoring a 1974 revue of Indian classical music – the Music Festival from India – led by Ravi Shankar and featuring world music pioneers such as Shivkumar Sharma, Hariprasad Chaurasia, L. Subramaniam and Sultan Khan. A year after Harrison's death, proceeds from the 2002 Concert for George, along with accompanying album and film releases, went to the foundation for dispersal to appropriate charities. The Material World Charitable Foundation continues to operate under the objectives outlined by Harrison in 1974, funded by income from his donated copyrights.
George Harrison founded the Material World Charitable Foundation, or MWF, on 26 April 1973, close to two years after he had organised the Concert for Bangladesh in New York as a benefit for refugees of the Bangladesh Liberation War. As effective as this relief effort had been in raising awareness in the Western world and helping to stop the war between what was then West and East Pakistan, the revenue it generated for the refugees had been denied tax-exempt status in America and the UK. In addition, up to $10 million of the funds remained in escrow, subject to an IRS audit. Speaking to British DJ Nicky Horne, Harrison recognised that the existence of a foundation or trust in 1971 would have ensured that all the revenue had reached UNICEF immediately, but that "there was no real planning [for the Concert for Bangladesh] … it was an emergency."
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