Barely a year after his death and legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti is still helping refugees and other vulnerable people around the world. The Italian singer, who died on September 6 last year, gave a series of memorable "Pavarotti and Friends" concerts in his hometown of Modena to raise money for refugee and other causes. In recognition of his work for refugees, the UNHCR named him the winner of its prestigious Nansen Refugee Award in 2001.

That tradition of music and fund-raising is being continued. Pavarotti's widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, with the support of Princess Haya of Jordan, will host a charity concert on October 12 – Pavarotti's birthday – in the spectacular setting of Petra, a World Heritage site in Jordan. A memorial ceremony will be held a day earlier.

The Petra concert, conducted by Eugene Kohn, will bring together a wide range of top artists from the classical and pop worlds, including Roberto Alagna, Andrea Bocelli, Angela Gheorghiu, Andrea Griminelli, Jovanotti, Cynthia Lawrence, Laura Pausini, Sting and Zucchero. A concert in Petra was a dream once shared by Pavarotti and Princess Haya's father, the late King Hussein of Jordan.

The money raised from the concert will provide funds for UNHCR and World Food Programme (WFP) projects in Afghanistan, a cause dear to Pavarotti's heart. Since 2002, more than 5 million Afghans have returned home, mainly from Pakistan and Iran. But many still face difficulties and the joint UNHCR/WFP projects will focus on the most vulnerable –

For more information, please see: http://www.unhcr.org/events/48d36fbd2.html