Activist Prendergast, Obama talk about Darfur

Human rights activist John Prendergast, a foreign policy advisor to the stars, met with President Obama and his new Sudan special envoy, Air Force Gen. J. Scott Gration, this week to discuss the deteriorating situation in Darfur.

Prendergast, who has advised celebs as varied as NBA star Tracy McGrady and actors Don Cheadle and Angelina Jolie, was welcomed to the White House along with Omer Ismail, a senior advisor to Prendergast’s Enough project.

“We discussed with the president that what has been missing in U.S. policy for some time now is a strategic vision aimed at ending the cycle of war and famine in Darfur rather than simply managing the genocidal consequences,” Prendergast said. “This requires the U.S. to commit to helping to build a credible peace process in Darfur.”

According to Prendergast, Obama -- who pledged during his campaign to help bring about peace in Darfur -- was receptive to Prendergast’s suggestions. (At one point, Prendergast, who campaigned for Obama, considered working for the administration.) According to Prendergast, the president said that the U.S. must keep its eyes on the longer-term prize: a peaceful, democratic Sudan.

It’s been a busy week for the peace activist. Prendergast advised “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’s” executive producer Neal Baer in an episode on child soldiers that aired Tuesday evening.

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McCartney’s meditation

You can’t save the world if you don’t have inner peace. Or at least that’s the philosophy of peace-seeking musician Paul McCartney, who is headlining a concert to raise money for director David Lynch’s foundation, dedicated to teaching at-risk youths how to meditate.

The “Change Begins Within” concert -- which will be held Saturday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City -- will feature performances by Sheryl Crow, Donovan, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Moby, Paul Horn, Bettye LaVette, Mike Love, Ringo Starr and Jim James. Lynch, best known for such trippy fare as “Twin Peaks” and “Blue Velvet,” is a longtime proponent of the healing power of meditation.

“I like the idea of bringing an ancient practice into the modern world,” McCartney said in a statement. “Who would have thought that by introducing meditation into the education system you could lower people’s aggression levels and get a more peaceful society.”

He added: “I think meditation offers a moment in your day to be at peace with yourself and therefore the universe, which once was thought of as a slightly silly hippie idea, but now it’s much more accepted and even fits with some of the most advanced scientific thinking.”

When asked if he had a message for his fans, McCartney -- a headliner at the Coachella Music Festival later this month -- joked: “Thanks for continuing to bother to listen to me!”

There’s more information on the show and the effort at www.DavidLynchFoundation .org.

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Drive to free jailed woman

Hollywood uber-socialite and children’s advocate Daphna Ziman issued a plea this week to everyone on her vast e-mail list to help her rescue a young woman currently held in prison in Iran.

Ziman -- wife of real estate mogul Richard Ziman and founder of the charity Children Uniting Nations -- said she met Silva Harotonian more than a year ago while she was in the U.S. visiting her cousin Klara Moradkhan, who serves as chief of staff of Ziman’s charity.

With Moradkhan’s help, Harotonian got a job with IREX, an American charity, to assist in the care of newborn babies in Iran. Last June, within a few days of her arrival home, she was arrested.

According to various online accounts, Harotonian was charged with participating in a “soft revolution,” in an attempt to overthrow the Iranian government. She was sentenced in January to three years in jail.

Ziman said the woman -- an Iranian citizen of Armenian descent -- was on a hunger strike with the intention of committing suicide. “We’re concerned that she only has a few days to live,” she said.

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tina.daunt@latimes.com