ATLANTA, Nov. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is collaborating with multi award-winning songwriter and animal rights activist Diane Warren for its upcoming Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement, held annually the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, falling this year on December 1.

WATCH PSA VIDEO FEATURING SONG "FREE" HERE



Warren, who has won a Grammy, an Emmy, a Golden Globe, three Billboard Music Awards, and received 11 Oscar® nominations, has lent her song "Free" to a PSA video about the Fossey Fund's critical conservation work. In addition, Warren is matching funds raised during the Giving Tuesday campaign, up to a total of $20,000.

"Free" was performed by Charlie Puth for Disney's 2020 film, "The One and Only Ivan." The movie stars Angelina Jolie and is based on the popular children's book by Katherine Applegate. It tells the story of Ivan, a real gorilla held captive in a shopping mall before a public outcry led to his relocation to Zoo Atlanta, where the Fossey Fund is headquartered. Fossey Fund CEO and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Tara Stoinski studied Ivan early in her career.

"We are thrilled to work with Diane Warren to help spread awareness about the plight facing gorillas," says Stoinski. "There are just over 1,000 mountain gorillas left, and we are working to bring them and their close cousins, the critically endangered Grauer's gorillas, back from the brink of extinction."

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"The Fossey Fund is doing amazing work to protect these important species," says Warren.  "Mountain gorillas are one of the world's few conservation success stories, and I am honored to be part of the Fossey Fund's work to protect the gorillas and their habitat and to help the people who share their forest home."

About the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

Established in 1967 by famed primatologist Dian Fossey, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund works to protect and study wild gorillas and their habitats and empower people who share the gorilla's forest home. With a team of more than 200 staff working in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Fossey Fund is the world's longest running and largest organization dedicated entirely to gorilla conservation. At the time Fossey began her groundbreaking work, it was predicted that mountain gorillas would be extinct by the year 2000. Instead, they are recognized as one of the world's few conservation success stories, and recently were moved from 'critically endangered' to 'endangered,' one step further from extinction.

The Fossey Fund's people-centered approach to conservation is focused on four pillars:

Daily protection of individual gorillas and their families;

Conducting critical science needed to develop conservation strategies;

Training future leaders to address the conservation challenges of the future;

Helping communities living near gorillas through livelihood, food security and education initiatives.

About Diane Warren

Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner Diane Warren is one of the most prolific and successful contemporary songwriters of all time. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, she is also the sole owner of the publishing company Realsongs. Warren's songs are featured in over 100 films and she is tied with Paul McCartney for the most #1 hit songs on the Billboard Charts. Diane Warren has earned Oscar nominations for five successive decades, with a total of 11 Academy Award® nominations. She continues to work with many of today's most popular acts, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Christina Aguilera, Snoop Dogg, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Paloma Faith, Andra Day, Demi Lovato, LeAnn Rimes, Common, Janelle Monáe, Missy Elliott and Zendaya. During her impressive career, Warren has written for iconic artists including Whitney Houston, Cher, Aerosmith, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, and Mariah Carey.

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A passionate animal rights activist and Vegan, Diane Warren established a non-profit rescue ranch in Malibu, California that she maintains. The lovingly cared for residents include pigs, goats, donkeys, horses and cows, two named Simon COWell and Hugh Heffer. Her human rights songs include for Michelle Obama "This is for the Girls," which she convinced the first lady to perform with James Corden on his late night "Carpool Karaoke," and "Change," performed by Jojo, the official song for the Biden-Harris Campaign.

For further information:
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund press contact: Donna Gorman [email protected]
(404) 624 5881

For more, visit: gorillafund.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @savinggorillas

Diane Warren Press Contact:
Ray Costa, Costa Communications, Inc.
[email protected]

SOURCE Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

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