Alicia Keys will perform at the concert

Jones, who produced 1980s hit charity single We Are the World, has signed up artists including Alicia Keys, LL Cool J and Andrea Bocelli for the May event.

All broadcast proceeds and merchandise sales will go to charity.

"This event is a clarion call to the world to take notice of the plight of children everywhere," said Jones, 71.

"Mortality rates among children are soaring and the international community must respond," he added.

The concert will help fund child centres in cities including Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Asmara in Eritrea, Freetown in Sierra Leone, the Palestinian town of Nablus on the West Bank and Israel's Rishon Le'Zion.

Star-studded

The first centre opened in Kigali, Rwanda, earlier this month.

The We Are The Future concert will take place on 16 May at Rome's Circus Maximus arena.

Other stars taking part include Muhammad Ali, Angelina Jolie, Cirque Du Soleil, Natalie Cole, Youssou N'Dour, Lionel Richie and Oprah Winfrey.

Event organisers are negotiating with a US network and Arabic broadcaster Al-Jazeera for a worldwide telecast of the concert.

Jones is co-ordinating the concert with Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, US UN envoy John Negroponte, Palestinian-American businessman Hani Masri and Glocal's Uri Savir, the former Israeli negotiator at the Oslo peace talks.