Bono described his personal struggle and the outlet he found through music.

"I'm rebelling against my own indifference, I'm rebelling against the idea that the world is as it is and there is nothing you can do about it," he told the crowd.

Bono's primary message to audience members was that they need to join the struggle and do what they can to make a difference in their world.

"I think I've come here to ask your help because this is a big problem and we need some smart people working on it," Bono said, assuring the graduates that they could play a role in how the world perceives the crisis and what kind of action is taken to end it.

Bono was selected as the Class Day speaker by a class-wide poll of all the seniors. The Class Marshals were able to secure Bono with the help of Sachs, and were ultimately successful because the Boston leg of U2's American tour happened to correspond perfectly with the Class Day ceremony,

Students reacted positively to Bono's call to action.

"He expressed the fact that you can find room in your life for noble pursuits, whether you are a rock star or a Harvard graduate," said David F. Browne '01.