TORONTO — More than a dozen A-list musicians including David Bowie, Celine Dion, Paul McCartney and Avril Lavigne are getting together to help children in war zones, including Iraq.

The artists are contributing songs, including new tracks, for an album called Peace Songs, to be released April 15. Some artists, like McCartney, recorded new material for the project. Others re-made classic peace songs, like Lavigne who recorded Bob Dylan's Knocking on Heaven's Door for the album.

Several are donating a song from their body of work that has a message of peace and hope.

Proceeds will go to War Child Canada's international humanitarian projects, including humanitarian relief in Iraq where the charity organization is partnered with Karbala Children's Hospital.

Other artists featured on Peace Songs include: Bryan Adams, Jann Arden, Bruce Cockburn, Leonard Cohen, Gord Downie, Garou, Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), K-OS, Chantal Kreviazuk, Moby and Our Lady Peace.

"Whatever the politics, whatever the rights and wrongs of war, children are always the innocent victims," McCartney, who has recorded a new track exclusively for the album, said in a statement. "I am delighted to be able to make this small contribution to a magnificent project."

Peace Songs is a joint initiative between BMG Canada Inc., Sony Music Canada, and War Child Canada.

"We are very concerned for the well-being of Iraqi children and all innocent people caught in the crossfire of war," said Samantha Nutt, executive director of War Child Canada.

The project has been in the works since before the start of the war in Iraq. Some tracks from Peace Songs will be shared with a similar project for War Child U.K. It's album will be called Hope.