With a little help from his friends, Ringo Starr celebrated his 70th birthday in New York with a global "Peace and Love" moment.

Starr led the salute Wednesday in Times Square to throngs of spectators looking to catch a glimpse of the legendary Beatle. He told the crowd that being in New York was a "magical moment in 1964, and it's still a magical moment."

Earlier, Starr was honored at the Hard Rock Cafe with a cake and a chorus of "Happy Birthday." He waited patiently for staff to bring a cake knife so he could cut his own cake, as is tradition in Liverpool.

Starr wants people from every part of the globe to say "Peace and Love" at noon everyday by word, e-mail or any form of communication.