A Concert for Palestine
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Today, July 13, 2025, marks the 40th anniversary of the Live Aid concert, which was broadcast live simultaneously on two continents.
The event, launched by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, aimed to raise funds to fight the famine then devastating Ethiopia (1983–1985).
This humanitarian initiative was launched following the release of the charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, a major commercial success in December 1984.
Presented as a “global jukebox,” Live Aid was held simultaneously in London (United Kingdom) and Philadelphia (United States).
They were all there: Mick Jagger, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Sting, Eric Clapton, George Michael, Queen, U2, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Duran Duran, Sade, Dire Straits, The Who.
No globally renowned artist is organizing an event of such scale today. It’s important to understand that artists are cautious, fearing they might suffer the same fate as the band Bobby Vylan.
During their performance at the Glastonbury Festival on June 28, 2025, Bobby Vylan encouraged the crowd to chant “Death to the IDF” (referring to the army of the State of Israel) and “Free Palestine.”
British police promptly launched a criminal investigation to determine whether these statements constituted a criminal offense. Furthermore, the duo had their U.S. visas revoked and were excluded from the lineups of various festivals.
It is unlikely we will see a second charity concert broadcast live for the Palestinian people, simultaneously in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Indeed, the United States continues to regularly supply the Jewish state (Israel) with ammunition to enable it to pursue its genocide in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has regularly flown over Palestinian territory from its Akrotiri air base in Cyprus to obtain detailed surveys of the buildings still standing in Gaza.
Although an artistic event in solidarity with the Palestinians is unlikely to happen anytime soon, a major concert has long served to highlight the moral corruption of our world.
In 1973, Eurovision welcomed a new member: the Jewish state (Israel), which won the contest in 2018 and had the honor of hosting it in Tel Aviv the following year.
The Jewish state (Israel) finds itself in good company among the group formed by the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, and Germany — all countries that invaded various territories throughout history, causing the deaths of millions of people.
It is not far-fetched to imagine that the United States could one day join Eurovision. The cynicism of our world seems boundless.