Much more than a concert for Palestine

Barcelona“Fighting for Palestine is fighting for all of humanity,” says Ruben Wagensberg, one of those involved in organizing the Act x Palestine manifesto concert, which will take place on Thursday, January 29th at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. Wagensberg believes that the impunity with which the Israeli government has acted leads to a demobilization that must be countered. It is within this moral context that the Act x Palestine campaign is situated, “a collective appeal that, through music, words, art, and images, reclaims culture as a space for resistance and awareness-raising, linking the reality of Palestine with the great struggles of our time,” as stated in its founding manifesto. And since culture is, as Wagensberg reminds us, “an essential pillar for the Palestinian resistance, on par with humanitarian aid and the defense of human rights,” all proceeds from the concert will go to support various Palestinian cultural spaces. The aid "will be channeled through the Palestinian Performing Arts Network (PPAN) and several independent cultural centers, such as AJEE/Lajee Center (Aida refugee camp) and Dar Qandeel (Tulkarem), ensuring that resources reach projects and collectives directly and minimizing intermediation."

The concert at the Palau Sant Jordi, which will bring together 12,000 people (all seated), will unfold in six movements—a prelude, a prologue, three acts, and an epilogue—on a stage designed as "a Mediterranean plaza," with one space for conversations, such as the one with journalist Fernández, and another for the musicians, among whom Salma Alhakim, Amaya, Bad Gyal, Yerai Cortés, Lina Makoul, Fermin Muguruza, Guillermo Gisbert, Morad, Xavi Sarriá, Ana Tijoux, Zaho de Sagazan, Zeyne, La Zowi, and the groups Ocas Gra are confirmed. The Gaza-based group Ocas Gra is also scheduled to perform. Osprey V, but its presence depends on obtaining a visa to enter Spain

It will all begin at 7:30 p.m. with a conversation between Palestinian journalist Kayed Hammad and actor Eduard Fernández. Afterwards, Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City men's football, will welcome everyone to the concert itself, which will also feature... performancesspoken interventions and audiovisual pieces. In addition to the performing musicians, Gemma Humet, Luis Llach, Alguer Miquel, La Fura dels Baus, and Arab Barghouti, son of political prisoner Marwan Barghouti (known as "the Palestinian Mandela"), will also participate in the event. And among the audience there will be 670 students from schools in different neighborhoods of Barcelona and other towns in the metropolitan area"It's an incredible nationwide mobilization, and most people are doing it anonymously," says Wagensberg about the people who are selflessly contributing to the organization of a concert that can be followed live on YouTube, 3Cat, La 2, and La 2 Cat. As Wagensberg explains, the intention is for everything to finish before 11 p.m. so that the audience can take public transport home.