Rosalía also joins the concert "for Palestine and for humanity"

Unimaginable, both in terms of the number of people involved and the magnitude of the emotions displayed: solidarity, generosity, and dignity, as well as indignation and anger. This was the Manifesto Concert for Palestine, which brought together 12,000 people (all seated) at the Palau Sant Jordi this Thursday, and featured musicians such as Amaia, Bad Gyal, Luis Llach, Lina Mankoul, Alguer Miquel, Morad, Fermín Muguruza, Muskaa, Oques Tijoux, and Tinariwen, among others. "Thank you so much, Barcelona, ​​Catalonia," said the lead singer of the Palestinian group Sol Band, which opened the event at 7:30. It was a gesture of gratitude for the mobilization achieved by the Act x Palestine campaign, "a collective appeal that, through music, words, art, and image, reclaims culture as a space of resistance and awareness, linking the reality of Palestine with the great struggles of our time," as stated in its founding manifesto. Therefore, all proceeds from the concert will go to support various Palestinian cultural spaces. The concert, incidentally, took place the same week that the Israeli army acknowledged killing [number of Palestinians]. More than 71,000 people in Gaza since October 2023Gazan activist Kayed Hammad, in conversation with actor Eduard Fernández, explained what life is like in Gaza, the land he had to leave a few months ago. "There are no houses, there are tents that offer no protection from the cold or the heat, or from drones. There isn't a single square meter of safety in Gaza, and when the sun sets, people are left among the rubble with their families," said Hammad, sitting with Fernández on a stage designed like a Mediterranean square, with musicians.

"We must get involved in such a great cause," Pep Guardiola said in his welcoming message at 8 p.m. The Manchester City manager also called for everyone "not to forget what has happened for decades" and to stand "with the most vulnerable." "This is a manifesto for Palestine and a manifesto for humanity," added Guardiola, who then introduced Palestinian singer Lina Makoul, who opened the performances with two songs. The concert's format was already planned: Palestinian groups and artists would perform two songs each, and the rest one, to avoid making the evening too long, although some did perform two (Amaia and Bad Gyal, for example). However, the Palestinian group Osprey V has not been able to perform because they haven't been able to get visas to enter Spain; what they have done is send a video message thanking everyone for organizing the concert.

"It's not just for Palestine," Makoul reminded everyone when the audience shoutedFree Palestine!This spirit of solidarity with those suffering oppression in other countries, such as Sudan, has spread throughout the concert. For example, the Chilean Ana Tijoux, combative by nature, has amplified the message by sharing verses from We are south with Lina Makoul and linking Palestine and Latin America (and showing off a sweatshirt against Donald Trump's ICE), and the Basque Fermin Muguruza has picked up the baton with a classic from his repertoire, Yalah, Yalah, Ramala!which she performed with dabke dancers, conveying her usual exhilarating joy and calling for a boycott of Israel.

There was intention in each artist's repertoire selection, in some cases quite explicitly, as with the Palestinian poet Mohamad Bitari, who read a poem in Arabic and Catalan, or when Xavi Sarrià and Salma Alhakim sang Hayad ("Upward! Yalla!, facing our sea / Palestine will prevail!"), which the audience rewarded with a knowing roar, similar to that received by the spectacular urban performance of the day, Zeyne, with its Arabic roots. It was also quite explicit April 74, sung by Lluís Llach, Gemma Humet, one day after the tribute concerts to Llach at the Palau de la MúsicaAnd with Alguer Miquel reciting verses about Palestine. "We are defending the right to life, which is not the right to survive, but to a full life," said the former Txarango singer, who also remembered the Kurdish and Sahrawi peoples. A combative spirit also permeated the performance of Ovidi Cor Gran (with musicians such as Feliu Ventura, Borja Penalba, Mar Pujol, David Fernández, and the Ginesta family, among others), who sang a powerful version of Raimon's "Diguem no," emphasizing the line "we are not from."

Obviously, the intention was clearer in the speeches of activists like Natàlia Abu-Sharar, spokesperson for the Palestinian Community in Catalonia. Or like that of journalist Cristina Mas, deputy head of International at ARA, who read an excerpt from the book A cry for the children of Gaza which he coordinated with Txell Feixas. "I wish we hadn't had to write it," Mas said. Arab Barghouti, son of political prisoner Marwan Barghouti (known as "the Palestinian Mandela"), also spoke, appearing at the end of the concert after Clara Peya's performance.Free Marwan, free Palestine!"", was the cry that resounded in the Palau Sant Jordi.

Mushkaa, Bad Gyal, Amaia, Aurora and Morad

Other musicians have sought to share the celebration without explicitly mentioning politics, such as Mushkaa and Guillem Gisbert, who have performed 1 cumbia with GuillemShe was in a wheelchair due to a knee injury. Amaia, at the grand piano, sought a more subdued emotion with the ballad. Nobody could do it, which the public has accompanied by illuminating the Palau Sant Jordi with their mobile phones, and I have a thoughtA similar sense of contemplation has been conveyed by the Frenchwoman Zaho de Sagazan with The Symphony of the IlluminatiAlso performing at the piano was Norwegian singer Aurora, who presented a song dedicated to Palestine in one of the most moving performances of the concert. Right after came the big surprise of the night: Rosalía, who performed The pearl with a flamenco performance. "Good evening, Barcelona, ​​it's a special honor to be on this stage tonight. Thank you so much for inviting us," said Rosalía, whose performance had not been announced. "There will be an internationally renowned artist," the organizers conceded a few days ago.

And as with Rosalía, the enthusiasm also overflowed when, after a brief appearance by La Zowi, Bad Gyal took to the stage to sing Fever"What's happening here tonight is super important," said Bad Gyal, who also made That's just how I am. in a duet with Morad. The Florida singer asked the audience to raise Palestinian flags, and he himself carried one when he sang. DreamOn a night with more than twenty performances, there were some particularly unique and successful musical moments, such as those by Tinariwen, the Malian group that showcased their mastery of Tuareg blues, and by the Madrid-born violinist Laura Pacios, expanding on traditional Spanish song and flamenco. A magnificent Anna Andreu took off with her acoustic guitar... Song of the Rider by Lorca. And Oques Grasses performing The People I Love, which sounded especially moving in the context of this concert manifesto for Palestine at the Palau Sant Jordi.