Led by Sudanese-Canadian poet Mustafa and hosted by Bella Hadid and Pedro Pascal, the show, called Artists for Aid, was the third edition of the fundraiser.
The night brought in a total of $5.5 million in support for the Sudanese American Physicians Association and the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.
About 20 artists and performers, along with thousands of ticket-buying attendees, supported the event.
Palestinian American and Sudanese American poets Noor Hindi and Safia Elhillo also performed, in what The Los Angeles Times called “the night’s most overt performances addressing the current crises.” “I always knew that an artist’s power did not come from their musical knowledge,” Mustafa said to kick off the evening. “I always knew that an artist’s power comes from the expansion of their empathy.”
One aid organization that benefited from the show, the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, said the evening “showed how global solidarity can become real action, sending a powerful message of care and hope to children who have endured so much in both Palestine and Sudan.”
In fact, two children who were evacuated from Gaza for life-saving treatment, Diaa and Ayham, were in attendance at the concert.
“We were especially moved to see [them] … thriving and strong once again, just as we wish for all the children we serve,” the PCRF shared on social media.
“All funds raised will go directly toward supporting children served by PCRF and the Sudanese American Physicians Association, providing life-saving care where it is most needed in Palestine and Sudan.”
Co-host Bella Hadid used the opportunity to speak about her own experience as a Palestinian.
“I was raised on the memory of the country he had abandoned. He brought Palestine with him into this crowd tonight. Every Palestinian here is a part of my Baba’s heart, part of the Hadid family’s heart.”
