*Damon Albarn, Yasiin Bey, and Omar Souleyman at 'Together For Palestine' show. CREDIT: Luke Dyson*

Date & Venue: 17 September 2025, OVO Arena Wembley, London.
Purpose: Benefit concert & solidarity gathering for Palestinian humanitarian aid, organised by Brian Eno, with proceeds distributed via Choose Love to Palestinian-led organisations (Taawon, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Palestinian Medical Relief Society etc.).

🎼 Line-Up & Key Participants

Here are many of the performers, speakers, artists and public figures involved:

Musicians / Performers:
Adnan Joubran, Bastille, Brian Eno, Cat Burns, Celeste, Damon Albarn, El Far3i, Elyanna, Faraj Suleiman, Gorillaz, Greentea Peng, Jamie xx, James Blake, Hot Chip, Mabel, Paloma Faith, PinkPantheress, Rina Sawayama, Saint Levant, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Saint Levant, Elyanna etc.
Visual / Artistic Direction:
Malak Mattar (artistic director; curated Palestinian art, stage design etc.).
Speakers / Public Figures / Presenters:
Benedict Cumberbatch, Florence Pugh, Riz Ahmed, Nicola Coughlan, Richard Gere, Louis Theroux, Mehdi Hasan, Yara Eid, Francesca Albanese (UN Special Rapporteur), Eric Cantona etc.
Other contributions:
Pre-recorded video featuring Cillian Murphy, Joaquin Phoenix, Brian Cox, Billie Eilish & Finneas etc., calling for a ceasefire, urging governmental pressure etc.

🗣 Key Messages, Speeches & Themes

What people said / what themes came through strongly:

Florence Pugh: “Silence in the face of such suffering is not neutrality. It is complicity.”
Richard Gere: Urged audience / medics etc. to speak truth with generosity and love; called for political responsibility.
Nicola Coughlan: Spoke about the responsibility of artists, criticising those with large platforms who stay silent.
Francesca Albanese (UN Special Rapporteur): Delivered remarks condemning the ongoing suffering: referencing demolition, killing, occupation, lack of basic necessities (water, medical care) in Gaza; made charge of genocide raised by some given the scale and nature of the crisis.
Yara Eid: Journalist who spoke about journalists in Gaza, their risks, death toll and what it means to document one’s own suffering.
Other poetic and literary readings: e.g. translations/recitations of Mahmoud Darwish’s poems by Benedict Cumberbatch, Ruth Negga & others.
Overarching themes: grief, anger, demand for action, emphasis on putting pressure (on governments, institutions), centring Palestinian voices, refusing silence, combining culture & activism. Visual art and symbol (keffiyehs, costumes, stage art) were used to amplify the message.

💷 Funds Raised & Logistics

Total raised: approx £1.5 million (≈ US$2m) inclusive of ticket sales, merchandise, online donations.
Ticket income: ~£500,000 from tickets alone.
All proceeds go to Palestinian-led humanitarian organisations via Choose Love.

✅ Highlights & What Worked

Emotional resonance & authenticity: The presence of Palestinian artists and speakers making direct statements, combined with artistic performances, grounded the concert in lived experience rather than distant solidarity.
Strong symbolic moments: The recitations of Darwish, the collaborations (e.g. Albarn + London Arab Orchestra, Adnan Joubran’s oud work), the visuals by Mattar etc. created moments of real power.
Mobilising attention and resources: Selling out Wembley (~12,500 capacity), generating substantial funds, wide media coverage.
Clarity of moral message: Many speakers pressed for action now, condemned silence, framed complicity; this clarity helped avoid muddled messaging.

🌟 Overall Verdict

Together for Palestine stands as a potent moment of cultural solidarity. It did what few events of this type manage: combining high-profile star power with authentic Palestinian voices, delivering both art and activism, raising significant funds, and doing so with seriousness and gravitas. It is a landmark moment - proof that culture can mobilise compassion and action at scale. Now it is up to all of us - audiences, readers, and government officials alike - to carry that energy forward, to turn solidarity into sustained support, and to ensure that the voices amplified on this stage lead to lasting change.

You can donate here: https://donate.togetherforpalestine.org/campaigns/together-for-palestine/