Palestinian singer Saint Levant on stage at the Ovo Arena during the Together for Palestine concert. (Credit: Instagram/Together for Palestine)
In a packed Ovo Arena Wembley, the Together for Palestine concert brought together Western and Palestinian artists under a single banner: Solidarity.
Between never-before-seen performances, readings of Mahmoud Darwish’s poetry, and powerful speeches, the evening combined art and politics, raising over £1.5 million in support of civilians in Gaza.
Organised by musician and activist Brian Eno, the event unfolded in an especially tense context. Just days earlier, a U.N. inquiry commission stated that genocide was taking place in Gaza, while Israel launched a new ground offensive on Gaza City.
On stage, collaboration was at the heart of the evening. Eno performed with Palestinian oud player Adnan Joubran, Damon Albarn played with the London Arab Orchestra and singer and flautist Nai Barghouti combined her voice with a gospel choir.
The concert opened with a joint DJ set by British artist Jamie XX and Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi. Also featured were Palestinian performers Saint Levant and Elyana, the latter known for her appearances alongside Coldplay.
The collective spirit extended throughout the night, from the speeches by Richard Gere, Florence Pugh, and Éric Cantona, to poetic readings by Riz Ahmed, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Ruth Negga.
The stage was adorned with work by Malak Mattar, a visual artist from Gaza, grounding the audience in the reality on the ground, while testimony from doctors and journalists from Gaza lent the night a palpable weight.
Among the attendees, Sadie Levi, a 25-year-old researcher, shared with L’Orient Today how deeply the evening had affected her. “It was an incredible moment. Seeing so many people come together in solidarity with Palestine was a reminder of the importance of community and hope — especially after a week marked by far-right demonstrations and the visit of the Israeli president to London.”
A small group waving Israeli and British flags had gathered outside, but was vastly outnumbered by the thousands inside the arena.
What struck her most was the balance between gravity and celebration. “The music mixed with speeches and poems, people singing and dancing, discovering Palestinian artists. This way of expressing solidarity — through words, through celebration — felt incredibly important.”
“Being there meant not only financially supporting organisations, but also reclaiming a sense of hope alongside others who care. In difficult times, that feeling of shared humanity really matters.”
