UN Envoy Francesca Albanese Joins Macklemore at Pro-Palestinian Paris Concert
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese spoke at a Macklemore concert in Paris on October 29, part of the "Free Palestine Tour." She praised Palestinian resistance and called for collective action and solidarity. Albanese has previously accused Israel of genocide and faced U.S. sanctions in July 2025.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese spoke at Macklemore's Paris concert on October 29.
- Albanese praised Palestinian resistance and called for collective action and solidarity.
- She urged critics to "work with us, not against us."
- Albanese referenced the Arabic term "sumud" for perseverance and attachment to land.
- She asked the audience to light phone flashlights to honor Palestinian children.
- Albanese has accused Israel of genocide and faced U.S. sanctions in July 2025.
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, appeared on stage Thursday, October 29, at an Accor Arena concert in Paris featuring American rapper Macklemore. The event was part of Macklemore's "Free Palestine Tour." Addressing a full house, Albanese, an Italian jurist, praised the Palestinian people's resistance, stating their refusal to surrender has opened millions of eyes to "the horror of the world we have inherited and the possibility of changing it." She urged those who seek to silence critical voices to "work with us, not against us," for their own sake and their children's. Albanese called for collective action, encouraging the audience to "think together, move together, act together, dance together, dream together. Let's transform this awakening into organization, solidarity into action." She also referenced "sumud," an Arabic term for perseverance and attachment to land, explaining it means remaining steadfast amid storms and rooted in one's land even when destroyed, refusing to give up humanity. To honor Palestinian children, she asked the audience to light up their phone flashlights before exclaiming in French, "Bismillah, c'est la lumière!", a phrase that went viral at recent French student protests. Albanese, who has held her mandate since 2022, has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, a claim Israel rejects. She has also advocated for economic sanctions and boycotts against Israel. In July 2025, the United States sanctioned her, citing her actions involving the International Criminal Court.