• Press Release

Ed Sheeran, Esperanza Spalding, and More Join Amnesty International and Sofar Sounds for Give a Home

September 14, 2017

300 concerts in 60 countries will bring people together to support refugees

On September 20, Amnesty International and Sofar Sounds will join forces to produce Give a Home, a huge global refugee concert series that will consist of 300 shows in 60 countries with top musicians from wide-ranging genres including pop, country, reggae, jazz and electronic dance music – many of whom will perform alongside refugee musicians. In the U.S., over 100 concerts will take place in one night, with music fans hosting thousands of others in their living rooms, garages and other small, intimate venues to stand in solidarity with refugees in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Nashville and many more. The money raised will support Amnesty International’s work to protect human rights here in the U.S. and around the world.

“Give a Home will bring thousands of people together who want to help refugees around the world,” said Margaret Huang, Amnesty International USA executive director. “All of the people who are taking part in Give a Home understand that we all share a responsibility to help those looking for the safety, peace, and hope that all human beings deserve. By inviting strangers into their homes, playing a few songs or attending a show, these thousands of musicians and activists are telling the world that they are standing in solidarity with refugees.”

Artists performing include Ed Sheeran, Kevin Garrett, The Naked and Famous, BØRNS, Mary Lambert, Above and Beyond, Maren Morris, BJ The Chicago Kid and Esperanza Spalding, along with refugee artists like Faarow and Jaja Bashengezi. They join a global line-up of artists that include Hozier in Ireland, Ludovico Einaudi in Italy, Mashrou’ Leila in Lebanon, Jesse & Joy in Mexico and many, many more.

Faarrow, a Canadian pop-duo formed by refugee sisters Iman and Siham Hashi: “Music for us has been about freedom, and we hope people listening to our songs feel like they can do anything. Right now governments around the world are trying to say the refugee crisis is impossible to solve, but we know it’s not true. We hope the Give a Home gigs inspire people to recognize that we have the power to help solve this crisis.” The sisters, who were born in Somalia but relocated to Canada as refugees, will be playing in Los Angeles.

Give a Home is in support of Amnesty International’s I Welcome refugee campaign, which mobilizes public pressure on governments to welcome refugees. The campaign also aims to build grassroots solidarity with refugees, including through community-led programs to sponsor refugees. Amnesty International’s research shows that four in five people around the world are open to welcoming refugees, yet governments are failing to do their part.

The refugee crisis affects the lives of more than 22 million people worldwide. Almost all are hosted outside the wealthiest nations, which simply aren’t doing their fair share to help. As of today, just 10 of the world’s 193 countries host more than half its refugees.