Mika's 'I Love Beirut' Livestream Raises More Than One Million Euros For Lebanon

I Love Beirut Raises Money

Native son MIKA revealed his "I Love BEIRUT" benefit livestream concert has raised €1m euros, from ticket sales, sponsors and members of the public donating via GOFUNDME. The money will be split between the LEBANESE RED CROSS and SAVE THE CHILDREN.

The concert was livestreamed across four time zones on SEPTEMBER 19th from MIKA's YOUTUBE channel. A total of 120 countries bought tickets for the livestream

The "I Love BEIRUT" concert was announced by MIKA last month, in the wake of the explosion in his home city on AUGUST 4th.

Met by critical acclaim, the show is also being purchased by major network TV stations around the world, including in FRANCE, ITALY and CANADA. It was also a telecom first in FRANCE, with every single network provider offering the concert on Pay Per View with all funds reversed to the charities.

Speaking on a video call with LEBANESE RED CROSS Secretary General GEORGES KETTANEH and SAVE THE CHILDREN CEO KEVIN WATKINS, MIKA made the announcement of the money raised. \

“We wanted to announce this amount together, and to thank you all -- everyone around the world who bought a ticket to the stream, donated to GOFUNDME and our sponsors for helping us to raise such an amazing amount of money.

“I also wanted to say how amazing this statement of solidarity for the situation in BEIRUT has been, with tickets for the stream selling to over 120 different countries around the world.

“This has been a project that was born out of and made possible by love, and a huge amount of collaboration with friends and many new friends made in the process.”

The benefit concert featured global pop icon KYLIE, singer/songwriter RUFUS WAINWRIGHT, and ITALIAN icon LAURA PAUSINI. SALMA HAYEK, FRENCH acriss FANNY ARDANT and LEBANESE-AMERICAN poet ETEL ADNAN spoke during the event.

Donations were made at gofundme.com/ilovebeirut and the campaign is still running.

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