Law Kan, Wust El Balad song (photo: still from the music video)
The music video for Egyptian soft rock band Wust El Balad’s new song, Law Kan, was posted on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Egypt’s YouTube page on Monday.
The song was originally released on World Refugee Day (20 June), which is dedicated to commemorating the strength, struggles and great courage of millions of refugees around the world.
Through this song, the musicians invite the listeners to put themselves in the place of a displaced individual, and call on the listener to appreciate what they already have.
The song is an ode to those who have lost much of what they once had, but still dare to hope and dream.
The description for the music video, which has so far garnered over 6,500 views, reads: “[Law Kan] is dedicated to refugees who might have lost their homes, but not their hopes. It asks everyone to imagine ‘If you were in their place, what would you do?’"
The description further invites viewers to share the hashtags “#WithRefugees” and “#IfYouWereInMyPlace” on social media.
Wust El Balad is an Egyptian rock band founded in 1999. The band was co-founded by oud and flute player Ahmed Omran, and guitarist and vocalist Hany Adel.
The band lineup consists of the two founding members along with vocalist Adham El-Saeid, percussionist and drummer Mohamed (Mizo) Gamal El-Din, bassist Ahmed Omar, acoustic guitarist Asaad Nessim, and percussionist Ehab (Bob) Abdel-Hameed.
The band’s sound is a blend of Western rock rhythms with traditional Egyptian music. Through this combination of sounds, the artists are “making their music as accessible as possible, not just in Cairo, but beyond.”
Like Wust El Balad, several artists around the world chose to express their support for the cause on World Refugee Day.
On 20 June, Nigerian afropop musician 2Baba released his new single “Hold My Hand,” featuring vocals from Grace Mathew, an 8-year-old girl living in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp. The singer announced that 60 percent of profits from the single would be donated to the UNHCR.
Recently deceased American musician Chris Cornell also released his last song, The Promise, on World Refugee day. Before his passing, the artist stated that all profits from the song would be donated to support refugees and children and further the conversation about the current refugee crisis.
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