Elyanna collaborates with World Food Programme to feed families in Gaza

Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna. (File/ Getty Images)
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Updated 09 November 2025
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Elyanna collaborates with World Food Programme to feed families in Gaza

DUBAI: Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna is collaborating with the World Food Programme to raise awareness about the organization’s fundraising efforts for Gaza.

The singer took to social media to encourage fans to donate to the organization, saying: “Grateful to be collaborating with the amazing team at @wfpusa @worldfoodprogramme to support families in Gaza. Your donation big or small can change lives and inspire many.”

Elyanna has used her platform to speak out about the genocide in Gaza and has supported the efforts of charity organizations such as Heal Palestine in the past.

In August, she took to Instagram to share a heartwarming moment with two young Palestinian children at a Coldplay concert, invited through the Heal Palestine. 

Heal Palestine, the organization that facilitated the encounter, focuses on supporting Palestinian children and families affected by war and displacement, offering both emergency relief and long-term education initiatives. The group took to their official Facebook page to thank Elyanna.

Elyanna participated in British band Coldplay’s “Music Of The Spheres World Tour” this year, playing in Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles among other destinations.

In April, Coldplay announced that she had again teamed up with the band to release a new version of “Ma Meilleure Ennemie,” a track originally performed by Belgian artist Stromae and French singer Pomme.

The singer will head back to the UAE for this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix After-Race Concerts on Dec. 5 at the Etihad Park on Yas Island.

The young star is expected to sing some of her most popular tracks, including “Ghareeb Alay,” “Mama Eh,” and her Arabic rendition of “La Vie en Rose.”

Her performance is a part of the Yasalam After-Race concerts, held alongside the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, one of the UAE’s biggest entertainment and sporting weekends.

Elyanna most recently performed at the Global Citizen Festival in New York on Sept. 27, alongside Colombian superstar Shakira, US rapper Cardi B and South African singer Tyla.

In October, Swedish retailer H&M tapped her for the campaign promoting their latest seasonal collection. In the campaign images, Elyanna shows off a variety of monochromatic looks, including a cream blouse and a black coordinating set with beaded detailing.


Berlinale responds to backlash over Gaza-related comments

Updated 26 sec ago
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Berlinale responds to backlash over Gaza-related comments

The Berlin International Film Festival has issued a statement after what organisers described as a growing “media storm” linked to comments about the war in Gaza and the broader role of politics in cinema.

Festival director Tricia Tuttle released a lengthy note late Saturday following criticism directed at several high-profile guests. The controversy began during the opening day press conference when jury president Wim Wenders was asked about the conflict in Gaza. He responded: “We have to stay out of politics because if we make movies that are dedicatedly political, we enter the field of politics,” a remark that sparked swift backlash online.

Indian author Arundhati Roy later withdrew from the festival, reportedly angered by the remarks.

Other prominent figures, including Michelle Yeoh and Neil Patrick Harris, also faced online criticism after responding cautiously to questions about politics. Harris stated that he was interested in “doing things that were ‘apolitical,’” a comment that further fuelled debate.

In her statement, Tuttle defended the festival and its participants, stressing the importance of artistic freedom. “People have called for free speech at the Berlinale. Free speech is happening at the Berlinale. But increasingly, filmmakers are expected to answer any question put to them. They are criticised if they do not answer. They are criticised if they answer and we do not like what they say. They are criticised if they cannot compress complex thoughts into a brief sound bite when a microphone is placed in front of them when they thought they were speaking about something else,” she said.

She added: “It is hard to see the Berlinale and so many hundreds of filmmakers and people who work on this festival distilled into something we do not always recognise in the online and media discourse… It is a large, complex festival.”

“Artists are free to exercise their right of free speech in whatever way they choose… nor should they be expected to speak on every political issue raised to them unless they want to,” Tuttle said.