The international effort to provide aid to Lebanon in the wake of the massive explosion at the Port of Beirut has greatly accelerated recovery efforts for the struggling nation that is operating without a government. Aside from the countries around the world coming together to provide relief, artists and private organizations are making contributions as well. Big names in the entertainment industry like singer The Weeknd, former porn-star Mia Khalifa, and electronic music retailer Beatport have all done their part to get financial aid to the Lebanese people.
The Weeknd is a Gift that Keeps On Giving
The Weeknd continued his philanthropic spree this week, donating $300,000 to the Global Aid for Lebanon campaign by Global Citizen. That donation brings his charitable giving over the past two months to an inspiring $2.15 million.
The Candian singer’s Lebanese manager, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, has been rallying the industry to dig deep and donate to charitable organizations that are helping recovery efforts in his home country. The XO Records CEO and his wife, Rima Fakih Slaiby (who is also Lebanese), donated $250,000 to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the Lebanese Red Cross and the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon.
Slaiby encouraged his contemporaries to join relief efforts in an impassioned call to action, saying, “My heart aches for Lebanon. The massive destruction scenes brought back to my memory the hard times I experienced with my parents during the war and that forced me to leave Lebanon at an early age following the loss of my dad, so I urge you all to take part in the ‘Global Aid for Lebanon’ campaign to raise funds and support for the region.”
Mia Khalifa Raises $100k with her Iconic Look
Arguably the most famous Lebanese-American, Mia Khalifa, played her part in raising funds for the relief efforts. The former porn star started an e-bay auction of her iconic signature eyeglasses to raise money for the Lebanese Red Cross. The current bid is $100,000, but the auction does not close until the afternoon of Sunday, August 15th.
Using her platform and taking advantage of TikTok’s algorithm, the pornstar-turned-influencer raised awareness of the disaster as well as the historical struggles with the government among her 10 million fans.
After striking various poses, she explained her decision to sell her glasses by saying, “Now that the algorithm thinks that this is for white TikTok, I just want to let you guys know that there is a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon right now. They need our help because their government’s corrupt and not doing anything about it. So, I’m doing what I can, and what I can do is auction off the original Mia Khalifa glasses, which are on eBay right now.”
Beatport ReConnect’s “Together For Beirut” Fundraising Live Stream
Beatport’s new Live Streaming platform, ReConnect, is partnering with Nicole Moudaber, Wild Tulum and Factory People to put on “Together for Beirut”, a two-part marathon event featuring 24 DJs in 24 hours. The event will be broadcast on August 22nd and September 10th, featuring legendary acts like Carl Cox and Damian Lazarus, aims to raise $250,000 in relief.
Moudaber explained the importance of the event’s mission by saying, “These fundraising events will provide much-needed relief and support to the people of Beirut and the many affected by the recent tragedy. Officials estimate the explosion caused up to $15 billion (£11.5bn) of damage. International financial aid and support has been overwhelming, but it’s not enough. We must support in any way we can to help, and in addition, our efforts will also be helping the music and arts industry of Lebanon which has been wiped out.”
The live-stream will start at 6PM British Summer Time on August 22nd and 4PM BST on September 10th, broadcast on the Beatport Twitch Channel. Any donation will go to the charitable organization Impact Lebanon, who will be using those funds to support the Lebanese Red Cross, Arcenciel, and other Lebanese NGOs.
Be sure to tune in to catch some legendary live streams and make a donation if you can.
