After a brief glitch in which his invitation to sing at the World Cup opening ceremony was mysteriously revoked by “states and other actors unknown” and then reinstated following a social media backlash and boycott by Shakira, Arab Idol winner and Palestinian artist Mohammed Assaf finally got his chance to make history as the first Arab to perform at a FIFA event last week. Though it wasn’t the coveted performance slot during the opening night of the World Cup, Assaf was given the chance to debut his new song during the 64th FIFA Congress ceremony in Sao Paolo, Brazil two days prior to the main event on Thursday, June 12. His song, Assaf360, was a collaborative effort with fans around the world who submitted ideas for lyrics to the young Gaza-native superstar. Assaf worked with American Grammy-god and producer Rodney Jerkins and recorded the song during a marathon 24-hour session in Dubai to finalize the piece. UNRWA Give for Food Campaign: Downloading for a good cause From the World Cup until the end of Ramadan on July 28, all proceeds from iTunes (search Assaf360 in your iTunes app) or Anghami sales of his new song will go directly to emergency food aid for more than 1 million Palestinian refugees currently lacking basic daily food sustenance. Assaf, who grew up depending on UNRWA’s humanitarian aid and educational services in the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza, was named the first Regional Youth Ambassador for Palestinian Refugees after his Arab Idol win last summer. As a goodwill ambassador for peace, he’s had the opportunity to travel the region and advocate for more than 5 million Palestinian refugees across the Middle East and the rest of the world. He’s currently finalizing his newest album, which should be released by the end of July this year. Earlier this year, Assaf made headlines again when he released the first music video to be shot in a refugee camp. With no actors and candid, ecstatic crowds, Bourj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut, Lebanon became the backdrop of the “very emotional” production of Yahalali Ya Mali, (“rightfully mine”). “I will never forget my background and the starting point of my path,” Assaf said. {Image via} By Alia Gilbert
