United Nations Official Francesca Albanese Speaks at Paris Accor Arena Concert
Francesca Albanese addressed a crowd of 20,000 attendees at the Accor Arena in Paris on October 29, 2026, during the second Parisian stop of Macklemore’s Free Palestine Tour, liberoquotidiano.it reported. The United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories took the stage during an event headlined by the Seattle rapper, who faced exclusion from Ed Sheeran’s tour earlier due to public statements regarding Gaza.
Albanese used her speech to address what she described as systematic abuses against Palestinians over a four-year period of documentation. She told the crowd that she witnessed massacres, calumnies, humiliations, and torture, stating that she refuses to alter her vocabulary to suit powerful political interests. She also called out critics who attempt to silence dissenting voices, urging them to collaborate rather than oppose human rights advocates.
Closing Remarks and Slogan Reference at the Paris Venue
The UN official concluded her address by declaring, “Bismillah, c’est la lumière,” which translates from Arabic and French to “In the name of God, it is the light.” The phrase drew loud cheers from the 20,000 spectators inside the arena.
According to zazoom.it, the concluding remark inverted a popular slogan that recently emerged from French student protests, which originated from a Snapchat message and targeted police actions. Albanese urged the audience to translate solidarity into active participation by thinking, moving, acting, and dreaming collectively.
Macklemore Faces Tour Cancellations over Israel Criticism
Macklemore’s tour stop follows his public use of terms such as “genocide” and “apartheid” in criticism of Israel. The rapper’s political stances resulted in his removal from supporting Ed Sheeran on tour dates.
Albanese faces mounting international pressure and criticism from multiple governments regarding her statements and public appearances. Officials in countries including the United States, France, and Germany have previously called for her removal from her UN post, while domestic political figures in Italy have similarly demanded her dismissal, according to reporting by liberoquotidiano.it.
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#HereForCulture 🍉🍉🍉 Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur, took the stage during Macklemore's concert in Paris. She shouted "Bismillah, this is the light," a slogan from student protests in France. pic.twitter.com/yXrpvIxl2y
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, took to the stage at Macklemore’s Paris stop as part of his Free Palestine Tour, calling for solidarity and collective action. She asked the crowd to raise their phone lights in tribute to… pic.twitter.com/q8skZ1gDog
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese took to the stage at American rapper Macklemore’s concert in Paris, addressing thousands of attendees with a powerful message highlighting decades of Israeli crimes against Palestinians, including massacres, forced displacement and… pic.twitter.com/utePbSvGXi