For several decades now, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been the scene of armed conflict, particularly in its eastern part. These conflicts, which sow unrest and constant insecurity among the population, particularly with the resurgence of armed groups such as the M23 supported by Rwanda, have so far caused millions of deaths, tens of thousands of women raped and an alarming humanitarian situation. Children, the first victims of this violence, suffer extremely precarious living conditions.
In response to this tragedy, a charity concert will be held on 7 April 2025 at the Accor Arena in Paris in support of the children affected by this conflict. The event will bring together a number of well-known artists, including Gims, Dadju, Youssoupha, Fally Ipupa, Angélique Kidjo, Céline Banza and Didi B, to name but a few. All the money raised will be donated to UNICEF to fund aid programmes for Congolese children.
Dr Debora Kayembe, a lawyer, human rights activist and founder of the humanitarian organisation Full Options SCIO, welcomed the initiative. In a tweet dated Thursday 13 March 2025, she said: ‘Full support for the concert planned for Paris on 07 April. My congratulations to all the artists and organisers for this wonderful idea. From now on, this day will go down in the history of the world as the International Day of the Congolese Child’.
It is important to remember that wherever she goes, Dr Debora Kayembe stresses the importance of global recognition of the suffering of the Congolese people, calling for concrete action by the international community to put an end to this humanitarian crisis.
Beyond the music, this concert represents a message of hope and solidarity for Congolese children, reminding us all of the urgent need for humanitarian action in the face of the atrocities of war.
