Thirty-five acts from 30 countries parlayed the universal language of music, song, dance and poetry into a rousing, fund-raising campaign for the ongoing ‘Plight of the Palestinians — From Grim to Bleak’ organised by Limkokwing University in Cyberjaya.

Aptly called “Heal the World”, the charity concert was a peace initiative organised by both lecturers and students.

Over 8,000 thronged the cavernous Plaza of Limkokwing campus to rock and roll with professional singers and performers from the various faculties.

The concert raised RM20,000 for the Palestinians.

The money was presented to guest-of-honour Abdelaziz Abu Ghoush, ambassador of the State of Palestine, by the university’s International Development vice-president Associate Professor Jayles Yeoh.

Abdelaziz also received, on behalf of the Palestinians, a personal donation of RM80,000 from the university’s founder Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing.

“The Holy Land has suffered for 61 years. Each religion has a place in the Holy Land. We are not asking the superpowers to manage the conflict. We just want them to end it.” he said.

Sulaiman Saleh Alzamly, a victim of the bombing of Gaza by Israeli forces, told the gathering of his experience, “Imagine the ground shaking as bombs fell around you. For 22 days and nights we stayed indoors.

“My family and I waited for death to come! For us who survived, we only knew sorrow and despair. Now we know Malaysians and students at Limkokwing are our friends.”

He and his brother arrived in Malaysia more than two weeks ago to begin their studies in this country.

Tiffanee Marie Lim, who represented Limkokwing University, said: “Isn’t it incredible how things are looked at depending which side you are on? Someone who is willing to die for his or her cause is seen as either a terrorist or hero.

Mankind has used science and technology to make unbelievable advances yet we are unable to live in permanent peace with our own kind?

We wish to draw attention to displaced people worldwide, especially the Palestinians.”

Though the message and purpose were grim, all was not doom and gloom as a festive air soon enveloped the evening.

The theme song Let’s Heal the World, now aired repeatedly by radio stations was performed to thunderous applause.

The song’s music video was officially launched and features faces from diverse places.

The hit song was composed by Limkokwing Sound & Music Design Academy.

The response towards the song was so overwhelming that they have recorded it in Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.

Original compositions, poems and dances were the order of the night.

When the Palestinian students sang their national anthem everyone stood up to sway with the music, showing their solidarity.

Teeny bopper heartthrob Dafi (a graduate from Limkokwing University) brought the house down with Maafkan Cinta.

The night’s performers included pretty Mandarin songbird Karen Kong, Paraless, Jason & Jason, Julian, One Man Band, Rebel Scum and American band Common Culture which has made Malaysia its base.

Malaysian LKW student Wilson Yeoh made an emotional speech, African Lesh recited a poem entitled People are Dying in my Living Room, while Brazilians Bianca Rodrigues and Federico Laruccia read a poem entitled ‘Protest’.