Josep Guardiola, coach of Manchester City, opened the Concert-Manifesto for Palestine at the Palau Sant Jordi on January 29, 2026. Wearing a Palestinian scarf, he recalled that seeing images of children in Gaza among the rubble makes him think that “we have left them alone and abandoned,” while the powerful remain at home.
“"We cannot look the other way; we must get involved."
Guardiola stated that the bombs aim to provoke silence and insisted on the need to step forward. He explained that every sound of the concert should serve to preserve the memory of decades of lack of freedom for the Palestinian people.
“"All of this is about humanity, precisely what is not happening in Palestine."
The coach highlighted Barcelona's connection to previous solidarity initiatives such as Volem acollir (We Want to Welcome) or the Freedom Flotilla, framing the event within a tradition of civic solidarity.
The concert was preceded by a performance by Sol Band and a conversation between actor Eduard Fernández and Palestinian Kayed Hammad, who described the situation in Gaza, noting that “drones never leave the sky and there is not one safe square meter.” Fernández assured that the concert was a “response from culture and with culture as a tool”.
