Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Music for Myanmar: The charity gig with Laura Marling at the helm

Music for Myanmar: The charity gig with Laura Marling at the helm

Laura Marling is among headliners performing at the free fundraising event this month

Laura Marling doesn’t perform for free for just any fundraiser. But this summer the Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter is making a rare exception. Later this month, in a public garden in the shadow of The Shard, Marling will embark on one of her first live post-pandemic performances in a bid to raise money for the people of Myanmar.

The festival, organised by Burmese food writer, author and activist MiMi Aye, alongside artists’ collective Raise Three Fingers, broadcaster Helen Zaltzman and other volunteers, takes place on August 22 at Marlborough Sports Garden near Borough Market. Marling will headline with Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, alongside live comedy, photography exhibitions, artists’ workshops, craft fairs and a charity auction.

The name Raise Three Fingers is a nod to the physical gesture used by those who oppose the dictatorship in Myanmar, and the aim is to recreate the atmosphere of a family-friendly Burmese festival, known as a pwè, says Aye.

Aye wants to raise awareness of the increasingly dire situation in her home country. “Although the situation is even worse than it was at the start, [in February], Myanmar has fallen off most people’s radars,” she says, desperate to help. “No one involved with this event will be able to rest unless we’ve done as much as we can to end the nightmare that our loved ones are suffering.”


The political emergency there is growing critical. In February, the country’s elected government was overthrown by the Burmese army and since then more than 900 civilians have been killed, including more than 70 children.

The effects of the coup are continuing to wreak havoc across the country. More than 5,000 other people in Myanmar have been arrested and detained since February, including artists, writers, poets and comedians, simply for speaking out against the Burmese army’s brutality. The third wave of the pandemic is now also hitting the country - it is estimated that the population will be decimated by at least 10-15 million because of coronavirus. Aye’s uncle passed away from Covid in Myanmar last month.


Entry is free but donations will be encouraged, with all proceeds going to charities Mutual Aid Myanmar, Advance Myanmar and Myanmar Crisis Action. “We’re hoping as many people as possible will drop in and out all day.”

If you are dropping in, be sure to make it in time for the charity auction, which will include a guitar donated by Marling herself. “We’ve been overwhelmed by her kindness,” says Aye, hoping the singer’s gift will boost funds raised on the day.

For attendees, it’s a rare chance not only to see Marling in action, but to own a rare instrument played on by the singer-songwriter herself. Credit cards at the ready, say Aye and her fellow volunteers. After 200 days of catastrophe for the people of Myanmar, the least we can do is raise three fingers and show our support for one day.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×