Pope Benedict XVI met with Emirati artist Hussain Al Jassmi, who performed at the annual charity Christmas concert 'Concerto di Natale' at the Vatican, on Saturday evening.
The gala sees the participation of a large number of international stars, and this year the Paul VI hall saw many Italian and International artists perform.
Al Jassmi posted his message to the world on social media. “Love and peace.. tolerance is my message today. Representing my culture, my environment, my country and my Arabism, which I conveyed by being present in the Vatican and standing in front of the Pope Francis, and carrying with me the thought and vision of Zayed and the Emirates to the whole world,” he wrote.
Al Jasmi expressed his happiness at participating, and shared on social media a video of himself shaking hands with the Pope and another video of himself with Alessandra Amoroso on stage.
Al Jassmi wrote: “Born locally and became an international singer where my voice brought together different cultures. UAE was and still a major player in supporting art and culture, together for a better humanity. Our presence in the Vatican today is inspiring to me and to many.”
He added: “Our goal is to promote good and to foster dialogue and tolerance between all religions and people in an upscale form.”
The theme of the concert was “refugees” and the proceeds from the evening will go to the Don Bosco Mission, according to the Vatican news website. They will be used to fund the education of South Sudanese children in a refugee camp in Palabek, Uganda, and shared with the Scholas Occurrentes, who educate children in Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan, which has 130,000 Christian refugees.
