A MAJOR charitable concert will be held in Bahrain tonight in support of Syrian refugees. Three young Arab stars will perform at the event, which has already sold 90 per cent of the tickets.

They are Saudis Bandar Saad and Fahad Abdulaziz and Lebanese superstar Naya, who will take to the stage at Elite Resort and Spa at 9.30pm.

It is the first of many concerts planned under the name "Eastern Nights" to help the Syrian people.

Mr Saad is a well-known musician who composed for top singers like Mohammed Abdoh, Rashid Al Majid and Angham among others, before becoming a singer himself with two albums.

Mr Abdulaziz was an amateur singer for 11 years before turning professional with his single For God's Sake Call Him six months ago.

Proceeds

While Naya hit fame with her single Jealousy and is preparing to release her first album No Regret after being in the music industry for just 18 months.

All proceeds from the concert will go towards international charitable organisations that help Syrian refugees.

Mr Abdulaziz, who is also one of the event's organisers, said that 90pc of the tickets have been sold, but hopes people actually show up.

"Some people have just bought the tickets in solidarity with the Syrian cause, but it will be up to them to show up at the concert," he said.

"Hopefully the 250 seats will be filled and I have already prepared a special song The Country of Love as a gift of hope for the Syrian people, who are living in agony and despair and are being forced to leave their country or get mercilessly slaughtered.

"For this concert I have asked the artists who are close to me to participate and they immediately accepted, but as we hold more concerts we will call on others to take part."

Mr Saad said that musicians were the best messengers of humanitarian issues and causes.

"It is not all about love songs, there should be a time in which we reflect the voice of the people," he said.

"The cause of the Syrian refugees is a message that we want the world to receive and to me humanitarian issues and causes are more important than any money that I would earn from my normal music.

"My music will reflect the suffering the Syrian people are going through and as graphic scenes touch people's hearts through the news, they touch my heart as a musician and I am here to reflect that."

Meanwhile, Naya denounced the massacres happening in Syria and encouraged all Arabs to stand united for the cause.

"Syria is an example of the biggest suffering that the world is currently seeing and I am here to show my stand against the atrocities being committed against the Syrian people," she said.

"Syrians deserve every support possible and this means that I will do whatever I could to provide help."

Mr Dib said that charity concerts were important in getting the necessary help to those in need.

"Whenever we get contacted for charitable concerts we immediately agree because we believe that it is our duty to help those in need," he said.

"Syria needs help and here we are conveying the message of solidarity with its people."

The event's sponsors are Lex Consultancy House, Big Ben, Noojoom TV, Media Beach, Amwaj TV, Maha Media, Saparadise Salon and Spa and Rawa Decors.

Tickets cost BD40, BD80 and BD120 and for more information call 36557732 or 36557729. mohammed@gdn.com.bh