The following is the video message sent by the Holy Father Francis to the participants in the Cadena 100 Por La Paz Concert, to be held on Saturday 9 March at the WiZink Centre, Madrid:

Video Message of the Holy Father

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

In the face of so many victims, destruction, tears in so many peoples devastated by war - I think of the martyred Ukraine, but also of Palestine, of Israel and I thank you for the initiative of this CONCERT OF PEACE.

I thank the artists who have combined their talents with such generosity to help innocent victims, but above all because they have shown that art, music, can become messengers, instruments of peace to build bridges.

Thank you for not looking the other way, thank you for committing yourselves to those who are directly suffering the effects of wars.

Thank you to CADENA 100 for organizing it, and to all those who generously provide humanitarian aid to more than 200 war-affected families in the West Bank.

I bless you from the bottom of my heart and please pray for me. Thank you.