An Arab musical prodigy, a UN Goodwill Ambassador, and a Humanitarian Activist, Majida El Roumy is one of the defining pillars of Middle Eastern music in the second half of the 20th Century.
The 62-year-old singer held a charity concert in Egypt on Friday, the 5th of April, announcing that the profit is to be dedicated to developing houses in Egypt’s poorest villages as well as helping those in need of urgent surgeries.
A while back, El Roumy was visiting Luxor City and asked to visit some of the nearby villages; there, she was welcomed by the people and many invited her to visit their humble homes. She asked one of the homeowners on what is it that she needs the most, the woman said she does not need anything, and that pride and determination in the face of the harshest of circumstances inspired El Roumy to help the people of these villages.
In a statement to Al-Ahram, she has said that she decided on throwing a charity concert to be a voice to those who have no voice; in some inspiring words, El Roumy added that she believes that her religion is love and that her nation is humanity.
The Beginning
Majida El Roumy was born to the Lebanese Musician Halim El Roumy, who is credited for reviving Lebanese music and discovering many of its artists, including Fayrouz, one of the icons of Arab music.
Halim El Roumy’s house in Kfarshima, Beirut was a cultural hub attracting artists from all over Lebanon; submerged in this environment, Majida grew passionate about art and music. At the age of five, she sang to Umm Kulthum, Abdelwahab, and Asmahan, and soon enough, family members started to realize that the young girl had a talent for singing.
Rise to prominence
Throughout the following years, Majida El Roumy discovered her musical capabilities and sang on numerous occasions. However, the release of her first single “Am Behlamak” in 1974 marked her rise to the spotlight. Since then, she has been active, and to this day, she still holds concerts in Beirut.
Humanitarian work
El Roumy is involved in a number of charitable organizations throughout the Arab world. Her concert in Egypt was organized by Raie Misr, a non-profit “whose mission is to improve the lives of those in poverty and help them attain their basic human needs,” according to its website.
In addition, El Roumy is UN ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); she has engaged in a number of roundtable discussions in helping FAO combat hunger all over the world. She has also inaugurated the first Annual Agricultural Week in Lebanon, and on the 60th World Food Day, she dedicated FAO’s book “Sanabel El Kheir” to the Lebanese people during an official ceremony held on Nov. 8, 2005, at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut.
El Roumy holds a number of international awards including Lebanon’s National Shield of Honour of the Cedars, Order of Commodore in June 2011, and the golden key to the city of Alexandria in March 2014.