Canadian Ensemble Highlights Refugee Stories Through Music and International Collaboration
Toronto-based world music ensemble Sultans of String is marking the United Nations’ International Day of Hope with the release of a new live performance video from its acclaimed REFUGE project, reinforcing the group’s long-standing commitment to cultural dialogue, inclusion, and humanitarian storytelling through music.
The newly released video features a live rendition of “El Bint El Shalabeya,” performed alongside the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Dennis Mastromonaco. The performance also showcases acclaimed Syrian Canadian vocalist Leen Hamo, whose contribution adds a powerful personal dimension to a project centered on migration, resilience, and belonging.
The release coincides with the United Nations’ designation of July 12 as the International Day of Hope, a global observance intended to inspire solidarity, optimism, and collective action in addressing social and humanitarian challenges.
REFUGE Project Brings Together More Than 30 Artists
A Collaborative Musical Exploration of Displacement and Humanity
The arrangement featured in the live video originates from REFUGE, one of Sultans of String’s most ambitious collaborative projects to date. The album brings together more than 30 musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds and artistic traditions to explore the experiences of displaced people around the world.
Contributors to the project include Majd Sukkar, Leen Hamo, Tamar Ilana, Padideh Ahrarnejad, Saskia Tomkins, Ahmed Moneka, Juan Carlos Medrano, Robi Botos, Ifrah Mansour, Demetrios Petsalakis, Imad Al Taha, Amir Amiri, Béla Fleck, Duke Redbird, and numerous other performers.
The result is a wide-ranging musical work that examines the realities faced by refugees and migrants while celebrating cultural diversity and the enduring human spirit.
The album has earned praise from music critics for both its artistic vision and social relevance. Ken Micallef of Jazz Times, Stereophile, and Downbeat described the project as: “Refuge is a fantastic, moving, dreamlike, epic, timely album.”
Meanwhile, UK publication Rock ‘n’ Reel Magazine praised the recording, noting that it “Dazzles with inventiveness!”
Music as a Platform for Social Awareness
Sultans of String Continue Their Humanitarian Focus
Addressing social and environmental issues has long been a defining characteristic of Sultans of String’s work. The Toronto-based quintet has built a reputation for blending musical traditions from around the world while using its platform to engage audiences on topics ranging from cultural understanding to global citizenship.
The band’s seventh and eighth albums, REFUGE and Sanctuary, focus specifically on the experiences of displaced peoples and the broader humanitarian response to migration.
Through these projects, the group combines world music influences with personal stories and collaborative performances to explore themes of identity, resilience, and community. Many of the participating artists are recent immigrants to North America, bringing firsthand perspectives to the music and its message.
REFUGE focuses on the experiences of refugees and displaced individuals, while Sanctuary expands the conversation by emphasizing compassion, inclusion, and support for those seeking safety and opportunity in a new homeland.
Celebrating Contributions of Refugees and Newcomers
Chris McKhool Highlights the Importance of Cultural Exchange
For bandleader Chris McKhool, whose ancestral name is Makhoul, the project carries personal significance. His family history includes a Lebanese grandfather who arrived in North America as a stowaway nearly a century ago, a story that helped shape the vision behind REFUGE.
“This project is centered around the positive contributions of refugees and new immigrants to North America,” says bandleader Chris McKhool (ancestral name Makhoul), whose Lebanese grandfather stowed away on a ship bound for North America a century ago. “We’re collaborating with special guests on the album who are newcomers to this land, Indigenous artists, as well as global talents who have been ambassadors for peace. We wish to celebrate the successes of those who make the journey here and bring their extraordinary talents with them. We hope the conversations we can have as musicians will provide a model for peace that will inspire our politicians and citizens.”
The release of the new live video underscores the ensemble’s ongoing effort to foster dialogue through artistic collaboration. By bringing together musicians from different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, Sultans of String aims to demonstrate how creative partnerships can bridge divides and promote understanding.
As the world observes the International Day of Hope, the group’s latest performance serves as both a musical celebration and a reminder of the contributions that refugees, immigrants, and diverse communities continue to make across Canada and beyond.