MEERA EILABOUNI

In the organizer's words:

*This text is written in female pronouns, although the artist identifies with all genders.

Meera Eilabouni is a multi-talented, multi-instrumental and multi-lingual queer artist who expresses a message of unity and love in each of her works. Through the pain, she finds hope in her lyrics and music.

Meera has discovered music as the key to reaching the hearts of people where change can happen. Just as the music of Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Metallica and many other rock bands helped her get through the difficulties, her music today gives listeners a place to overcome the pain, dare to be who they are and celebrate oneness. And just like her inspirations, her music is a blend of blues, rock, reggae and new age sounds, giving the journey in her music a narrative ambience.

She grew up in a Christian-Arab family in the small village of Eilaboun in northern Palestine/Israel. The political conflict in the region prompted her to perform her music at many peace events across the country, making her an icon for peace.
Since her youth, Meera has collaborated with various artists in different projects to create a better reality. She wrote one of her first songs "Love is the Religion" at the age of 16 to find the common ground between people in her society, which was very polarized and violent. This song, which was written in Arabic and then translated into Hebrew, helped her to bring people from different backgrounds together through music when it was most needed.

One of the first events Meera attended was a healing singing circle in the old church of Eilaboun, the only Palestinian village to return after the 1948 Nakba evacuation. There she met Diane Kaplan, an American-Jewish musician and daughter of Holocaust survivors. And together they founded the band "Three Women Three Mother Tongues" in 2014. In 2016, the band opened the March of Hope for Women Wage Peace, where Meera marched on to Jerusalem, meeting Yael Deckelbaum on the journey, and their voices found a new purpose: empowering women and building peace.

Meera's songs are mainly inspired by women she has met on her journey of self-discovery. As a queer child, she was always trying to find a way to fit in without having to change herself. She confronted many social norms and was brave enough to continue to follow the voice of her heart - she takes us on this journey in her concerts.

Her art shows a path of self-discovery, expression and embracing the darkness as light. Through her career in music, video editing, all the engagements in community building, participatory leadership and other groups in different countries to promote the creation of a better reality through art.

2023 & 2024 & 2025 Meera is also touring with Yael Deckelbaum's European Prayer of the Mothers & Surrender Tour.

Tickets concert Lutherkirche: 17,50 - 50,00 euro (via link on the right)

Workshop Meera Eilabouni - Singing in Harmony for Peace
Sunday 14:00 - 16:00 Cologne, Tor 28

Important information for people with disabilities
The main entrance has a step. There is a barrier-free rear entrance on the opposite side of the main entrance. Please use the path across the parking lot. The church is then completely barrier-free. Unfortunately, there is no wheelchair toilet available. We will be happy to reserve a suitable place in the church for you and your companion. Please inform us in advance of your visit. Thank you very much.

Price information:

Tickets concert Lutherkirche: 17,50 - 50,00 euro (via link eventfrog.de) Workshop Meera Eilabouni - Singing in Harmony for Peace Sunday 14:00 - 16:00 Cologne, Tor 28