At the American Music Awards, Academy Award-winning actor and musician Jared Leto paid tribute to those lost in the terror attacks in Paris and urged acceptance of Syrian refugees emigrating to the West.
Prior to introducing Celine Dion at Sunday’s American Music Awards, Leto called for solidarity following the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, which left 129 dead, including 89 inside the Bataclan concert hall, where the band the Eagles of Death Metal had been performing.
Leto recalled playing a show at the same venue with his band, 30 Seconds to Mars, earlier this year.
“What a difference a day makes. Seven months later… that same venue, Bataclan, was under siege…. 129 innocence people died, 368 were injured, and another 7 billion will forever be scarred by this horrific and senseless tragedy,” he said.
He added: “Tonight we honor the victims of the unimaginable violence that has taken place this year in Paris and around the world.”
“France matters,” he said. “Russia matters. Syria matters. Mali matters. The Middle East matters. The United States matters. The entire world matters, and peace is possible.”
In reference to the issue of Syrian refugees coming to the West, Leto said, “By the way, many of us here are the sons and the daughters of immigrants. And Steve Jobs, the son of a Syrian immigrant. President Barack Obama.”
Leto then introduced Dion, who performed French singer Edith Piaf’s song “Hymne à L’Amour” (“The Hymn to Love”).