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Author: AMP3

Stand with Iran: AMP3 Condemns US-Israel Military Action and Calls for an End to Escalating Conflict

Posted on by AMP3

Asian Music for Peoples’ Peace and Progress (AMP3) condemns the attack on Iran by the United States and Israel on 28 February 2026 which has resulted in continuing and escalating violent conflict and instability in West Asia and increasing economic and other hardship across the world.

We support the people of Iran and their continuing struggle for democracy and human rights. A struggle now compounded by an illegal war that threatens to decimate Iran’s population and inflict profound damage to its culture.

Stand with Iran: AMP3 Condemns US-Israel Military Action and Calls for an End to Escalating Conflict. We call for a cessation of armed conflict and for achieving a just diplomatic resolution to this conflict.

Amplifying Human Rights Through Music: A Tribute to the UDHR (Asian Village Zine #4)

Posted on by AMP3

On International Human Rights Day, the United Nations General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which affirms the freedom, equality, dignity, and fundamental rights of all peoples. However, the promise of inalienable human rights seems contradictory in a world where tyrannous regimes and corporate exploitation persist. This special edition of the Asian Village Zine is dedicated to the UDHR, featuring songs by members of the AMP3 as a form of resistance against oppression.

The songs include “Kon,” “Piren Snal,” “Laya,” “To each, her own faith,” “Wala,” “Likha,” and “Nar.” Each song embodies a specific article in the UDHR, highlighting the shared humanity of individuals, the right to life, liberty, freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, the denial of the right to work and an adequate standard of living, the value of labor, and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

Music is a powerful tool for resistance, transforming the ideals of the UDHR into tangible calls for social justice, human dignity, and the environment. As we commemorate International Human Rights Day, it is essential to remember that the struggle for human rights is ongoing, and collective action and solidarity can bridge the gap between the UDHR and the lived experiences of marginalized communities.

Artist Collective launches album of Pandemic Songs

Posted on by AMP3

The Asian Music for People’s Peace and Progress (AMP3), a collective of socially engaged artists across Asia will launch its new album entitled Lockdown Sessions: Songs from the Pandemic, featuring original songs from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand written during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Musicians responded to Covid and the uncertainties and anxieties around it by channeling their creative energies into new compositions dealing with themes related to the pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis.  As AMP3 founder Jess Santiago remarked in the liner notes: “As we all know, the pandemic has caused a lot of fear and anxiety among people. I believe that musicians in particular can help give expression to these fears and anxiety of people through songs.”  

Lockdown Sessions: Songs from the Pandemic  features songs that tackle the anxieties and fear we all felt during those pandemic years.  There are songs here as well about the impacts of the virus on communities across the world, exposing the weaknesses of the public health systems even in more affluent societies. A couple of songs in the collection remind us of  the feeling of isolation and despair from being disconnected  from loved ones, while others make us reflect on larger systemic issues and challenges we must confront with the hope that we will emerge stronger from the pandemic to build a better, more just society.

In the liner notes to the album, AMP3 ends with this message and appeal: “We hope that this collection of pandemic songs serves not just as a poignant reminder of those dark and uncertain times but also why it is important to  continue the struggle for accountability, equity, and justice.” 

Lockdown Sessions: Songs from the Pandemic will be launched on 15 August 7pm at Harong 56 Mother Ignacia corner Dr. Lascano Street, Quezon City. Artists from across the region will be joining in via zoom. The event will be live streamed on AMP3’s Facebook page. #

Contacts:

Bong Ramilo- 09953545069/ bramilo@gmail.com

Jonathan Ronquillo- 09770187701/ jdronquillo2013@gmail.com