Ownership Statement

It’s taken us time to find the right words. In recent weeks, we’ve turned to each other, our community, and our values for guidance. Some things require reflection and now, the time has come to speak clearly and honestly. The Gardens of Babylon is not just an organization it is our life’s work. It is a community created by and with hearts full of love, built on the belief that music and connection can help make this world a better place.

After founding The Gardens of Babylon in 2016, we joined Apenkooi in 2017. In 2022, without informing us, Apenkooi was acquired by Superstruct Entertainment (SSE). It brought The Gardens of Babylon into a wider network of visionary festival brands and creative minds. We were surprised, but happy and proud to become part of this global community.

Recently, we became aware that Superstruct Entertainment was acquired by KKR, a global investment firm. We were not involved in or consulted about this acquisition either, and we were unaware of its implications. As we began to learn more about KKR’s alleged investments—including in companies allegedly linked to military operations and the occupation of Palestinian territories. These revelations stand in direct conflict with our values.

We want to be clear: as of this moment, no part of The Gardens of Babylon’s events is involved in or contributes to any unethical investments. Our creative and strategic freedom has always remained independent, and we are committed to keeping it that way.

Until now, we’ve refrained from making public political statements not out of indifference, but because we believe to contribute to peace on another level. Through music and community, we’ve brought people together across borders, beliefs, and histories. We’ve held space, and amplified the voices of peace activists and bridge-builders from both sides. That has always been our message: the only path forward is together, through compassion, dialogue, and understanding.

But in the light of this acquisition we are linked to a situation, even indirectly and involuntarily, we have a responsibility to say something. We are standing up for what we believe in, and giving you, our community, the full transparency you deserve.

We condemn all forms of violence. The decades-long occupation and political failure have resulted in trauma, displacement, and cycles of suffering between peace-loving people. We were horrified by the attack on October 7 and mourn the lives lost and all those affected. At the same time, we are heartbroken by the disproportionate response that followed. What is happening in Gaza today is not just a humanitarian catastrophe; the deliberate bombing and killing of Palestinians, alongside the stated aim of clearing the land of its people, constitutes genocide. The situation has reached unbearable proportions, and ongoing violence and repression in the West Bank continue to escalate. Tens of thousands of civilians, many of them children, have lost their lives. Entire communities have been shattered. The scale and cruelty of what is happening cannot be justified. It is unconscionable.

We do not claim to have all the answers or know our way forward. But our values are not negotiable and we are not afraid to make difficult decisions if integrity requires this. For now, we’re doing what we can, in the way we know best by creating heartfelt events. To our community: we ask for your support until we find the answers.

May we all move forward freely, guided by what resonates most deeply with our hearts.

With love,
The Gardens of Babylon