A Palestinian man who escaped the conflict in Syria is using music to spread a positive message about refugees.

Ayham al-Ahmad would play his piano amid the rubble in the Yarmouk camp in Damascus, drawing scores of children...and condemnation from adults who felt there was no place for music while conflict raged.

The musician spent all his life in Yarmouk, where the UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) provided services to nearly 150,000 people before the Syrian conflict began.

However, Mr al-Ahmad fled for Europe in 2015 after a young girl who would sing alongside him was killed near the piano.  The extremist group ISIL, or IS as he called it, also burned the instrument.

Ahead of the UN summit on refugees and migrants on Monday, Mr al-Ahmad spoke via Skype to Reem Abaza from his new home, Germany, where he has performed for thousands.

Duration: 6’17