Founded in 2017, Children in Conflict was created as the American partner of War Child UK. War Child UK was established in 1993 by filmmakers David Wilson and Bill Leeson upon returning from assignment in the former Yugoslavia where they were horrified to witness the impact of the Bosnian war upon the country’s children. Instead of relying on politicians to bring attention to this cause, the two filmmakers tapped into their connections in the world of music and entertainment for help.

In 1995, War Child UK launched their seminal HELP album which featured incredible British talent including Paul McCartney, Oasis, Blur, and Radiohead, and became an instant phenomenon. The money raised from the album funded the building of a Music Center in Mostar, Bosnia that used music therapy to treat children traumatized from war. This was the start of a long and meaningful partnership between War Child UK, its affiliates, and the music and entertainment industries.

In the fall of 2017, Children in Conflict was officially launched through an event hosted by our ambassador Marcus Mumford and his band, Mumford and Sons at New York City’s Global Citizen Festival. Since then, we’ve continued to create impactful fundraising and awareness events through our partnerships with the arts. The funds raised through these initiatives have helped to transform the lives of the children living in our country programs.