Bruce Springsteen Receives Social Justice Award, Apologizes To Bono At Tribeca Festival

Yesterday, the penultimate day of Tribeca Film Festival, Bruce Springsteen was honored with the Harry Belafonte Voices For Social Justice Award. It's an honor awarded to individuals for their use of artistic storytelling to promote change in their communities. Springsteen has been especially vocal about the devastation of communities and democracy with the infiltration of ICE in American cities, highlighting that on Land Of Hopes And Dream Tour, and his celebration of centuries-spanning American musical history.

Springsteen was in grand company for the ceremony. Tribeca co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal were there, along with Bono and Patti Smith. “This is a man who knows how to use his voice.

He uses it to give voice to the powerless and he uses it to lead the resistance. He is fearless and direct," De Niro said when introducing the Boss.Bono then led a conversation with Springsteen, at one point bringing up how he tried to convince him to let Gap use "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" for a commercial that was working with HIV/AIDS charity (RED) Campaign.

But Bruce said no. "That was a big mistake too. I should have said yes," Springsteen said.

"I should have fucking done it," he later said, after explaining how that 2007 track was one of his personal favorites. "I have to apologize.”There was also music.

Springsteen performed "Land Of Hopes And Dreams." Patti Smith also performed, with Tony Shanahan, "Peaceable Kingdom," which the two wrote in memory of Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer in March 2003 while peacefully protesting the destruction of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. She followed it with "People Have The Power."

Shanahan and Springsteen accompanied her with acoustic guitars, and Bono came back onstage to help with backing vocals. Yesterday, was all the official public opening of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music. Check out clips from the ceremony below.

Bruce Springsteen receiving the Harry Belafonte Award For Social Justice today at #tribeca with #U2 ’s #Bono pic.twitter.com/3MsXfIrxly— Fernanda Bottini (@febottini) June 13, 2026Patti Smith delivered a powerful performance tonight at the Tribeca Festival, joined by Bruce Springsteen and Bono as Springsteen was honored with the Harry Belafonte Award.

#Springsteen pic.twitter.com/GKT9ExR4nO— Jason Bordoff (@JasonBordoff) June 13, 2026Land of Hope And Dreams at today’s @Tribeca event that was moderated by Bono.

pic.twitter.com/DVvPOhks3g— None But The Brave Springsteen Podcast (@NBTBPodcast) June 13, 2026 Yesterday, the penultimate day of Tribeca Film Festival, Bruce Springsteen was honored with the Harry Belafonte Voices For Social Justice Award.

It's an honor awarded to individuals for their use of artistic storytelling to promote change in their communities. Springsteen has been especially vocal about the devastation of communities and democracy with the infiltration of ICE in American cities, highlighting that on Land Of Hopes And Dream Tour, and his celebration of centuries-spanning American musical history. Springsteen was in grand company for the ceremony.

Tribeca co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal were there, along with Bono and Patti Smith. “This is a man who knows how to use his voice. He uses it to give voice to the powerless and he uses it to lead the resistance.

He is fearless and direct," De Niro said when introducing the Boss.Bono then led a conversation with Springsteen, at one point bringing up how he tried to convince him to let Gap use "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" for a commercial that was working with HIV/AIDS charity (RED) Campaign. But Bruce said no.

"That was a big mistake too. I should have said yes," Springsteen said. "I should have fucking done it," he later said, after explaining how that 2007 track was one of his personal favorites.

"I have to apologize.”There was also music. Springsteen performed "Land Of Hopes And Dreams."

Patti Smith also performed, with Tony Shanahan, "Peaceable Kingdom," which the two wrote in memory of Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer in March 2003 while peacefully protesting the destruction of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. She followed it with "People Have The Power." Shanahan and Springsteen accompanied her with acoustic guitars, and Bono came back onstage to help with backing vocals.

Yesterday, was all the official public opening of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music. Check out clips from the ceremony below. Bruce Springsteen receiving the Harry Belafonte Award For Social Justice today at #tribeca with #U2 ’s #Bono pic.

twitter.com/3MsXfIrxly— Fernanda Bottini (@febottini) June 13, 2026Patti Smith delivered a powerful performance tonight at the Tribeca Festival, joined by Bruce Springsteen and Bono as Springsteen was honored with the Harry Belafonte Award. #Springsteen pic.

twitter.com/GKT9ExR4nO— Jason Bordoff (@JasonBordoff) June 13, 2026Land of Hope And Dreams at today’s @