Paul David Hewson
The Irish singer paid a poignant tribute to Aylan Kurdi Reuters

U2 frontman Bono paid an emotional tribute to Aylan Kurdi during his concert. The singer made a poignant reference to the tragic toddler by changing the lyrics in Pride (In the Name of Love) from: "One man washed up on an empty beach," to "One boy washed up on an empty beach...."

The lyrics evoked the distressing image of the three-year-old's lifeless body on the shore of the Aegean coast, that sent shockwaves around the world and prompted a global outcry.

Addressing the crowd at the concert in Italy, the 55-year-old said: "Watching the news, ordinary people - all of us - seem capable of such great evil and such great love. I don't know the answer to the refugee crisis in Europe and Africa but I know we must work together to find an answer to the refugee crisis in Europe and Africa."

Watching the news, ordinary people - all of us - seem capable of such great evil and such great love. I don't know the answer to the refugee crisis in Europe and Africa but I know we must work together to find an answer to the refugee crisis in Europe and Africa.
- Bono

He added: "As Nelson Mandela said 'It always seems impossible until it is done'. "What do you want?" he asked. "A Europe with its heart and borders closed to mercy? Or a Europe with its heart open?"

Bono told fans that he did not have the answer to the migrant issue, but added that "we must work together" to find a solution to the refugee crisis. At one point in the band's set in Turin, footage of refugees was displayed on a giant screen.

Photo-journalist Nilüfer Demir, who was in Bodrum covering the migrant crisis for Turkey's Doğan News Agency (DHA), took the photo on September 2 at around 6:00 a.m., on Bodrum's Akyarlar coast of Turkey's Muğla province, where bodies of migrants washed ashore after two inflatable boats sank

The image sparked worldwide outrage and calls for governments to do more to help the tens of thousands of refugees fleeing war-torn Syria as it brought the European migrant crisis to the top of the world's agenda.

Aylan's father Abdullah Kurdi has said he hopes the photograph of his three-year-old son will bring attention to the plight of refugees. "I just hope this photo of my son will change everything," he said. Aylan's five-year-old brother Galip and his mother Rehan also drowned as they headed to the Greek island of Kos in a rubber dinghy.

Turkish authorities have remanded four Syrians, suspected of people trafficking, into custody over the deaths of 12 refugees. The dead include 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, who was photographed after being washed up on an Italian beach, dead.

The 12 refugees drowned on Wednesday when two boats sank in the Aegean. Four children, including Aylan, perished in the tragedy. The four suspects, said to include the captain of one of the boats, are now set to be held in jail pending a trial.

Two petitions have been launched calling on the British government to fulfil their international humanitarian obligations and accept more refugees. The You Gov petition has over 200,000 signatures and the Independent's petition has garnered over 100,000 signatures. There is also a solidarity march planned in London for 12 September, with 40,000 people expected to attend.