International advocacy organization Global Citizen is calling on world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly, as well as major corporations and philanthropic foundations, to take to the Global Citizen Festival stages and announce new commitments to End Extreme Poverty.
This include investing $600 million into the future of women and girls; closing the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall; delivering $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis; and reallocating IMF Special Drawing Rights to provide urgent economic support, while explicitly acknowledging that sustainable change is only possible with the people and activists who advocate for change on the ground, who should never have to risk their lives because of doing so.
It also announced more artists, activists and hosts for the 10th anniversary of Global Citizen Festival taking place on September 24, 2022 at the Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will broadcast and stream worldwide on TimesLive in Africa, YouTube, Twitter, Amazon Music, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, and Apple Music.
The show will be presented by Harith General Partners and in New York City’s Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco.
Executive Director of Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE) Yemi Adamolekun and Founder & Director, Berea-Hillbrow Home of Hope South Africa, Khanyisile Motsa—both 2022 Global Citizen Prize Winners—will take the Global Citizen Festival: Accra stage alongside other international changemakers to inspire urgent action from the festival audience.
Uncle Waffles joins the lineup of global stars performing in Accra’s Black Star Square alongside Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, and TEMS while Berla Mundi, Joselyn Dumas, Michaela Coel, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Sabrina Dhowre Elba are listed among the presenters. The show will be hosted by award-winning actor, playwright and activist Danai Gurira.
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Similarly, Angélique Kidjo and Billy Porter will join previously announced performers—including Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MÅNESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, and Rosalía—at the Global Citizen Festival: NYC, with Amber Ruffin, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Chris Redd, Connie Britton, Jay Shetty, Katie Holmes, Misty Copeland, Rachel Brosnahan, Scott Evans, Tamron Hall, and Van Jones also joining as presenters.
Global Citizen Prize Winners Anuscheh Amir-Khalili, Barbie Izquierdo, Brianna Fruean, Mitzy Cortés, Payzee Mahmod, and the 2022 Cisco Youth Leadership Award winner Nidhi Pant, will address Central Park’s Great Lawn in line with Global Citizen’s commitment to elevate the voices and challenges faced by those on the front lines of activism around the world.
Tickets to the festivals can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to take action on the campaign’s issues. For each action taken, users earn points that can be redeemed for tickets to the festivals.
Elizabeth Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey in the statement said: “As the first female Mayor of the City of Accra, after one hundred and twenty-four years of a male-dominated office, it is a pleasure to be hosting the Global Citizen Festival – a spectacular event that will bring together incredible artists, world leaders, and everyday citizens to help empower girls and women, defend the planet and create lasting, positive change.
“The City of Accra is excited to join millions of global citizens around the world, and the President of Ghana, to add our voices to address these world issues and take action to alleviate poverty.
“We are committed to empowering women and girls through various initiatives and working endlessly to mitigate the impacts of climate change, which disproportionately affect women and have severe implications for the city’s essential services, infrastructure, housing, health and human livelihoods.
“We are dedicated to this fight and to forging a climate-resilient path towards a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, achieving climate resilience and carbon neutrality by 2050. We believe this is our only pathway to create a more inclusive society, improve quality of life, create green jobs, address inequalities, and safeguard and empower marginalized communities. Together, we can all make an impact. See you on September 24th.”
“The future of the continent of Africa, and indeed the planet, depends on the empowerment of women and girls,” said activist and artist Angélique Kidjo. “I am proud to collaborate with Global Citizen to send a clear message to governments and leaders: it’s time to listen to the next generation. The young women and girls of Africa are not silent – they deserve to be heard. It’s time for the world to take notice.”
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