Global Citizen Festival to Hold in Accra, New York

Adeline Okoronkwo

International advocacy organisation Global Citizen yesterday  announced the lineups for the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival, taking place in New York City’s Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco, and Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, on Saturday, 24th September 2022.

Since it began lighting up Central Park’s Great Lawn in 2012, the Global Citizen Festival has become the world’s longest-running global campaign calling for an end to extreme poverty that unites millions of voices, amplified by the world’s biggest artists, demanding world leaders take action NOW.

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will call on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November to step up and invest $600 million into the future of women and girls, close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall, deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis, and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to End Extreme Poverty NOW.

With two stages in international cultural capitals, New York City and Accra, Ghana, the 2022 Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast and streamed on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, TimesLIVE, Twitter, YouTube, and more. ABC News Live’s broadcast will air on Saturday, September 24, and a primetime special, Global Citizen Festival: Take Action NOW, will air on ABC on Sunday, September 25 at 7:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm CT. Additional tune in details to follow in the coming weeks.

Marking the 65th anniversary of Ghana’s independence and the 20th anniversary of the African Union, Accra’s iconic Black Star Square will see live performances from fast-rising Nigerian music star TEMS and other world-renowned artistes like Usher, Sarkodie SZA, Stomzy, H.E.R., Gyakie and Stonebwoy with more to be announced.

Performers on the Central Park stage will include Mariah Carey, Jonas Brothers, Metallica, Charlie Puth, Maneskin, Mickey Guyton and Rosalia with more to be announced. Global Citizen Festival: NYC will be hosted by actor, producer, author, and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

Commenting, Co-Founder and CEO, Global Citizen, Hugh Evans, said:“Decades of systemic and political failures have led humanity into the midst of converging and rapidly deteriorating crises – climate, hunger, health, war and conflict. The most marginalized populations are paying the price of the stagnant inaction of our leaders, and now millions of lives, and the future of our planet, are at stake. We refuse to just stand by and watch! We refuse to accept the starvation of multitudes when solutions are readily at hand. We demand a secure future for girls everywhere. We demand governments keep their promises on climate funding. We demand relief from debts unjustly crushing economies. And we demand action NOW, while there’s still time to change our collective trajectory.” –

Global Citizen is calling for world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations to take to the Global Citizen Festival stages and announce new commitments to End Extreme Poverty NOW, including: Deploy Financing NOW and immediately meet the total goal of reallocating $100 billion in IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), by making up the $40 billion shortfall.

Take Climate Action NOW and fulfill the $100 billion per year promises made in the Paris Agreement.

Empower Girls NOW and provide critical investments into girls’ education, sexual and reproductive health and economic empowerment.

Mitigate a Global Food System Meltdown NOW by providing $500 million for Africa’s farmers to make the most of the current planting season and fund the local production of fertilizers, tools, and equipment they need to produce more food.

Throughout the campaign, Global Citizen will continue to defend and promote advocacy, ensuring marginalized voices are heard and leaders are held accountable to deliver on their promises. Global Citizen will elevate citizens’ voices, especially from the Global South; defend the right of anyone to speak freely, dissent, and organize without fear of reprisals or violence; and call on corporations to refrain from using litigation to silence activists on the frontline. Without such efforts to champion the causes of those in peril, the achievement of our campaign goals will continue to be deprioritized by those in power.

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign is supported by several governments and world leaders.

“While communities face injustices, crises and inequalities in the world, we simply cannot give up the fight and solidarity to end poverty. We need all voices in calling for a better future for everyone, everywhere. Now is the time for ambitious action. Together, with Global Citizen, we can keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals,”United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, said.

“This year we have strongly felt the impacts of climate change across international conflicts, global health, and economic crisis, raising the level of inequality higher than before. However, together our mission is possible. It is more important than ever that the world comes together to demand action from global leaders with a unified voice, NOW. Global Citizens must champion political and financial solutions, like climate and agricultural adaptation, that center the most vulnerable members of our global community and plant the seeds for dignified and prosperous futures.” 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations & Ban Ki-moon Center for Global Citizens Co-chair, Ban Ki-moon, said.

“An urgent, collective, and concerted effort is required to make progress toward ending extreme poverty. I am encouraged by the call to action issued by Global Citizen and I call upon leaders from around the world to add their voices, as we cannot afford to sit back and watch the status quo continue. It is time to break down the systemic barriers that have kept people in poverty and indeed, time to act to protect future generations from climate change,”  President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that all countries must have equitable access to the tools and technologies needed to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond rapidly to outbreaks and other health emergencies. This is why the World Health Organization brought public and private partners together to launch the innovative mRNA Technology Transfer Hub based in South Africa, with more than a dozen low- and middle-income countries joining so far. I welcome Global Citizen’s support for this crucial initiative to diversify and expand manufacturing of life-saving vaccines, so that the world is better prepared to prevent and respond more equitably to infectious diseases and the next pandemic threat.” – Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival and the End Extreme Poverty NOW campaign are supported by a coalition of the world’s leading brands and companies including Global Partners Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon and YouTube. Global Citizen Festival: NYC Campaign Partner, World Wide Technology, has deepened their commitment to sustainability by signing the UN’s Race to Zero in line with the Science Based Targets initiative, answering Global Citizen’s call on corporations to make science-based targets.

As Patron of Global Citizen’s work in Africa, Tshepo Mahloele, Founder & Executive, of Harith General Partners, supports Global Citizen’s growth across Africa to reach more audiences and help achieve equity in places with high rates of extreme poverty. Global Citizen Festival: NYC is also honored to have the support of Mayor Adams, 110th Mayor of New York City.

Global Citizen Festival has gratefully received in-kind support from leading media companies, including: AIM GROUP, Bandsintown, BellaNaija, Billboard, Boo! Media, Branded Cities, Captivate, Clear Channel Outdoor, DDP Outdoor, Global OOH, GSTV, The Hollywood Reporter, iHeartRadio, Intersection, Interstate Outdoor, JC Decaux, MX, New Tradition, OAAA, Orange Barrel Media, Penske Media, Rolling Stone, Seen Media, Six Flags Theme Parks, Spotify, Variety, VIBE, Volta, The Wall Street Journal and YFM.