By: Mana Faye
In the city that never sleeps, not even the weather can dampen the spirit of more than 60,000 New Yorkers for a night filled with music and impact. The Global Citizen Festival took place Saturday, September 28, in Central Park’s Great Lawn, featuring star-studded performances and even greater encouragement for change. Hosted by Hugh Jackman, the show included performances by Post Malone, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll, Rauw Alejandro, and Benson Boone. Despite the rainy weather, the festival delivered an unforgettable evening, perfectly blending entertainment and purpose. Thanks to the New York Association of Black Journalists, I was fortunate to attend the event.
Since its inception, the Global Citizen Festival has aimed to create a sense of urgency around issues affecting the world. The 2024 edition centered on three core pillars: defeat poverty, defend the planet, and demand equity. According to Global Citizen’s website, these causes have mobilized more than 34.1 million actions, helped secure $43.6 billion in funds distributed, and resulted in 30 policy commitments.
Throughout the evening, renowned artists, politicians, activists, and organizations came together to amplify these crucial messages. Notables like Gayle King, Vladimir Duthiers, Danai Gurira, and DJ Khaled took the stage to encourage action on issues such as climate change and humanitarian aid.
The festival kicked off with an energetic set by Brazilian DJ Alok, setting the tone for the night. Rising star Benson Boone followed with crowd favorites like “Beautiful Things.” Next, Jelly Roll and Raye brought their unique sounds to the stage, while Rauw Alejandro’s electrifying performance of his new track “Passaporte” had the crowd buzzing. He also took a moment to passionately address the climate crisis affecting Puerto Rico, his homeland. Later, K-pop star Lisa and crowd-favorite Doja Cat delivered show-stopping performances, with Doja reminding the audience that millions of people across Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, and the Congo are suffering from ongoing crises. Post Malone closed the night, lighting up the sky with songs such as “Circles” and “Sunflower.”
A highlight of the night came when Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran surprised the audience with an intimate acoustic set, performing beloved tracks like “Yellow” and “Thinking Out Loud,” much to the crowd’s delight.
Beyond the music, the Global Citizen Festival delivered several major announcements. A $1 billion campaign to help end extreme poverty was unveiled, alongside significant partnerships, including FIFA teaming up with Global Citizen ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The European Commission pledged more than $500 million for vaccines and humanitarian aid, and countries like Brazil, Micronesia, and Colombia committed to protecting oceans and forests. Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Spain also stepped up for the world’s poorest nations, urging other governments to join them.
In total, global citizens took a record 3.4 million actions to defeat poverty, defend the planet, and demand equity. As the world’s leading advocacy organization fighting to end extreme poverty, Global Citizen continues to rally millions to take action. Join the movement at globalcitizen.org, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Images (provided by Global Citizen)
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