British superstar Raye and “Better Things” singer Benson Boone have been added to the lineup for the 2024 Global Citizen Festival, alongside previously announced headliners Post Malone, Doja Cat, Lisa, Jelly Roll and Rauw Alejandro. The event takes place Saturday, Sept. 28 in New York’s Central Park.
The festival will be hosted by Global Citizen Ambassador, Hugh Jackman and feature special appearances by Dr. Jane Goodall and Chris Martin of Coldplay.
Hosted by Global Citizen, the international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty, tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are free and can be earned by taking action on the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com to defeat poverty, defend the planet and demand equity.
“Ending extreme poverty is a responsibility we all share,” said Benson Boone. “I’m grateful to be involved in Global Citizen’s mission by helping those who are living in extreme poverty. I hope we can all come together to take action and make a real difference in the world.”
This year for the first time, in addition to its many existing sustainability efforts, the Global Citizen Festival is switching to battery power. The Central Park stage will be completely powered by the same SmartGrid battery system used to power Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” world tour, including all audio, lighting, video and stage production. Instead of burning fossil fuels to power the main stage, running on battery power will significantly reduce the festival’s carbon emissions that would otherwise pollute our planet.
As part of this year’s festival campaign, Global Citizen will mark the start of Climate Week with a beach clean-up on Saturday, September 21 in partnership with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and supported by Goodera, coinciding with International Coastal Clean-up Day.
Global Citizen, Re:wild, UN Global Compact Network Brazil and other campaign partners are calling for $1 billion in investments from businesses, foundations and governments to protect and restore the Amazon by the end of 2025, and support the Indigenous and riverfront communities who live in and protect the forest. Closer to home, Global Citizen is partnering with Environmental Advocates NY to call on New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign the TREES Act, which would make New York the first U.S. state to prevent public funds from contributing to tropical deforestation in the Amazon and beyond.
“Global Citizen Festival has always been about using the power of music and activism to drive real, tangible change. This year, we’re taking bold steps to protect our planet, from powering our stage with clean energy to advocating for Indigenous-led projects that preserve the Amazon and calling for a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty,” said Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder & Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer, Global Citizen. “These efforts are about ensuring that the transition to a sustainable future leaves no one behind – whether it’s communities in the Global South or right here in New York. We’re calling on world leaders, businesses, and citizens alike to join us in mobilizing action towards a just transition to clean energy and a safer planet for all.”