British star Rae and “Better Things” singer Benson Boone have joined the lineup for the 2024 Global Citizen Festival, alongside previously announced artists Post Malone, Doja Cat, Lisa, Jelly Roll and Rau Alejandro. The event will take place on Saturday, September 28 in New York’s Central Park.
The festival will be hosted by Global Citizen Ambassador Hugh Jackman, and will include special appearances by Dr Jane Goodall and Chris Martin of Coldplay.
Hosted by Global Citizen, the international advocacy organization working to end extreme poverty, the festival is free and can be purchased by taking action on the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com to defeat poverty, defend the planet and demand equality.
“Eradicating extreme poverty is a shared responsibility for all of us,” said Benson Poon. “I am grateful to be part of Global Citizen’s mission to help those living in extreme poverty. I hope we can all come together to take action and make a real difference in the world.”
For the first time this year, in addition to its many existing sustainability efforts, the Global Citizen Festival is switching to battery power. The Central Park Stage will be entirely 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. Rather than burning fossil fuels to power the main stage, battery power will significantly reduce the festival’s carbon footprint that would otherwise pollute our planet.
As part of this year’s festival campaign, Global Citizen will celebrate the start of Climate Week with a beach cleanup on Saturday, September 21 in partnership with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and with support from Goodera, coinciding with World Coastal Cleanup Day.
Global Citizen, Re:wild, the UN Global Compact Network in 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, supporting indigenous and riparian 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 US state to ban 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 treaty to stop the spread of fossil fuels,” said Michael Sheldrick, co-founder and chief policy, impact and government affairs officer at Global Citizen. “These efforts are about ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to a sustainable future—whether it’s communities in the Global South or here in New York. We’re calling on world leaders, businesses and citizens alike to join us in mobilizing action toward a just transition to clean energy and a safer planet for all.”
