Tyla and Ayra Starr to headline a fest in New York
A pair of Africa's brightest will take centre stage with Nigeria's Ayra Starr and South Africa's Tyla to share top billing alongside an array of global heavy hitters.
A few tried and tested acts when it comes to large arenas will be joining these African giants. Namely, The Weeknd, Shakira and Mariah the Scientist.
'I'm honoured to headline the incredible Global Citizen Festival in Central Park this September. Music has always been my way of connecting with people and leaving a mark on the world. I can't wait to perform, unite, and inspire action,' said Colombian popstar Shakira.
Tyla and Ayra will lend their celebrity and talents to this spectacle as ambassadors of the resurgence of African pride and preference as it pertains to the sonics of the continent.
Australian native and a Hollywood favourite in Hugh Jackman who will handle the hosting duties for the eleventh time.
The aim remains the same, with the idea being to cultivate unity and emphasise activism through music and the arts.
Hosted for the eleventh time by Hugh Jackman who is best known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men movie franchise. The long-standing Global Citizen Ambassador highlighted how this event has a mechanism attached to it in which fans can earn tickets. This can be done by showing an interest in pertinent global issues via the Global Citizen application.
'The growing impact of Global Citizen touches every corner of the world. I'm eager to advocate alongside ambassadors, performers, and world leaders,'' Jackman intimated.
The 2025 agenda for this festival is looking to target three pressing outcomes. The overarching entity hopes to provide energy access for one million people in Africa. They're also looking to funnel $200 million (3.58 billion ZAR) to conserve and protect 30 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest. The idea is to protect 20 billion trees in this crucial area of the planet.
Funding quality education for roughly 30 000 children worldwide will also be a matter of concern for Global Citizen.
Festival organisers are going all out with their social investment initiatives, with 1.5 billion dollars (26 billion ZAR) being invested towards training 50 000 young Africans in renewable energy strategies.
The European Commission and the governments of Denmark, Australia, and the UK have committed to infrastructure initiatives that could provide power to homes, schools, and hospitals for over a million people.
Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), will also be involved in this event. The FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is hoping to provide children with reading and writing tools. This will be funded through ticket sales from large global gatherings and tapping philanthropists for donations and the like.
This is a lot on offer, especially for the African continent, and so naturally, we will be keeping a keen eye on all these initiatives and promises. These charitable draw cards will garner the attention of the masses along with the talent on offer, but will this translate to funding reaching the areas it is meant to, is the question on many people's minds.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
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