As we close the chapter on 2024, we want to take a moment to reflect on a truly transformative year.
Through campaigns like Global Citizen: NOW and Global Citizen Festival, world leaders, artists, and philanthropists came together across four continents to join our calls for action to demand change. In response, Global Citizens took a record 4.3 million actions over the year, helping to secure historic pledges for equity, the planet, and poverty eradication.
We’re gearing up for an eventful year ahead, having announced two new year-long campaigns as well as a series of key events, from Move Afrika concerts in Lagos, Nigeria and Kigali, Rwanda, to Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia in Bélem, Brazil, with pit stops around the world along the way.
There’s so much to look forward to — but before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a moment to celebrate all we achieved last year.
Key Events Driving Change
Global Citizen NOW Summits
This year, Global Citizen NOW touched down in Melbourne, New York City, and Rio de Janeiro, convening thought leaders and changemakers to inspire discussion and drive tangible action addressing the climate crisis, gender inequities, global health, and food insecurity.
Panelists discuss how to create "A Safer World for All" at Global Citizen NOW: Melbourne.
Global Citizen NOW: Melbourne
Starting our year off right, the summit in Melbourne marked the launch of the "Safer World for All" campaign, a joint initiative between Global Citizen and Micah Australia, calling for greater Australian aid while spotlighting issues in the region. Another major development was the launch of the "Naiuli Declaration for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty" in which Pacific civil society organizations called for a fossil-fuel-free Pacific and put their full support behind a legally-binding treaty to move away from fossil fuels and usher in the clean energy transition. Lastly, Marie-Ange Saraka-Yao, Chief Resource Mobilization & Growth Officer at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, announced that the organization would introduce human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in Timor-Leste starting in July 2024, a move expected to impact more than 86,000 women and girls in the region.
Participants of the panel "Democracy in Action" engage in a lively discussion during Global Citizen NOW: New York City. Image: Ryan Muir for Global Citizen.
Global Citizen NOW: New York
During the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York City in May, a new partnership between Global Citizen and the Climate and Health Foundation was launched to address the impact of the climate crisis on healthcare systems. Another announcement came from Global Citizen Prizerecipient Andrew Ddembe and Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, who together unveiled the Vaccine Alliance’s largest-ever measles and rubella vaccination campaign supporting over 100 million children across 20 African countries by the end of 2024.
His Excellency Ban Ki-moon became the first former Secretary-General of the United Nations to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty at Global Citizen Health and Climate Sessions on September 25, 2024. Image: Sachyn Mital for Global Citizen.
Global Citizen NOW: Health and Climate Financing Sessions
Against the backdrop of September’s United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week in New York City, this conference tackled the deeply intertwined challenges of climate change and health financing. Heads of state, private sector leaders, and activists discussed how we can safeguard human health and build climate resilience, particularly in vulnerable nations. Leaders such as Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda H.E. Gaston Browne pressed for innovative policies, such as levies on high-polluting industries, to close this financing gap for good. Meanwhile, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon publicly endorsed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty for the first time, building even stronger momentum toward ending the fossil fuel era.
Vanessa Oliveira, Célia Xakriabá, Larissa Pinto Moraes, Doron Avni, and Marciely Ayap Tupari (L-R) during Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro on November 17, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images for Global Citizen)
Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro
Held on the eve of the G20 Summit, this two-day event marked the conference series’ debut in Latin America. Co-hosted with the 2024 G20 Presidency, this event convened more than 450 world leaders, innovators, and advocates. Panelists included South African President H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and many others who came together to unpack the importance of protecting key ecosystems such as the Amazon, as well as the need to embrace renewable energy swiftly, give a platform to Indigenous voices, and support communities most impacted by climate change.
Benson Boone electrifies the stage during his set for Global Citizen Festival 2024. Image: Pip Cowley for Global Citizen
Global Citizen Festival
Global Citizen Festival returned to Central Park again this year, showcasing the power of collective action, with 60,000 attendees enjoying performances by superstars and electrifying calls to action from world leaders. Hosted by Hugh Jackman, the festival drew artists like Post Malone, Doja Cat, Rauw Alejandro, Jelly Roll, Benson Boone, and LISA, as well as an unforgettable surprise acoustic appearance by festival curator Chris Martin of Coldplay and Ed Sheeran. Right alongside these musical acts were stirring speeches from inspiring figures, including Jane Goodall, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, video appearances by Spanish Minister Pedro Sanchez, and US Senator Chris Coons, among many, many others. Over the months leading up to the Festival, a record-breaking 3.4 million actions were taken on Global Citizen's platform, driving substantial policy and financial commitments amounting to more than $1 billion across our policy pillars to defeat poverty, defend the planet and demand equity.
Mélina Makissi, Marie-Ange Saraka-Yao, Uche Ralph-Opara, Pierre Dimba and Ada Osakwe (L-R) attend the Economic Development Assembly: Advancing Africa's Future on October 09, 2024 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Image: Getty for Global Citizen.
Economic Development Assembly (EDA)
Another landmark event in 2024 was the inaugural Economic Development Assembly (EDA)in Côte d’Ivoire, which brought together public and private leaders to spark new sustainable development investments across Africa, advocating for increased support from the international community to help the region meet the needs of its rapidly growing population. The resulting Abidjan Accord, a commitment signed by over 100 leaders, emphasized the importance of stepping up financial contributions to funds like the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), ensuring that low-income countries can access vital, affordable financing to invest in fields such as healthcare, education, energy, and climate resilience.
Campaigns With Impact
The Road to COP30
In November, Global Citizen launched a year-long campaign advocating for climate justice and equity, getting us ready for an action-packed 2025 to prepare us for COP30, the United Nations’ climate change conference. Key pillars of this campaign include safeguarding the Amazon rainforest, accelerating a just energy transition, and supporting frontline communities that are the most vulnerable and hardest hit by the impacts of climate change. The campaign will culminate at the COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, alongside the first-ever Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia.
Renewable Energy in Africa
Global Citizen also announced a year-long campaign to scale up renewable energy in Africa alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with the support of the International Energy Agency. The campaign will culminate at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025 and aims to secure commitments from governments, the private sector, and multilateral banks towards meeting the objective set at COP28 of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030 and addressing the energy needs of 675 million people who lack access to electricity across Africa.
Disability Inclusion and Equity
2024 also saw the launch of a new campaign to bridge policy gaps between disability awareness and international development, emphasizing the importance of inclusion as a fundamental human right. In collaboration with the governments of Germany, Jordan, and the International Disability Alliance, this campaign will aim to dismantle barriers and advocate for more than 1 billion people who live with disabilities globally, eventually leading up to the April 2025 Global Disability Summit in Berlin.
Global Health and Vaccination
Global Citizen will also continue calling on nations to step up for the replenishment campaign of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance ending in 2025, which is seeking to secure $9 billion to accomplish its mission of immunizing 500 million children by 2030. This effort is part of Global Citizen’s broader commitment to global health and ending vaccine-preventable diseases in low-income countries.
Move Afrika Returns
Finally, we’re also thrilled to share that we’re officially looking forward to the next installment of our Move Afrika concert series with creative partner pgLang, the first-of-its-kind music touring circuit designed to drive economic investment and create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities across Africa. In February 2025, Move Afrika will expand into West Africa with Lagos, Nigeria joining Kigali, Rwanda as host cities for the next installments headlined by EGOT-winning artist John Legend, showcasing even more of Africa’s vibrant cultural and creative communities.
Looking Ahead
2024’s accomplishments by Global Citizens are a testament to the power of collective action. This year has demonstrated that when individuals, leaders, and organizations come together, change is not only possible — it’s inevitable. As we move into 2025, the momentum generated by this year’s efforts will continue to drive global action on the most pressing challenges of our time. Global Citizen’s work remains as urgent as ever, and with the continued support of activists and citizens worldwide, we’re confidently stepping into what’s shaping up to be an even more impactful year ahead.