It’s that time of the year! Global Citizen Festival returns to Central Park’s Great Lawn in New York City on Sept. 23, 2023, uniting 60,000 Global Citizens with the world’s leading artists and advocates in the mission to end extreme poverty NOW.
The festival — hosted as world leaders gather in New York City for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) — is a free, ticketed event with performances by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Jung Kook, Anitta, Conan Gray, D-Nice, Sofia Carson. Stray Kids had been set to perform but due to an unforeseen accident, we will be joined by 3RACHA, which features three members of Stray Kids, Changbin, Bang Chan, and Han.
While 60,000 people will be joining in Central Park, you can watch from home. Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast live around the world, so wherever you are, you can join in on the day of action and advocacy for equity, for the planet, for food, and for jobs. Read on for all the ways you’ll be able to watch the Global Citizen Festival.
As well as a stunning lineup of artists and performances, we’ll also be joined by the likes of Bill Nye, Bridget Moynahan, Busy Philipps, Carmelo Anthony, Charlize Theron, Chris Rock, Common, Connie Britton, Danai Gurira, Gayle King, Jordan Fisher, Lewis Pugh, Liza Koshy, Natasha Lyonne, Nomzamo Mbatha, Padma Lakshmi, Phoebe Gates, Rachel Brosnahan, and Sophia Bush — as well as renowned advocates Barbie Izquierdo, Brianna Fruean, Deja Foxx, Helena and Nina Gualinga, Ineza Umuhoza Grace, Jerome Foster II, Moj Mahdara, Nkosana Butholenkosi Masuku, Sophia Kianni, Pashtana Durrani, Xiye Bastida, and Wangari Kuria.
World leaders taking to the stage include the likes of Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN; Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister of Samoa; Gilbert Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organisation; José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor Leste; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, and more.
All of these incredible people are uniting in the mission to drive critical, systemic change in the mission to end extreme poverty. Over the last three years, humanity has experienced some of the biggest challenges of our lifetime and, as a result, the number of people living in extreme poverty is rising for the first time in a generation.
We’re now faced with the urgent need for action to break the cycle of poverty; we cannot continue business as usual while the world slides further into crisis. We need people everywhere to join the movement and join us in taking action.
We know not everyone will have the opportunity to attend the event in person, of course, but that doesn’t mean you should miss out! Here’s how you can watch, listen to, and stream the event on TV, online, or through the radio wherever you are — as well as everything you’ll need for the perfect watch party, from actions you can take to merch to wear.
How to Watch Global Citizen Festival
One of the absolute best places to watch is via the Global Citizen app — by watching via the Global Citizen app you'll be able to lend your voice to support the campaign by taking action during the event itself too! To watch, take action, and receive the latest updates, download our app and sign up as a Global Citizen. (You can also sign up as a Global Citizen and take action on our website).
Global Citizen Festival will also be broadcast and streamed to the world on ABC News Live, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Facebook, HBO Max, Hulu, iHeartRadio, Instagram, Mediacorp, SABC, TikTok, TimesLIVE, TNT, TV3, Veeps, YouTube, and globalcitizen.org. A primetime special, Global Citizen Festival 2023, will air on ABC on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. EST.
Streaming of the event will start at 4:00pm EST on Sept. 23, 2023. Keep an eye on globalcitizenfestival.com, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn for all the latest information on how you can join in and take action as part of Global Citizen Festival.
What Actions Can You Take During the Festival?
It wouldn’t be a Global Citizen Festival watch party if you weren’t taking action while dancing along to some of the world’s biggest artists.
One of the first things you can do is join Global Citizens around the world by taking our journey to watch the show and take action together on our Global Citizen app here.
Here are a few other key actions you can take while you’re watching the show to help support the festival campaign.
1. Call on UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to deliver on climate pledges.
We’re calling on the UK government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to deliver on its COP26 climate finance pledge and provide £11.6 billion in climate finance between now and 2026, and be transparent about how this commitment will be met.
Share your message to the UK government here.
2. Sign a petition urging world leaders to end the global food crisis.
One in every 10 people on earth is living in uncertainty of where their next meal will come from, and 50 million people are on the cusp of starvation unless urgent action is taken.
Join us in calling on world leaders to reimagine global food systems and construct a sustainable, climate-resilient, and accessible food system to help end the global food crisis.
Add your name to our petition here.
3. Call on Norway to support girls’ rights globally.
More than 40% of women globally do not have the opportunity to make choices about their reproductive health. The work of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is critical to improving women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. But it needs funds to continue to do this important work.
Join us in calling on Norway to help fund the UNFPA and support women and girls’ reproductive rights around the world.
Share a message to the Norwegian government and add your voice to the movement here.
4. Show leaders you are hungry for action.
Amid the global food crisis, the need for food aid has increased and global hunger has skyrocketed. Furthermore, climate-induced extreme weather events and conflict have drastically eaten into farmers’ harvests and food bank queues are increasing around the world.
We’re working with civil society organizations around the world to highlight Global Citizens and activists who are demanding action on the global food crisis.
Show world leaders you’re hungry for action by taking action here.
5. Call on President Biden to fulfill the US’ promises on climate aid.
At UNGA in 2021, the Biden administration promised more than $11 billion in aid for countries at the forefront of the climate crisis.
Two years on, that pledge has not been fulfilled even as the climate crisis continues to worsen. As a major carbon emitter and global leader, the US has a responsibility to support communities on the front line of the climate crisis.
Share a message to President Biden here.
Festival Gear and Other Essentials
We know taking action is just as thrilling as seeing our favorite artists on stage for the world’s most urgent causes. But how about doing that in some certified drip? Enter: our fabulous Global Citizen Festival 2023 exclusive merchandise — and you don’t have to physically be at the festival to get them either!
We guarantee you that taking action never looked this good — these lineup and festival t-shirts are giving everything they are supposed to give! Plus, they’re a great way to show the world that you’re part of a movement of Global Citizens ending extreme poverty. You can check out the full Global Citizen merch shop here.