The Global Citizen Festival returned to Central Park in New York City on September 28, 2024, bringing together artists, activists, heads of state, and 60,000 attendees for a day of music and advocacy to fight extreme poverty and climate change. 

The festival emphasized protecting the Amazon and supporting a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, while also advocating for funding the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). Performances by musical stars like Post Malone and Doja Cat were accompanied by calls to action from global leaders, urging governments and corporations to make tangible commitments on equity, education, hunger, and the environment.

Read on to explore the full impact of the night's event, including a detailed breakdown of the pledges made toward advancing global equity, climate action, and the fight against extreme poverty.

Global Leaders Responded to Calls to Defeat Poverty, Defend the Planet, and Demand Equity: 

• The United Kingdom, Denmark and Spain commit and call on other wealthy nations to contribute to IDA’s $120 billion funding target
• Brazil and Colombia make commitments to protect the Earth’s oceans, forests, and biodiversity 
• More than $500 million announced to support vaccination initiatives and humanitarian aid

The Global Citizen Festival Campaign Continues to Demand Action: 

• Global Citizen is looking ahead to the Economic Development Assembly in Abidjan in October, where the case for supporting IDA’s replenishment will be reinforced.
• IDA needs $120 billion to help its mission of ending extreme poverty and improving the lives of nearly 2 billion people.
• Global Citizen will continue to put pressure on governments to either commit to a just transition away from fossil fuels by a set timeline or endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• We will call on public and private leaders to cut emissions in line with the UN’s Race to Zero targets and increase international climate financing.
• Global Citizen will also continue to promote investment in Indigenous-led, nature-based solutions and conservation projects that meet Equitable Earth standards.

On Saturday, September 28, the Global Citizen Festival returned to Central Park in New York City, uniting 60,000 Global Citizens, artists, and advocates for a powerful day of action and music. The festival coincided with the conclusion of the week-long series of events surrounding the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week NYC.

Hosted by Global Citizen, the world’s leading advocacy organization dedicated to ending extreme poverty, tickets to the Festival were free and could be earned by taking action through the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com. The Global Citizen Festival has always been about harnessing the power of music and activism to drive real, tangible change. This year, bold and innovative steps were taken to further protect the planet, from powering the stage with clean energy to advocating for Indigenous-led projects preserving the Amazon, and rallying support for a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The event was broadcast live and streamed globally on platforms including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Disney+, YouTube, TikTok, and more. It marked the culmination of a year of campaigning focused on three key policy pillars: Defeating Poverty, Defending the Planet, and Demanding Equity. In the months leading up to the Festival, Global Citizens took over 3.4 million actions, demonstrating the power of young people to drive change in the world. Together, they proved their ability to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, including the mission to end extreme poverty once and for all.

This year’s Global Citizen Festival campaign also focused on supporting the replenishment of the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), a fund with a proven track record of fighting extreme poverty by providing zero- and low-interest loans to drive economic development in 77 of the world’s lowest-income countries.

Currently, too many developing countries are burdened by high-interest loans, forcing their governments to prioritize debt repayments over addressing their people’s specific needs, perpetuating the cycle of extreme poverty. To help break this pattern, Global Citizen called on the wealthiest nations to increase their contributions to IDA so that the World Bank can secure over $120 billion in financing for its IDA21 replenishment, which ends in December 2024. Reaching this target would positively impact nearly two billion people by driving domestic investments in healthcare, agriculture, and education worldwide.

From the 2024 Global Citizen Festival stage, world-renowned artists including Post Malone, Doja Cat, LISA, Rauw Alejandro, Jelly Roll, Benson Boone, RAYE, Alok & The Future is Ancestral, and surprise guests Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran joined forces with activists and philanthropists to urge world leaders and the private sector to take concrete steps toward advancing Global Citizen’s key policy pillars. In the weeks leading up to September 28, Global Citizen’s campaign secured substantial commitments and announcements from organizations, world leaders, and corporations focused on equity, education, hunger, and the environment.

Global Citizen Ambassador Hugh Jackman hosted the evening, with special appearances by Dr. Jane Goodall and Festival Curator Chris Martin of Coldplay. An all-star lineup of presenters also took to the stage, including Anthony Ramos, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Bridget Moynahan, Calvin Royal III, Charlamagne Tha God, Danai Gurira,  Drew Afualo, Eric Adjepong, Gavin DeGraw, Gayle King, Jordan Fisher, Josh Martinez, Kal Penn, Liza Koshy, Dr. Mike Varshavski, Minda Dentler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nomzamo Mbatha, Osi Umenyiora, Rachel Brosnahan, Rhett & Link, Sophia Bush, Tatyana McFadden, Vladimir Duthiers, and Whoopi Goldberg. 

Heads of state and influential leaders also appeared to address the audience of activists and changemakers, including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Helder Barbalho, Governor of the State of Pará, Brazil; Chief Raoni Metuktire, Chief of the Kayapó People of Brazil; Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi; Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait; Minister Sônia Guajajara,  Minister of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil; Nicolai Wammen, Minister for Finance of Denmark, and many more.

The Global Citizen Festival is proudly presented by Citi and Cisco, with major partners including Bridgewater Associates, Delta Air Lines, the Motsepe Foundation, PayPal and Venmo, P&G, Verizon, and World Wide Technology. Production partners include Live Nation, Broadcast Partner ABC, Exclusive U.S. Audio Partner iHeartMedia, and Location Partner New York City Parks. The 2024 Global Citizen Festival is produced by the Emmy Award-winning production companies Done and Dusted and Diversified Production Services.

Over the past year, Global Citizen has campaigned tirelessly across its three key policy pillars, urging people, leaders, and activists to take impactful action. Key moments arose from dynamic Global Citizen NOW summits, held in Australia in March 2024 and in New York City two months later in May. Originally launched in New York City in 2022, Global Citizen NOW brings together a diverse range of voices for panel discussions aimed at addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to global poverty.

Melbourne’s summit marked the launch of the "Safer World for All" campaign, a joint initiative between Global Citizen and Micah Australia calling for increased Australian aid while spotlighting urgent global issues. Another major development at the Melbourne summit 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.

During the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York City on May 1 and 2, a new partnership between Global Citizen and the Climate and Health Foundation was launched to emphasize the urgent need to address the impact of the climate crisis on healthcare systems. Another announcement came from Andrew Ddembe, Global Citizen Prize recipient, and Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, who together unveiled the Vaccine Alliance’s largest-ever measles and rubella vaccination campaign targeting over 100 million children across 20 African countries by the end of 2024. This ambitious effort aims to curb the rising rates of vaccine-preventable diseases following a global decline in immunization coverage. 

In June 2023, Global Citizen hosted Power Our Planet: Live in Paris, bringing together climate activists, world leaders, and 20,000 Global Citizens to call for increased climate funding for vulnerable countries. The event helped pressure the World Bank to introduce a new debt pause clause policy for nations hit by natural disasters, allowing them to focus on recovery instead of burdensome debt repayments. Initially applied to 12 countries, this policy now covers 45 nations, potentially freeing up $9.5 billion annually. Global Citizen continues to push for similar reforms from other countries and financial institutions, supporting the Bridgetown Initiative which aims to create a fairer global financial system.

Building on this work, the Power Our Planet campaign shifted its focus towards unlocking critical resources for Africa's economic development, with a spotlight on sub-Saharan Africa's population boom. Global Citizen teamed up with leading macroeconomic researcher Bridgewater Associates in the weeks leading up to the Global Citizen Festival to produce new research on the potential impact of sub-Saharan Africa’s projected population boom, highlighting the possibility of dramatic economic growth but warning of stagnation if global leaders fail to confront the needs of the region. To address these challenges, Global Citizen and Bridgewater Associates will co-host the inaugural Economic Development Assembly on October 9 and 10 in Abidjan, in partnership with Harith General Partners and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire. The Assembly will bring together public and private leaders to discuss development barriers across Africa, as well as support the World Bank's IDA21 replenishment campaign and bolster its vital work throughout the region.

The global financial system must undergo substantial reforms to scale up financing and ensure that those with the greatest need receive the most support. Defeating poverty requires enhancing international funding streams, such as Official Development Assistance (ODA) from wealthy nations, and implementing reforms that incentivize sustainable economic development. 

For example, Ireland is stepping up its global leadership with an ambitious aid agenda. In a video message filmed for Global Citizen Festival, Taoiseach Simon Harris reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to humanitarianism and alignment with Global Citizen’s Festival campaign, explaining that “To be a global citizen means to care for our planet and all its people. It means being compassionate as we work together to defeat poverty, defend the planet, and to demand equity.” He noted that the country’s investment in addressing global challenges is at record levels and set to grow even higher, spending €320 million on food, agriculture and nutrition in food insecure countries last year and pledging to surpass that figure in 2024. Tánaiste Micheál Martin highlighted that Ireland will beat its goal of investing €800 million in nutrition by 2026 a year ahead of schedule, and will also achieve its goal of contributing €225 million annually to climate financing by next year. Global Citizen celebrates the actions of the Irish and Spanish governments in continuing to expand their role in supporting ODA.

A year of  campaigning and millions of actions taken helped drive excitement and build pressure on world leaders to make early commitments to IDA at this year’s Global Citizen Festival. Ahead of the festival, Denmark pledged $491.7 million to IDA, a substantial 40% increase over its previous contribution. Denmark’s Minister of Finance, Nicolai Wammen, and actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau highlighted the pledge on stage and thanked Global Citizen for their actions. Spain and the United Kingdom also committed to increasing their contributions to IDA, with the formal contribution to be determined in the coming months. Denmark's early pledge is particularly impactful as the country will assume the Presidency of the European Union (EU) in July 2025, sending a strong message to other EU nations that investments in IDA and international development must be a top priority. The U.K. and Spain are the only other governments to announce intentions of increasing their IDA contributions, further demonstrating their global leadership in supporting the world’s most vulnerable populations. Global Citizen will continue to monitor and report on the future actions of Spain and the U.K., working in close contact with the World Bank to ensure that these pledges are significant enough to meet the needs of IDA over the next three years. 

Throughout the year, Global Citizens also campaigned to defend the planet and advocate for decisive action toward a fair transition away from fossil fuels. They urged governments and industries worldwide to commit to bold climate financing, with a particular focus on adaptation measures and nature-based solutions to confront the crisis directly.

In the week leading up to the Global Citizen Festival, His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon made history during the Global Citizen NOW: Health and Climate Financing Sessions on September 25 as the first former United Nations Secretary-General to publicly endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, which offers a policy framework to halt the expansion of new coal, oil, and gas projects while facilitating a just transition to renewable energy. Additionally, during the United Nations General Assembly's General Debate earlier in the week, Micronesia officially joined the coalition of countries that have signed on to the Treaty, further reinforcing the global momentum building behind this movement. The Treaty is now backed by 14 countries, over 100 cities and subnational governments, and thousands of scientists and academics.

Alex Rafalowicz, the Executive Director of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, celebrated the campaigning efforts behind these announcements. “Global Citizen’s partnership has been instrumental in amplifying the call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty among policymakers and the general public. With this week’s endorsements from the Federated States of Micronesia and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, we are at a turning point.”

Global Citizen Festival 2024 also saw the Global Centre for Climate Mobility launch the Communities Climate Adaptation Facility (CCAF), a wide-spanning initiative to support communities who are the most vulnerable to climate change. CCAF will provide up to $100,000 in rapid-response funding to these communities, empowering them to implement solutions designed to address their specific needs through impactful projects, from the provision of essential services like water access and healthcare to safeguarding local environments. With an initial $5 million in funding at launch, the facility aims to ultimately mobilize $100 million by 2030 and will begin accepting project applications by the end of 2024.

Following up on the pledge he made at Global Citizen Festival 2023 to protect 1 million hectares in Pará by 2025, Pará State Governor Helder Barbalho returned to Central Park to announce that 500,000 new hectares would become designated protected lands in the state. In addition, he pledged that 200,000 hectares of Indigenous lands will be restored and returned to their rightful guardians. “We are delivering on our promises, and it’s time for the world to do the same.”

Building on that commitment, Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples Sônia Guajajara reaffirmed the importance of Indigenous land stewardship during her announcement at the Global Citizen Festival, stating, "Indigenous peoples in the Amazon and around the world are the guardians of our planet, and it is vital that their rights and autonomy are respected." She committed to removing illegal loggers, miners, and farmers from seven Indigenous territories. Additionally, she pledged to implement 10 territorial and environmental management plans across Indigenous lands by the time Brazil hosts COP30 in 2025.

Colombia’s Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, addressed the Global Citizen Festival audience via video message to share that the country has taken key steps forward towards halting fossil fuel expansion in the Amazon, a major step to protect one of the most vital ecosystems on the planet. She announced that Colombia will formalize new restrictions on future oil and gas extraction projects in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and will convene the first ever dialogue between all Amazon nations to discuss activities regarding fossil fuels in the region.  

Another significant highlight at this year’s Global Citizen Festival was the first public announcement of The Leaders Network for Environmental Activists and Defenders (LEAD). Endorsed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, this initiative aims to unite governments, civil society members, and activists to enhance the recognition and protection of environmental defenders while amplifying their voices in global negotiations.

Demanding a genuinely equitable world means ensuring that everyone's human rights are upheld, including the rights to nutritious food, civic participation, affordable healthcare, and quality education. Live from the festival stage in Central Park, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €260 million commitment over two years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, representing a significant increase in their previous contribution to support the organization’s replenishment. In addition, the Commission pledged an extra €213 million in humanitarian aid, focused on addressing food security in Africa, Afghanistan, Palestine, and Venezuela. €69 million of these funds will be specifically allocated to Sudan and neighboring countries in response to its humanitarian crisis. Together, these commitments underscore the EU’s continued leadership in global health and humanitarian efforts, driving support where it's needed most.

In addition, Tony Robbins and Malawi’s Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale highlighted Robbins’ commitment to the 100 Billion Meals Challenge. Robbins announced 10 billion more meals towards this goal through partnerships with organizations including Hatch for Hunger, Feed My Starving Children, and the National Pasta Association. This ambitious initiative aims to feed 1 million people each year, addressing persistently high levels of global food insecurity head-on. Robbins additionally pledged to provide 55,000 metric tons of fertilizer, in collaboration with Uralchem to enable low-income countries to grow their own food and improve international food security. 

Malta also reaffirmed its commitment to global health and vaccine equity by pledging €30,000 in humanitarian funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) primarily to support its operations in Yemen, where recent floods have devastated communities. Germany announced its new membership in the Alliance for Feminist Movements, an initiative to jointly improve political and financial support for feminist organizations worldwide. At the same time, Germany committed €15 million to support local feminist civil society organizations (CSOs) in Africa in their struggle to achieve human rights and equal opportunities for all. Announcing the commitment via video message, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze urged others to follow the country’s lead, stating, “I encourage governments, other funders, and all global citizens to join us in this effort, because every person on this planet deserves equal opportunities.”

Additionally, disability advocate Cara Khan and Paralympian Tatyana McFadden took the stage to announce  a new Global Citizen campaign in cooperation with the Governments of Germany and Jordan and the International Disability Alliance in support of the  upcoming Global Disability Summit (GDS) in Berlin. The GDS will take place in April 2025 and will center on bridging the policy gaps that exist between disability awareness and international development efforts, particularly in the Global South. This campaign will underscore the importance of addressing barriers faced by over a billion people living with disabilities worldwide and reinforce the message that inclusion is not charity — it’s a fundamental human right.

Yasmine Sherif, the Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN’s global fund for education in emergencies and crises, made a powerful announcement at the festival that ECW will direct $90 million to provide education for children in conflict-affected regions, including Ukraine, Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Syria. Much of this funding was previously announced on the Global Citizen stage, and is now being put to work. She also highlighted the $27 million towards emergency education support being provided to children in Gaza, Sudan, Lebanon, Haiti, and Eastern Congo, combined investments that will help ensure that millions of children will have the chance at a better future despite enduring devastating crises. Sherif thanked attendees for taking action, stating “Thank you Global Citizens for being part of our mission to deliver education to children in crisis, for making the world a better, fairer and more humane place.”

Former Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin and Maria Sjödin, Executive Director of Outright International also took the stage together to announce a significant $500,000 commitment from the Adobe Foundation to Outright International to support its global fight for LGBTQI+ rights. This funding will bolster the organization’s efforts to address human rights violations and abuses faced by LGBTQI+ communities worldwide, creating a more inclusive world where everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can live free from discrimination and persecution.

Delaware Senator Chris Coons reaffirmed U.S. support for Global Citizen’s campaigns in a video message at the Global Citizen Festival, telling the audience, “Global citizens, your voice matters. You help move mountains in Congress and around the world. So thanks for all the actions you've taken this year.” As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS), Coons plays a key role in shaping U.S. foreign aid policy. Global Citizen will continue to push the U.S. government to prioritize funding for programs that fight poverty, strengthen climate resilience, and improve access to education and healthcare globally.

This year’s Global Citizen Festival was the most sustainable yet. For the first time, the main stage in Central Park was powered entirely by a SmartGrid battery system, the same cutting-edge technology used on Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” tour, significantly reducing the festival’s carbon footprint. With this shift from diesel generators to clean battery power, Global Citizen Festival became one of the first major U.S. festivals to adopt a fully hybrid energy approach. This change was achieved through a collaboration with Coldplay, alongside partnerships with Showpower Global B.V. and CES Power, and with contributions from Equitable Earth. Furthermore, all food served was 100% vegetarian, and concession stands were plastic-free, utilizing compostable packaging and utensils. Volunteers engaged attendees in a quiz on the climate crisis and all excess food at the festival’s conclusion was donated to local organizations to minimize waste.

Global Citizen has offset the carbon footprint of its festival through carbon credits since 2018 in collaboration with Ecofiniti sustainability consultants, focusing on projects benefiting the Amazon rainforest. In 2023, Global Citizen partnered with Everland and retired 2,615 carbon credits benefiting the Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which aims to protect 300,000 hectares of the Congo Basin by working with 50,000 people to combat deforestation and biodiversity loss in the world’s second-largest intact rainforest. 

In the lead-up to the Festival, Global Citizen organized a beach cleanup on September 21, International Coastal Cleanup Day, in collaboration with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, with support from Goodera. Timed to coincide with the start of Climate Week, this initiative provided supporters with a hands-on opportunity to help protect the planet via New York City’s coastline. The cleanup was facilitated by the American Littoral Society’s NY State Beach Cleanup Program, the Black Surfing Association, and Surfrider NYC. These efforts reflect a commitment to ensuring that the transition to a sustainable future is inclusive, reaching everyone from our local communities to anywhere beyond.

The Global Citizen Festival united global artists, world leaders, activists, and grassroots organizations, marking the organization’s 12th anniversary of impactful efforts to end extreme poverty on the Great Lawn in Central Park.

Last year in 2023, Global Citizens took over 3.3 million actions to secure commitments at the festival, resulting in $240 million in funding for the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and 1 million protected hectares of land in the Brazilian Amazon. Over the past decade, Global Citizens have completed more than 34.1 million actions, positively impacting over 1.29 billion lives around the globe.

World leaders, philanthropists, corporations, and organizations demonstrated their support for Global Citizen's mission to end extreme poverty now by announcing the following new financial and policy commitments.

The Global Citizen Festival is more than just a celebration; it serves as a powerful platform for individuals to unite, raise their voices, and demand meaningful change from those in power. This event is a vital, strategic part of the organization’s mission to eradicate extreme poverty globally, empowering millions anywhere to participate in collective action that drives impact and inspires them to sustain their efforts day after day. By taking action with Global Citizen, individuals have the chance to voice their views, hold world leaders accountable, and advocate for meaningful change.

Global Citizen’s campaign to defeat poverty, demand equity, and defend the planet continues long after the festival shuts down. The collective voice and power driving our campaigns to empower girls and women, uplift smallholder farmers, strengthen public health systems, expand access to education, and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels come from Global Citizens everywhere uniting in pursuit of a world free from poverty for all. Your support can continue to make a difference; even after the festival lights shut off, our campaign is ongoing, and we need your help to build a brighter future for everyone, everywhere.

Global Citizen is the world's largest movement of action-takers and impact-makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty. We post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call upon those who can effect change — government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and civil society — to come together to improve lives.

By downloading our app, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards, which can be redeemed for tickets to concerts, events, and experiences all over the world. For more information, visit www.globalcitizen.org and follow @GlblCtzn and @GlblCtznImpact.