(New York) Pop music stars Post Malone and Doja Cat will headline this year’s Global Citizen Festival in New York on September 28, as organizers focus on mobilizing young people to help solve the world’s pressing problems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has erased years of progress around the world in ending extreme poverty and these setbacks have been compounded by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and complicated by climate change, said Hugh Evans, President and Managing Director of Global Citizen.
It estimates that around 10% of the world’s population lives in extreme poverty today and that the United Nations expects 575 million people to be at that level in 2030, despite long-term plans to ‘eradicate.
Global Citizen has a long history of partnering with prominent artists—from Beyoncé and Jay-Z to Queen, Stevie Wonder to Ed Sheeran—to draw attention to these issues and to put public pressure on political leaders, business people and philanthropic organizations to support its initiatives.
The nonprofit organization says its events over the past decade have generated more than US$14 billion to end extreme poverty.
Evans said this year’s headliners have an important connection to young people, who play a vital role in changing the way leaders respond to today’s needs.
“There’s a reason why brand managers spend so much time speaking to this 16- to 30-year-old demographic, the key trendsetters of the next 40 years,” Evans said.
“Young people have the power to create huge change when they come together. »
Post Malone embodies this feeling in his current music. His current single Pour Me a Drink is a duet with Blake Shelton. And so far this year, he’s also teamed up with Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Morgan Wallen.
Doja Cat, who is currently touring Europe to promote her hit album Scarlet, is also known for her collaborations.
“We can all play a role in helping end extreme poverty and championing equity,” Doja Cat said in a statement.
“I can’t wait to be part of this great evening of positive change. »
Tickets for the festival, which will also include performances by country star Jelly Roll and Puerto Rican singer and rapper Rauw Alejandro, are free. But they require committing to action on the festival website to “overcome poverty, defend the planet or demand fairness” – which usually involves writing to world leaders or posting on social media.