Tenth anniversary record-breaking two million actions

Global Citizen is proud to announce the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign has culminated in over $2.4 billion in commitments to end extreme poverty NOW. The six-week campaign concluded with a nine-hour festival across two stages, beginning in Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, and ending in New York City’s Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco. The 2022 campaign saw two million actions taken by global citizens as part of Global Citizen’s mission to End Extreme Poverty NOW, more than doubling the record previously set by the international advocacy organization.

The governments of Ghana and South Africa have announced the African Prosperity Fund, which is a joint initiative by the governments of Ghana and South Africa that aims to deploy $1 billion to fund projects for economic inclusion and financial participation across the continent. The fund will focus on projects in the African Continental Free Trade Area, including infrastructure development, financial access for the participation of women and youth, education, healthcare, technology, and sustainability, all for the benefit of Africa’s 1.3 billion people.

Meanwhile, at Global Citizen Festival in New York City, US members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle stood alongside world leaders, philanthropists and trailblazers from the private sector to make announcements worthy of the 10-year history of the Global Citizen Festival. Over a video message, President Macron announced France will reallocate 30 percent of its Special Drawing Rights to the world’s poorest countries, specifically in Africa, to fight extreme poverty, pandemics, inequalities and climate change.

The days leading into the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival saw major commitments from world leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and President von der Leyen of the European Commission, who respectively committed CAD $1.209 billion and €715 million at the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. During the Festival, Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen thanked global citizens for taking action.

At the outset of the campaign, Global Citizen called on world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations to End Extreme Poverty now and invest $600 million into the future of women and girls; close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall; deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis; reallocate IMF Special Drawing Rights to provide urgent relief from debts unjustly crushing economies, and defend advocacy. Though the campaign’s outcomes and commitments represent progress for the most urgent needs facing humanity and the planet, there is still much work to be done ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November.

“Amidst all the doomsday messages we hear today, hope lies in the fact that millions of citizens are rising up to take action, more than any other point in history,” states Global Citizen co-founder Hugh Evans. “Ten years ago, Global Citizen was just an idea – and 10 years from now we’ll see a generation of global citizens running for office, starting companies, and transforming communities. The media is pushing us to the extreme left or to the extreme right, but the solutions lie in the center. Ending extreme poverty is not a partisan issue, and those most in need can not be treated like political pawns. Our job is to not let our leaders forget that. If you are lucky enough to live in a democracy, use your voice!”

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival was broadcast and streamed worldwide on YouTube, Twitter, Amazon Music, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Apple Music, and the Apple TV app. Global Citizen Festival will also air on ABC, ABC News Live, iHeartRadio, Hulu, FX and Veeps in the United States, Albavision in Latin America, Canal+ in Africa, Bis in Brazil, Nine Network (9Now) in Australia, SABC in South Africa, TimesLive across Africa, TV3 in Ghana, and more.

Accra featured performances by Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Tems, and Uncle Waffles, and was hosted by award-winning actor, playwright and activist Danai Gurira. Presenters included Berla Mundi, Joselyn Dumas, Michaela Coel, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Sabrina Dhowre Elba. NYC featured performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, Maneskin, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, and Rosalía and special guest performances by Angélique Kidjo and Billy Porter, and was hosted by actor, producer, author, and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Presenters included Amber Ruffin, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Chris Redd, Connie Britton, Folake Olowofoyeku, Jay Shetty, Katie Couric, Katie Holmes, Misty Copeland, Rachel Brosnahan, Scott Evans, Sofia Carson, Tamron Hall, and Van Jones.

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival and the End Extreme Poverty Now campaign are supported by a coalition of the world’s leading brands and companies including: Global Partners, Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon, and YouTube. World Wide Technology, Campaign Partner for Global Citizen Festival: NYC, Live Nation, and Tshepo Mahloele, Founder & Executive, of Harith General Partners, is Patron of Global Citizen’s work in Africa.