Global Citizen Festival 2022: Priyanka Chopra, Metallica and Nancy Pelosi come together

Artists and activists call upon world leaders to fight poverty and climate crisis

Priyanka Chopra Jonas (L) and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (R) share a moment off broadcast before speaking to the audience during the Global Citizen Festival in New York, New York, USA, 24 September 2022. EPA / SARAH YENESEL

Charlie Puth performs at the Global Citizen Concert at Central Park in New York City. Reuters

Women speak about women's rights at the Global Citizen Concert. Reuters

Lars Ulrich, left, and James Hetfield from the US band Metallica perform during the Global Citizen Festival. EPA

US singer-songwriter Mariah Carey performs during the Global Citizen Festival. AFP

US singer Billy Porter performs during the Global Citizen Festival. EPA

Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalia performs during the Global Citizen Festival. EPA

Little Amal, the giant puppet of a Syrian refugee girl aged 10, towers over the crowd during the Global Citizen Festival at Central Park in New York. AFP

Singers Logan Henderson, left, and Kendall Schmidt of Big Time Rush perform during the Global Citizen Festival. AFP

Beninese singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo performs during the Global Citizen Festival. AFP

Katie Holmes, left, with Priyanka Chopra at the Global Citizen Concert. Reuters

Jonas Brothers perform during the Global Citizen Festival. AFP

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, speaks during the Global Citizen Festival. AFP

From left, Damiano David, Victoria De Angelis and Thomas Raggi of the Italian rock band Maneskin perform during Global Citizen Festival. AFP

Samoan activist Brianna Fruean and Bill Nye the Science Guy speak at the Global Citizen Festival. AP

Usher performs onstage during Global Citizen Festival 2022: Accra, in Accra, Ghana. Getty

The 10th Global Citizen Festival show has come to a close, as international artists, activists and global leaders worked together to bring awareness to many issues affecting the planet.

The international concert series was attended by tens of thousands of people in the US and Ghana. It was hosted by Priyanka Chopra, who, along with a number of presenters and musical guests, called upon world leaders and major corporations to take immediate action on issues such as the climate crisis, global poverty, women’s rights and youth empowerment.

“In the last decade, Global Citizens have taken more than 2.4 million actions for the planet leading to the mobilisation of millions of dollars,” Chopra said, addressing the audience on stage, alongside actress and fellow presenter Katie Holmes.

“Not just in commitments but also policy measures to save the planet and its people, but we need to keep that pressure up.”

The 10-hour show combined the power of immediate activism and music. Performances from major global artists took place on stage in two locations — New York’s Central Park and Ghana’s capital Accra.

Performing live were artists such as the Jonas Brothers, SZA, Usher, Mariah Carey, Charlie Puth, Spanish singer and songwriter Rosalia, British grime rapper Stormzy and legendary musician and activist Angelique Kidjo, who performed her classic ode to her home continent, Afrika.

Heavy metal band Metallica closed the night by performing eight songs including a version of Nothing Else Matters featuring singer Mickey Guyton, who has been outspoken about her experiences as a black woman in the country music industry.

Tickets for the festival were not available for sale. Instead, concert-goers were awarded tickets by taking action to eradicate extreme poverty, such as signing petitions and contacting elected representatives to encourage foreign aid.

Chopra was joined on stage by a number of activists and presenters including Bill Nye the Science Guy; US ballet dancer, author and philanthropist Misty Copeland; Nigerian actress and musician Folake Olowofoyeku; and Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

There was also an online appearance from the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and a surprise video drop-in by US President Joe Biden.

Giant puppet Little Amal, who travels the globe spreading awareness about displaced refugee children, also made an appearance.

The end of the festival marked a major milestone for the global initiative, as the 2022 Global Citizen Festival Campaign has culminated in $2.4 billion to end extreme poverty, with $440 million reserved exclusively to initiatives to end poverty in Africa.

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