Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Lopez and Burna Boy are among a host of stars joining in a day of concerts across multiple cities on September 25 to raise awareness about climate change, poverty and the need for more equitable vaccine distribution.
Paris, New York and Lagos are the first cities to be announced for Global Citizen Live, which will run for 24 hours and be screened around the world on TV and social media.
Ed Sheeran headlines the French gig, with Doja Cat, HER and Black Eyed Peas supporting.
.@EdSheeran, @DojaCat, @BEP, @HERMusicx, and loads more performing underneath the Eiffel Tower? Yes please!!! ✨ 🇫🇷 #GlobalCitizenLive https://t.co/9lbRzh4xvK
— Global Citizen UK (@GlblCtznUK) August 10, 2021
Femi Kuti and Davido top the bill in Nigeria while Eilish, Coldplay, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Mendes and Burna Boy are among the stars performing in New York's Central Park.
More locations and artists are due to be announced in the coming weeks.
"Across six continents, artists will help rally citizens in demanding that governments, major corporations, and philanthropists work together to defend the planet and defeat poverty," NGO Global Citizen said in a statement.
It said it was focusing "on the most urgent, interrelated threats hitting those in poverty the hardest -- climate change, vaccine equity, and famine".
Can wait! @GlblCtzn See you soon NYC!!! #GlobalCitizenLive pic.twitter.com/xXy3FgUc2p
— jlo (@JLo) August 9, 2021
A host of other artists -- including BTS, Lorde, Metallica and The Weeknd -- are also lending their weight, either through live or filmed performances.
Fighting the two-track pandemic
The event is designed to coincide with the UN General Assembly in September, and push for action at the G20 in August and COP26 climate meeting in November.
Global Citizen said it urgently wants one billion trees planted, one billion vaccines delivered to the poorest countries and meals for the 41 million on the brink of famine.
There are so many more artists around the world performing for #GlobalCitizenLive, lending their voices in support of our mission: to defend the planet and defeat poverty. The show is Sept. 25, but you can start taking action today: https://t.co/JSA6tTN7UL pic.twitter.com/614vrIJT7S
— Global Citizen (@GlblCtzn) August 10, 2021
WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus lent his support to the campaign, saying in a statement: "We now face a two-track pandemic of haves and have-nots. Over 75 percent of the more than 4 billion doses administered to date have occurred in just 10 countries.
"We cannot disregard this gross inequity or become complacent."
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WHO says 90% of Covid vaccinations administered in rich countries
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"Code red for humanity" as climate change happening faster than predicted: UN Report
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Number of people living in famine conditions increased sixfold in 2020
(with AFP)
