• Global Citizen Festival aimed to inspire action against poverty and climate change.
• Six-hour festival attracted large crowds to Central Park in New York City. Sister event in Ghana featured acts like grime legend Stormzy and R&B legend Usher.
• President Joe Biden also made a surprise video appearance.

New York: The Global Citizen Festival, which aimed to inspire action against poverty and climate change, featured a lineup of A-list performers on Saturday, including Metallica and Mariah Carey. President Joe Biden also made a surprise video appearance.

The six-hour festival, which was in its tenth year, attracted large crowds to Central Park in New York City and also featured a sister event in Ghana’s capital Accra with acts like British grime legend Stormzy and American R&B legend Usher.

Global Citizen, which coincides with the annual UN General Assembly in an effort to put pressure on world leaders, gives tickets to supporters in exchange for their promise to take action to alleviate extreme poverty, such as contacting elected authorities to boost foreign aid.

“We´re inspired and grateful for all the work you´ve done and want you to know — your fight is our fight,” First Lady Jill Biden said in a video appearance next to her husband.

President Biden emphasised a new climate package that is the most comprehensive piece of legislation ever in the United States to promote sustainable energy, along with leading Senate and House Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, who both made an appearance.

However, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley emphasised that for islands like hers, climate change mitigation efforts must move rapidly.

“Yes, my friends, our time is running out,” she said.

Eight songs by the legendary thrash metal band Metallica, including a cover of “Nothing Else Matters” with vocalist Mickey Guyton—one of the most popular Black women in country music—got the crowd headbanging.

Leading ballerina Misty Copeland welcomed Mariah Carey, calling the performer with her renowned vocal range an inspiration, and there was a choreographed dance performed to her hit song “Hero.”

Other performances were the Jonas Brothers, Maneskin, Rosalia, and the new wave of Italian glam rockers Maneskin. Nick Jonas’ wife, Indian film star Priyanka Chopra, served as the event’s master of ceremonies. (AFP)

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