Entertainment

Tyla and Liza Koshy help remind the Global Citizen Festival audience of their collective power

September 29, 2025 12:52 pm

[Source: AP]

Global Citizen surpassed its fundraising goals for Amazon rainforest protection, African energy access and community education at the antipoverty nonprofit’s annual music festival in New York’s Central Park, headlined by Shakira and late addition Cardi B.

Internationally recognized actors and foreign diplomats appealed to the crowd of more than 60,000 in between high-energy sets by artists from around the globe.

Scheduled at the end of the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level meetings, the festival hammered home the message that everyday attendees, too, could influence the world leaders who gathered this week.

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“This may seem quite ambitious on the surface. But I know for a fact that when we unite, we make noise that leads to real change. When you take action, governments and corporations listen, policies change, financial investments are made and progress happens,” host Hugh Jackman said at the top of the show.

Efforts to tap into the African continent’s high potential for renewable power got a boost. Global Citizen shared that they’d secured enough commitments to provide clean energy for 4.6 million homes on the continent.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would provide more than $638 million to develop climate-friendly energy production. Energea, a renewable energy investment platform, pledged $250 million towards projects over next five years.

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