The 10th-anniversary edition of the Global Citizen Festival has been launched in Ghana to call on world leaders to make a commitment towards poverty alleviation.
According to the organizers, Global Citizen, the main event in Ghana will be held at the Black Star Square in Accra on September 24 with live performances from international music superstars Usher, SZA, Stormzy, H.E.R. and TEMS alongside Ghanaian stars, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and Gyakie.
Speaking to Citi TV during the launch of the event at Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel, the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey, expressed optimism about the economic impact of the event on the local economy, adding that the festival will attract tourists and lead to an increase in inbound travels.
According to him, the event will put a spotlight on Ghana’s creative arts industry and boost collaboration between Ghanaians and artists from other parts of the world.
Global Citizen Festival Accra launched #GhanaWeekend pic.twitter.com/e9FirpBeuE
— Ghana Weekend (@GhanaWeekend) August 12, 2022
Since its inception in 2012, the Global Citizen Festival has become the world’s longest-running global campaign, calling for an end to extreme poverty, gender inequality and environmental degradation.
According to the founder of Global Citizen, Hugh Evans, SDRs (a type of reserve asset mostly sitting unused by the world’s wealthiest countries) can immediately provide new and affordable financing relief for countries at high risk of financial and debt distress.
Global Citizen is calling for world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations to take to the Global Citizen Festival stages and announce new commitments to End Extreme Poverty NOW, by deploying funds to meet the total goal of reallocating $100 billion in IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), by making up the $40B shortfall.
The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will call on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November to step up 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, and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to End Extreme Poverty NOW.
