Danai Gurira to host Global Citizen Festival in Accra

International advocacy organisation Global Citizen has announced more artists are set to participate in the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival.

The organisers announced that award-winning actor known for her iconic Black Panther role, playwright and activist Danai Gurira is expected to host Global Citizen Festival: Accra.

Also, South African DJ Uncle Waffles will join the lineup of performers at Global Citizen Festival: Accra.

Meanwhile, joining Miss Gurira as presenters is Ghanaian personalities Berla Mundi and Joselyn Dumas, Bristish actress Michaela Coel, South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha, and the wife of actor Idris Elba Sabrina Dhowre Elba.

Performing for the first time in Ghana at the festival is RnB legend Usher Raymond joined by singer/songwriter SZA, Grammy award-winning artiste H.E.R and Nigeria’s Tems.

Also joining the lineup is Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie, Reggae/Dancehall artiste Stoenwboy, English rapper Stormzy, and musician Gyakie.

The 2022 Global Festival is taking place on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners and in New York City’s Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco simultaneously.

Angélique Kidjo and Billy Porter will join the lineup of performers at Global Citizen Festival: NYC, with Amber Ruffin, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Chris Redd, Connie Britton, Jay Shetty, Katie Holmes, Misty Copeland, Rachel Brosnahan, Scott Evans, Tamron Hall, and Van Jones also joining as presenters.

They join previously announced performers, including Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MÅNESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, and Rosalía in New York City, Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, and TEMS in Accra.

Additionally, activists including recipients of the 2022 Global Citizen Prize will take the stage alongside other international changemakers to inspire urgent action from the festival audience.

Khanyisile Motsa and ‘Yemi Adamolekun will participate in Accra’s Black Star Square.

Anuscheh Amir-Khalili, Barbie Izquierdo, Brianna Fruean, Mitzy Cortés, Payzee Mahmod, and the 2022 Cisco Youth Leadership Award winner Nidhi Pant will address Central Park’s Great Lawn in line with Global Citizen’s commitment to elevate the voices and challenges faced by those on the front lines of activism around the world.

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast and streamed worldwide on TimesLive in Africa, YouTube, Twitter, Amazon Music, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, and Apple Music.

Tickets to the festivals can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to take action on the campaign’s issues. For each action taken, users earn points that can be redeemed for tickets to the festivals.

Meanwhile, reacting to the news, Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey said “as the first female Mayor of the City of Accra, after one hundred and twenty-four years of a male-dominated office, it is a pleasure to be hosting the Global Citizen Festival – a spectacular event that will bring together incredible artists, world leaders, and everyday citizens to help empower girls and women, defend the planet and create lasting, positive change.”

“The City of Accra is excited to join millions of global citizens around the world, and the President of Ghana, to add our voices to address these world issues and take action to alleviate poverty. We are committed to empowering women and girls through various initiatives and working endlessly to mitigate the impacts of climate change, which disproportionately affect women and have severe implications for the city’s essential services, infrastructure, housing, health and human livelihoods.”

“We are dedicated to this fight and to forging a climate-resilient path towards a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, achieving climate resilience and carbon neutrality by 2050. We believe this is our only pathway to create a more inclusive society, improving quality of life, creating green jobs, address inequalities, and safeguard and empower marginalized communities. Together, we can all make an impact. See you on September 24th.”

Also, artiste and singer/songwriter Angélique Kidjo stated that she was proud to join Global Citizen to send a message to leaders and governments to listen to the next generation.

“The future of the continent of Africa, and indeed the planet, depends on the empowerment of women and girls. The young women and girls of Africa are not silent – they deserve to be heard. It’s time for the world to take notice,” she said.

Katie Hill, SVP, Head of Music, Entertainment & Artist Relations, Global Citizen said “the impact the Global Citizen movement has had on the most pressing issues facing humanity over the last 10 years would not be possible without the ongoing support of the world’s biggest artists and entertainers.”

“Seeing artists including Usher, Metallica, Danai Gurira, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Billy Porter and Rachel Brosnahan returning to the Global Citizen stage and continuing to use their platforms and energy to drive impact for the mission to end extreme poverty is truly inspiring,” she added.

Again, actor Billy Porter noted that it has been an extraordinary privilege to work with Global Citizen over the past few years.

“I want to keep changing the world in as many ways as I can, and this year we’re taking it to the next level. It’s been. I’m so excited to be joining the incredible lineup performing in Central Park for the festival’s 10th anniversary,” he noted.

Global Citizen is calling on world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly, as well as major corporations and philanthropic foundations, to take to the Global Citizen Festival stages and announce new commitments to End Extreme Poverty NOW, including: investing $600 million into the future of women and girls; closing the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall; delivering $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis; and reallocating IMF Special Drawing Rights to provide urgent economic support, while explicitly acknowledging that sustainable change is only possible with the people and activists who advocate for change on the ground, who should never have to risk their lives because of doing so.