2025 Global Citizen Festival: A Concerted Effort to Advance Sustainable Development Goals

The 2025 Global Citizen Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 27, in New York City’s Central Park. The event aims to mobilize global citizens, artists, and leaders to support the overarching mission of ending extreme poverty, a primary objective outlined in Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1: No Poverty). By leveraging a global platform, the festival also reinforces the importance of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), uniting various stakeholders in a collective call to action for sustainable development.

Event Overview and Objectives

Primary Goal: Eradicating Extreme Poverty (SDG 1)

The festival’s core mission is to amplify advocacy and action toward the eradication of extreme poverty. The event serves as a platform to urge world leaders and the private sector to commit resources and policies that support this fundamental Sustainable Development Goal.

Fostering Global Partnerships (SDG 17)

In alignment with SDG 17, the festival convenes a diverse coalition of participants, including international artists, philanthropists, advocates, and over 60,000 global citizens. This collaboration is designed to strengthen global partnerships and foster a shared commitment to achieving the full spectrum of SDGs, including those related to hunger (SDG 2), health (SDG 3), and equality (SDG 5).

Event Details

• Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
• Time: Commencing at 2:00 PM ET
• Location: The Great Lawn, Central Park, New York City
• Opening Ceremony: Featuring Solstice Unites and Fogo Azul

Participants and Key Stakeholders

Headline Musical Acts

• The Weeknd
• Shakira

Featured Performers

• Tyla
• Ayra Starr
• Mariah the Scientist
• Camilo

Event Hosts and Presenters

• Host: Hugh Jackman
• Co-Hosts: Bill Nye, Adam Lambert, Danai Gurira, and Liza Koshy

Supporting Advocates

A collective of advocates will be present to lend their voices to the cause, including Kristen Bell, Tony Goldwyn, Laurie Hernandez, Vladimir Duthiers, Lydia Kekeli Amenyaglo, Fy Rajaonarivelo, Esther Kimani, Omowumi Ogunrotimi, Valeriia Rachynska, and Taily Terena.

Broadcast and Global Reach

Amplifying the Call to Action for the SDGs

To maximize global engagement and ensure the message reaches a worldwide audience, the festival will be broadcast across numerous digital platforms. This extensive reach is critical for raising awareness and mobilizing widespread public support for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Official Broadcasting Platforms

1. YouTube
2. Apple Music and the Apple TV app
3. Amazon Music En Vivo channel on Twitch
4. Amazon Live FAST channel on Prime Video and FireTV
5. Brut
6. DITU
7. iHeartRadio
8. Mediacorp
9. Veeps
10. ViX
11. VIZIO WatchFree+
12. The Global Citizen website and app

Special Regional Broadcast

The event will also be broadcast in PVR INOX Cinemas across India on Sunday, September 28, further extending its international reach.

Analysis of the Global Citizen Festival Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article explicitly states that the Global Citizen Festival is an event “Supporting the effort to end extreme poverty.” This directly aligns the entire initiative with the primary goal of SDG 1.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article describes a massive collaborative effort. It details a partnership between various stakeholders including artists (“The Weeknd and Shakira”), hosts (“Hugh Jackman”), media corporations (“YouTube, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, the Amazon Music…”), and civil society (“over combined 60,000 other advocates, philanthropists, and global citizens”). This multi-stakeholder approach to achieve a common goal is the core principle of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 1.1: Eradicate extreme poverty

  The article’s central theme, “to end extreme poverty,” is a direct reference to this target, which aims to eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere by 2030.

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective partnerships

  The festival itself is a manifestation of this target. It is a large-scale civil society partnership that leverages the influence of the private sector (celebrities, media companies) and public engagement to advocate for global development goals. The article highlights how participants are “leveraging their statures and philanthropic spirits to amplify the important call to action,” which is the essence of a strategic partnership.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Implied Indicator for Target 1.1

  While the article does not mention a quantitative indicator like the proportion of the population below the international poverty line (Indicator 1.1.1), it implies an indicator of public mobilization and advocacy. The gathering of “over combined 60,000 other advocates, philanthropists, and global citizens” and the “worldwide streaming viewership options” serve as measures of the scale of engagement and awareness being raised to achieve the goal of ending poverty.

• Implied Indicator for Target 17.17

  The article provides qualitative evidence that can be used as an indicator for the formation of effective partnerships. The extensive list of participants from different sectors—including musical acts, hosts, supporters, and a wide array of global media broadcasters (“YouTube, Apple Music…ViX, VIZIO WatchFree+”)—demonstrates the breadth and strength of the partnership created to support the cause.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: headlineplanet.com