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Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, center, speaks at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Concert to end poverty: Beyonce, Michelle Obama, Malala take the stage

Along with artistes like Beyonce, Cold Play, Ed Sheeran Bollywood's Sunidhi Chauhan also crooned for New Yorkers.
Updated 27 Sep, 2015

NEW YORK: Some of the biggest names in music and politics from Beyonce to European prime ministers rallied Saturday in a concert aimed at mobilizing action to eradicate extreme poverty. Nobel laureate and social activist Malala Yusufzai also attended the concert and stressed on the need to invest on education.

Before thousands of people in New York's Central Park and a far greater audience on television, the Global Citizen Festival sought to use entertainment to broaden support for new United Nations development goals.

Beyonce, playing just her second concert this year, was the top attraction for many fans who obtained tickets not by paying but by committing to activism ranging from writing letters to volunteering.

Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam (L) and Beyonce perform at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park on Saturday. — AP
Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam (L) and Beyonce perform at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park on Saturday. — AP

Other performers included rock veterans Pearl Jam and Coldplay, fresh English pop sensation Ed Sheeran, socially conscious rapper Common and — in an effort to raise the profile of the festival in India— popular Bollywood singer Sunidhi Chauhan.

Beyonce closed an energetic set by welcoming to the stage a surprise guest she hugged warmly — Michelle Obama.

The US first lady encouraged the audience to use social media to campaign on behalf of the estimated 62 million girls worldwide who are not in school.

US First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the fourth annual Global Citizen Festival in Central Park Manhattan. — AFP
US First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the fourth annual Global Citizen Festival in Central Park Manhattan. — AFP

“They deserve the same chances to get an education as my daughters and your daughters and all of our children,” she said.

“And make no mistake about it — giving them that chance is at the core of our work to end global poverty."

Stephen Colbert, left, and Hugh Jackman appear on stage at the Global Citizen Festival. — AP
Stephen Colbert, left, and Hugh Jackman appear on stage at the Global Citizen Festival. — AP

On Friday, the UN endorsed a goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 — in part by focusing on opportunities for girls, an investment with sweeping consequences for families' futures.

Musical twists

Like many festivals, the concert thrived on musical surprises.

Pearl Jam brought back to stage Beyonce for Bob Marley's inspirational “Redemption Song,” which segued to a video of late anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela urging a fight against poverty.

Beyonce put on a crowd-rousing show of dance pop with an emphasis on her feminist themes but performed an unlikely acoustic duet with Sheeran of “Drunk in Love,” which she usually sings with husband Jay Z.

Ed Sheeran performs on the stage. — REUTERS
Ed Sheeran performs on the stage. — REUTERS

Pop starlet Ariana Grande joined Coldplay, while Common's hard-charging hip-hop set merged into “Every Breath You Take” as a bearded Sting suddenly appeared.

Chris Martin of Coldplay sings at the Global Citizen Festival. — AP
Chris Martin of Coldplay sings at the Global Citizen Festival. — AP

Taking the microphone in between pop stars, the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai dramatized the plight of girls who want to go to school.

The 18-year-old Pakistani, who was shot in 2012 for defying a Taliban ban on education, said that the world did not lack money.

“We have billions and trillions of dollars but where the money goes is the military, things that are useless to society,” she said. “It is a book and a pen that can change the life of a child; it is not a gun."

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio urged the world also to reach a deal on climate change, warning that rising temperatures and disasters risked making poverty all the more daunting.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio speaks on stage during the Global Citizen Festival. — REUTERS
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio speaks on stage during the Global Citizen Festival. — REUTERS

“Right now, Europe is paralyzed trying to absorb the influx of millions of Syrian refugees,” the Titanic star said.

“But more than one billion people, most of them in Asia, currently live in low-lying coastal regions. What will happen when they become sea-level refugees? “

U2 lead singer Bono speaks at the Global Citizen Festival. — AP
U2 lead singer Bono speaks at the Global Citizen Festival. — AP

Comments

دل آرا Sep 27, 2015 03:41pm
Concert in the US to end poverty in Africa and Asia? LOL ..
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Rehan Sep 27, 2015 04:02pm
Was there at Central Park last night. Was incredible!
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sky Sep 27, 2015 04:26pm
poverty and concert ..........???????????
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Anonymous Sep 27, 2015 06:15pm
@دل آرا @SKY These concerts have high price tickets..People who attend buy the tickets and everything that's earned from those tickets and donations (that occur later own due to publicity) are given to organizations that are working to end poverty in the world.
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Sayed Sep 27, 2015 06:26pm
The concert to eradicate poverty is a serious beginning to a brighter future for the uneducated children. Let us join and give a hand in any possible way to make it a success for our children of the world. Every drop of water makes an ocean, why not a pen and paper for education.
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Sohaila Sep 27, 2015 07:00pm
@دل آرا This will eradicate poverty in US & UK for sure.
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Ajay vikram Singh Sep 27, 2015 08:13pm
Most of celebrities world wide, are now following Indian culture of wearing threads/bands on their wrist. LOL
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Muhammad Ramzan Sep 27, 2015 08:47pm
we appreciate the services of all working for the noble cause.
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Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali Sep 27, 2015 10:05pm
The best way to talk about education is to stop the wars and occupation of others land which has disrupted & destroyed the education system of the poorest of poor, i.e Africa & middle East. The concert is no less the a circus and means not much. Yes politicians get publicity. What Mrs. Obama has done in the United States for education. Lip service does not go far enough. Malala Yousufzai is one of the victims who thinks that she can turn things around but she in reality is tool of western powers. World forum should find millions of Malala living deprived lives with no hope. In reality one does not have to find them, simply walk in their neighborhoods and you will find the in hundreds.
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Sohail Sep 27, 2015 10:15pm
The money earned from selling the tickets will help the poor in Asia and Africa and this concert must have generated millions. What better place would be other than US to raise money like this. Stop criticizing everyone blindly.
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Zulfiqar_Ahmed Sep 27, 2015 10:25pm
Yup, was there last night. Chatted a bit with Malala. Wonderful child. Also Leo is an incredible human being. Being so rich and famous he's not pompous one bit and cares about the planet and the poor around the world.
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PHILOSOPHER (from Japan) Sep 28, 2015 12:24am
...and the poverty has been doing concerts in most parts of Africa and Asia. Seriously, it seems a dance on poor.
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N Sep 28, 2015 12:37am
@Anonymous There were no tickets for sale. One just have to prove their commitment or some work they have done towards eradicatinf poverty or helping someone.
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N Sep 28, 2015 12:47am
America is a very vibrant country, where people participate in all sorts of activities that are global and support the poor. There is also a dark side of America but the discipline Americans display is paralleled no where. Sixty thousand people and dignitaries of all levels and no commotion, no stampede, no fights. There were no tickets that anyone could buy. People had to give some proof of their commitment towards the goals of Global Citizen to be able to receive tickets. It must have cost a lot to the organizers and performers to present this concert. By the way, none of the participants needed the concert as a publicity for them. They were all well established performers. We could either knock all good effort off or appreciate and emulate some of it. We have the choice.
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km Sep 28, 2015 02:50am
@Anonymous The Global Citizen Festival is a free-ticketed event on the Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City
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RahimYarKhan Sep 28, 2015 03:15am
Substantial amount of this money should be sent to Pakistan since Malala was part of the effort.
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Shehz Sep 28, 2015 03:40am
During the famine in Africa in 1985, they did a similar concert for three days straight, simultaneously in US and UK; Phil Collins flew on the Concorde to perform at both the venues on the same day - Live Aid / Aid for Africa. They raised a few million dollars, it was an amazing concert.
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Mahmood Akhter Sep 28, 2015 06:34am
Its the corruption and interference of the west causing the poverty therefore they should fight with west to stop interfering and stop supporting/corrupting the politicians in these countries and the poverty will eliminate itself!
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farhat numan Sep 28, 2015 07:12am
@Anonymous are u sure ?????????
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Kamran Sep 28, 2015 09:13am
@دل آرا people who never get out of their street have absolutely no idea how thing work in the world. All they know is LOL. There should be lol for them. Millions of dollars are raised through such events and given to charities... really. These artists, whether they are doing it for publicity or in real, attract millions of people. Can you do that......lol.
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Kamran Sep 28, 2015 09:15am
@sky never heard of it? Ok, go back to sleep.
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Farhat Sep 29, 2015 07:32pm
When arms &ammunition manufacturing MAFIA will realize the grave situation throughout in the world, maybe it will stop, a WISH seems will never come true,
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