Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean will headline this year's Global Citizen Festival on Sept. 26 in New York's Central Park, using their platform to pressure world leaders into funding antipoverty programs at a moment when international development aid is shrinking worldwide. The annual concert coincides with the United Nations General Assembly's high-level meetings, strategically timed to catch global leaders while they're gathered in the city.
Joining the two Fugees members are Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Lainey Wilson, Shaboozey and K-pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER. But the real headliners aren't the musicians—they're the millions of children and farmers who'll benefit if organizers can extract commitments from reluctant governments.
What's at Stake
Global Citizen co-founder Hugh Evans is targeting specific funding goals: $100 million to provide 2 million children with education, nutritious food and healthcare; another $100 million to improve food security for 1.5 million smallholder farmers; and $1.5 billion to expand clean energy across the Indo-Pacific region. Countries facing asks include Spain, Norway, Ireland, Kenya, Japan, Denmark and Australia.
Evans singled out France, calling on President Macron to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, Gavi, Education Cannot Wait, or other education partners. "Macron will often talk a lot about their leadership on issues of education," Evans said. "But I think, when the rubber hits the road, are they actually stepping up?"
The United States won't be on the receiving end of any petitions. Evans said the U.S., once the world's single largest aid donor, now serves as "an example of a country that should be a leader on the global stage that is such an incredible laggard at this point." He said the current administration "butchered its entire foreign aid budget" and "dismantled the entire apparatus" of the U.S. Agency for International Development, making it pointless to target.
How the Festival Works
Festivalgoers don't buy tickets—they earn them by taking actions like petitioning governments to dip into their international development budgets. This year introduces a new pathway: fans can gain automatic entry by making a $25 charitable donation. Those funds will support New York's City Parks Foundation and organizations serving people experiencing homelessness.
The two Fugees are coming off performances marking the 30th anniversary of their landmark album, "The Score," including shows in London and Rio de Janeiro, where they closed out Global Citizen's weeklong climate programming. It's also the first festival since Global Citizen produced the World Cup's first halftime show, a collaboration that raised more than $60 million for the education fund launched with FIFA.
Expanding the Movement
Evans said he hopes artists like Wilson and Shaboozey, both country music acts, can bring new audiences to the movement. Wilson, who comes from a family of farmers, expressed interest in the festival's support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. "It's been quite some time I'd say since we had this level of a country presence in our lineup," Evans said. "So, I'm super excited about that. I'm hoping that the fans are, too."
Despite what he acknowledged as a "world of shrinking foreign aid," Evans said he remained optimistic the pendulum will shift. "I believe that the future belongs to political leaders who are willing to understand the nuance of how power works," he said. "Power doesn't have to be a negative thing. It can be a very positive thing if you're wielding it for good. As Spider-Man taught us: with great power comes great responsibility."
Why This Matters:
At a time when wealthy nations are retreating from their international development commitments—with the U.S. slashing its foreign aid apparatus entirely—concerts like Global Citizen Festival represent one of the few remaining pressure points on governments to honor their obligations to the world's poorest communities. The festival's model turns cultural capital into political leverage, using the draw of major artists to mobilize citizens who can demand accountability from their leaders. With 2 million children's access to education and healthcare hanging in the balance, along with food security for 1.5 million smallholder farmers, the question isn't whether celebrities can make a difference—it's whether democratic publics can force their governments to choose investment in global stability over austerity. The shrinking of foreign aid budgets doesn't just reflect fiscal policy; it represents a failure of wealthy democracies to recognize that poverty abroad creates instability everywhere.