Global Citizen Live NYC 2021: Sound of Joy, Great Entertainment, and Important Messages Filled the Air

By h. nazan ışık—

26 September 2021—

Saturday, 25 September was a beautiful day in New York City. It was sunny, warm and clear. Thousands of people gathered in Central Park to celebrate the “Global Citizen Live” evnt. The live concert was the 24-hour international music festival to raise awareness for humanitarian causes, an extensive call to reverse climate change and end poverty around the world with “Defend The Planet”, “Defeat Poverty” and “Move the World One Action at a Time” messages. And, call for Covid-19 vaccine equity to end the pandemic.

Global Citizen Live NYC in Central Park (© h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN)

Concerts were held simultaneously in cities on six different continents, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Lagos, Johannesburg, Sydney, Seoul, and Mumbai, and New York City,

In New York City, Billy Porter and Global Citizen Ambassador Rachel Brosnahan opened the event,

“Our night in Central Park here is part of a 24-hour global effort to remind the leaders who can make a difference that we need change for out planet and to end this poverty for ever,” said Rachel Brosnaha

Billy Porter invited singer, songwriter, activist Cyndi Lauper to the stage.

Singer, songwriter, activist Cyndi Lauper sang with Jon Batiste at “Global Citizen Live” concert in Central Park, New York (© h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN)

Lauper took over the stage and said that she dedicated her 1983 signature song, “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” to the women and girls of Afghanistan who deserve the ability to make their choices to have hope and joyous life.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio were among the politicians who took the stage separately.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (© h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN)

Gov. Kathy Hochul: “ Hello New York and citizens of all over the globe. This is the shortest speech you ever heard from a politician. So listen up my friends.

“First of all, we are going to defend our planet, and New York State will be … global leading.

“We’re also going to fight poverty.

“And lastly, we are going to defeat COVID ones and for all, because, you are all getting vaccinated. Right everyone!!!” she said.

Besides politicians, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Deputy Secretary-General of the United State Amina Mohammed and more were at Global Citizen Live NYC and talked about famine, hunger, poverty, education, and vaccination.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined the speakers with a joint speech calling for vaccine equity.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Global Citizen Live NYC in Central Park (© h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN)

Meghan Marklesaid: “We know that it feels like this pandemic has been going on forever. We get it. It is a lot. And some people are just over it. But if everyone’s over it, it’s never going to be over.

“Every single person on this planet has a fundamental right to get this vaccine. But that’s not happening.”

Prince Harry: “Global citizens, we ask you tonight, do you think we should start treating access to the vaccine as basic human right?”

Concertgoers answered “Yeah.”

Prince Harry: “I don’t think they heard you.”

People yelled lauder “YEAH!”

The New York City concert featured performances from, Cyndi Lauper, Jon Batiste, Coldplay, Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Alessia Cara, and more…And Paul Simon.

Some performances came to stage only one time, like Jennifer Lopez, Cyndi Lauper, Lizzo.

Lizzo (© h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN)

But, Jon Batiste, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish were on the stage more than ones.

Jon Batiste is on the stage performing in a different costume. (© h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN)

Camila Cabello first sang alone, and later invited Shawn Mendes.

Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes performed together at Global Citizen Live in New York (Photo: © h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN)

He didn’t have dancers behind him on the stage –like Jennifer Lopez did-, but he was the one connected with concertgoers the most by coming down from the stage to joining them.

Later Coldplay took over the stage. Chris Martin of Coldplay stayed on the stage for a long time.

He didn’t perform alone only, but also invited some singers to the stage to sing with him. Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes, Billy Eilish and Finneas, Lang Lang, and more were some of them.

It felt like an additional concert in the Global Citizen Live, NYC concert!

Estimated 60 thousands Concertgoers stayed late hours, enjoyed the concert, sang with singers, took pictures.

It was getting late, people slowly started leaving, assuming Coldplay was the last group to perform.

And Chris Martin announced: “ Please welcome the greatest of the greatest of the greatest…. of the greatest, the great Mr. Paul Simon!

People whooped for joy, as Mr. Paul Simon got ready to perform.

Global Citizen Live NYC was very energetic, very dynamic, very entertaining, and full of very important messages from very famous speakers who emphasized the importance of “ Defend the Planet”, “Defeat Poverty”, “Covid-19 vaccine equity to end the pandemic.” It was a very well organized event.