Around 80.000 people attended the Global Citizen Festival celebrated this year in India. It began with performances by Amitabh Bachchan, Jay-Z, Demi Lovato, and Shankar-Ehsaan. However, the big act of the night was in the hands of the British band Coldplay.
The charity event counted with the words of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who addressed the concert crowd via video-conference.He quoted lines from now Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan’s iconic “The times, they are changing” song, an anthem of change that was cited in reference to the political situation in the country. He also took the time to send a message to India’s youth and reminisce about his visit to the Global Citizen Festival in 2014, which was celebrated in Central Park at New York City.
Coldplay take the stage at the Global Citizen Festival
The Global Poverty Project organizes the festival. Fans can get free tickets to go to the festival by giving online contributions to the charity, including signing petitions and watching videos.
It could be described as a movement to end extreme poverty by 2030, which is at the same time closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the United Nations last year, to be achieved by 2030 with the active participation of society, especially the global youth.
Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, is the current creative director of the event, and he is planning to continue executing this role for the next 15 years. Therefore, it is not so shocking to see that Coldplay was at the event this year. Coldplay said as they took the stage, “we could be heroes. Just for one day.”
They were not the only superstars present at the event. The crowd also enjoyed performances by American rapper Jay-Z, Demi Lovato, the Vamps, Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, among others. All of these artists performed at MMRDA Grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. As well, Actress Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor gave start to the festival in India.
‘The times, they are changing’
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a message to the crowd assisting to the Global Citizen Festival. He excused himself for not being present at the event but said it was impossible given time constraints. He said he was going to be brief since he knew he was standing between the crowd and Coldplay’s performance and recognized the power artists have to inspire generations.
He promoted the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), a cleanliness project launched by himself that covers 4,041 statutory cities and towns in the country to clean the streets and roads. It counts with the participation of three million government employees and Indian students.
“My dear young friends, I’m convinced we can and we will build a Swachh Bharat free of all forms of filth within one generation. You bring an energy and idealism that is unparalleled, you can be the change you want,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It counts with the participation of three million government employees and Indian students.
The prime minister addressed the young crowd saying he always looked forward to being among young people since it refreshed him and gave him more energy.He took the change at the musical festival to quote a line from the Nobel winner and famous singer Bob Dylan’s song. He said that the times are changing and that we can’t criticize what we don’t understand.
He said that the times are changing and that we can’t criticize what we don’t understand, and quoted a line from a Bob Dylan’s song.
This line, as was expressed by Modi, has as much meaning today as it had in 1960 when Dylan sang it for the first time. “We better get out of the way as indeed the times they are a changing,” added the Prime Minister.
This year’s festival in India focused on promoting education, equality, clean water, and sanitation. Corporate leaders from India are raising $3.4 billion to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, which can positively improve the lives of 500 million people across the country. These announcements were made at the end of the festival.
Global Citizens India said that the key focus is to put an end to extreme poverty in the country. They have 25 commitments valued in $3.37 billion. $2 million came from the International Finance Corporation Banking on Women Group for gender equality, which plans to finance women entrepreneurship. $100 million came from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who attended the event.
Source: Daily News and Analysis India