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They’re currently On The Run II, but Beyoncé and Jay-Z aren’t taking months off once their tour comes to an end in October. The power couple have just been announced among the headliners of Global Citizen, an annual music festival that supports the namesake international advocacy organization in its bid to eradicate poverty. The duo will play at the festival in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 2, along with stars including Chris Martin, Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams, and Usher.
This year’s event has been created in collaboration with the House of Mandela, and will be entitled Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 to honor the political leader and philanthropist in his centenary year. Cassper Nyovest, D’banj, Eddie Vedder, Femi Kuti, Sho Madjozi, Tiwa Savage, and Wizkid round out the line-up, with a wealth of stars, world leaders, and activists also expected to attend. The festival will be co-hosted by Naomi Campbell, Sir Bob Geldof, Gayle King, Bonang Matheba, Tyler Perry, and Forest Whitaker, and will be held at the FNB stadium.
“The world is now connected to such a degree that it is no longer possible to put our head in the sand and pretend our brothers and sisters do not exist,” said Campbell at a press conference, according to Vogue UK. “We are all in this together. Let us approach these challenges with positivity, hope and excitement, without bowing down to those who would turn the clocks back 100 years.”
The festival will mark the culmination of the Global Citizen’s Mandela 100 campaign, which seeks to end extreme poverty by 2030, and Oprah Winfrey will deliver a special keynote address remembering Mandela and his legacy. “Nelson Mandela’s life story is a testament to the power of the human spirit and one man’s ability to change the world by standing up for what he believed in,” said Winfrey in a statement. “It is one of the great honors of my life to have spent so much time with him, and I look forward to celebrating his courageous life.” Tickets are free, but festival hopefuls must participate in Global Citizen actions to be in with a chance to attend. Music fans must sign up to globalcitizen.org and act as advocates for change by emailing world leaders, signing petitions, and the like to win tickets.
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