Usher to Headline the Global Citizen Concert on September 17 to Support Global Fund Replenishment
16 August 2016
MONTREAL – Today, international advocacy organization Global Citizen in support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced that Usher, Half Moon Run, Metric, Grimes, and Charlotte Cardin will headline a free-ticketed concert on Saturday, September 17, at the Bell Centre in Montreal. With Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Bill Gates, Co-Founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, attending as special guests, the event will celebrate progress in global health and development.
Starting today, fans and activists can start earning their tickets by joining the Global Citizen movement at www.globalcitizen.org/canada, where they can take action in support of the Global Fund, a partnership of governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria united to end these epidemics by 2030.
The Global Citizen Concert to End AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will be a celebration of the power of the world to come together for global health, driven by Canada’s leadership. The event takes place after a pledging conference where governments and private sector partners commit to funding the Global Fund’s lifesaving work for the next three years, and will celebrate announcements from world leaders working together with the shared goal of ending three of the world’s deadliest diseases. These funds, which will save an additional 8 million lives and avert 300 million infections, are critical in the fight to end HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria as epidemics.
“After two years away from Canada, I’m looking forward to getting back in September to support this very important event. Justin Trudeau and Canada’s leadership in education and global health is something for the rest of the world to pay attention to,” said Usher.
“Global Citizen is looking forward to working with Prime Minister Trudeau and the administration to eradicate HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Canada’s leadership in support of the Global Fund will have a lasting effect for the world’s poor for many generations, and we encourage leaders from across the globe to follow the Canadian example,” said Hugh Evans, CEO, Global Citizen.
“This concert is a rallying call – especially to young people around the world – to take action against HIV, TB and malaria,” said Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “We’ve made tremendous progress and now this can be the generation to put an end to these epidemics for good.”
“Bell Media is proud to support Global Citizen through our participation in this important concert,” said Randy Lennox, President, Broadcasting and Content, Bell Media. “It is our hope that through the Bell Fibe TV1 broadcast and iHeartRadio livestream that we will be able to engage and inform Canadians about the Global Fund and its mission to wipe out AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.”
Cohost Maripier Morin said, “The idea of living in a world where HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are eradicated would be a dream come true, educating everyone is key to the success of this movement. I am more than thrilled to cohost this event for Global Citizen in Canada, let’s all join in and make this happen!”
“From the moment I met the Global Citizen team, I immediately knew that I would like to get involved in this movement and add my efforts in their events in order to create a better world for everyone. I am proud to be Canadian, but I also know that every action taken in my yard can have an effect on my neighbor. That is why I define myself as a citizen of the world. I am honored to take part and contribute to the recruitment of new advocates for this cause with the September 17th concert,” cohost Patrick Langlois said.
Ten thousand free tickets to the concert will be given out to Global Citizens (activists who have registered with Global Citizen), and people everywhere are invited to sign up, take actions, and enter the draw for free tickets.
The event will be hosted by Patrick Langlois, Kweku Mandela, Maripier Morin and George Stroumboulopoulos. In association with official media partner Bell Media, the concert will be broadcast live to Bell Fibe TV subscribers on TV1, channel 1158, on Saturday, September 17, beginning at 19:00 EDT. Additionally, in advance of the launch of iHeartRadio Canada in the coming weeks, the event will be the first-ever livestream at iHeartRadio.ca. The concert will be streamed on additional Bell Media Radio websites, also beginning at 19:00 EDT.
The concert is supported by major partner Johnson & Johnson, and associate partners The Coca-Cola Company, Ecobank Foundation, Nando’s and the United Nations Foundation. The event is being produced in partnership with Live Nation and evenko, and official media partner Bell Media.