Celebrities, Philanthropists, Political Figures to Host 2013 Global Citizen Festival Headlined by Stevie Wonder, Kings of Leon, Alicia Keys, and John Mayer in Central Park on September 28

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Global Poverty Project, in proud partnership with the Cotton On Foundation, announced that the official host committee for the 2013 Global Citizen Festival will include lead host Soledad O'Brien, with: Rachel Brosnahan, Barbara Pierce Bush, Gerard Butler, Jake Clemons, Deborra-Lee Furness, Erin Heatherton, Katie Holmes, Karolina Kurkova, Bridget Moynahan, Freida Pinto, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Russell Simmons, Olivia Wilde, will.i.am, and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

The 2013 Global Citizen Festival is part of the worldwide movement to end extreme poverty. The free ticketed concert will take place on the Great Lawn of New York's iconic Central Park, with performances by Stevie Wonder, Kings of Leon, Alicia Keys, and John Mayer on September 28, 2013.

The Global Citizen Festival is once again timed to provide world leaders with a clear and compelling mandate to help end extreme poverty by 2030, as they gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

These musicians and hosts will dedicate their time to encourage fans and friends to become 'Global Citizens' and raise awareness and take actions to end extreme poverty. This year, The Global Poverty Project's four main themes of focus are: education, women's equality, global health, and global partnerships. Through the Festival, The Global Poverty Project aims to achieve the specific policy objectives including ensuring every child can go to school, funding the training and deployment of hundreds of thousands of Community Health Workers in the global south, making equality for girls and women a global priority, and supporting public and private partnerships committed to ending extreme poverty by 2030.

Lead host, Soledad O'Brien stated, "I'm proud to be the lead host of the Global Citizen Festival because, addressing the issue of global poverty needs to be our priority. This is an issue that I care deeply about and report on often."

Free tickets to the Festival can be earned at www.globalfestival.com where fans can take online "action" to earn their admission. Fans simply register to become a Global Citizen, choose from a variety of actions to earn points, like watching videos, signing petitions, sending emails to world leaders, and use their earned points to qualify for free tickets to the Festival.

The 2013 Global Citizen Festival, in proud partnership with the Cotton On Foundation, is produced by DPS in partnership with AEG/Goldenvoice, and is generously supported by global technology partner HP, as well as Kidnected World, The Pratt Foundation, FedEx, Coca-Cola, Citibank, The Color Run, and The Riot House. The Festival is only possible because of critical funding from the Sumner M. Redstone Foundation. Media partners include Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, Forbes, ReverbNation and others.

People everywhere are invited to sign-up and take actions to be entered in the ticket lottery.  More information about the bands, artists, and event can be found here: www.globalfestival.com. In total, 54,000 free tickets to the Festival will be awarded to Global Citizens.

SOURCE The Global Poverty Project