Rio de Janeiro, June 6, 2026 // Botafogo Bay came alive this evening as Global Citizen, the world’s largest movement to end extreme poverty, returned to Brazil with Global Citizen Live: Rio de Janeiro. Hosted by Giovanna Ewbank and Bruno Gagliasso, the spectacular night closed out the inaugural Rio Nature & Climate Week by combining music, advocacy, and global leadership to spotlight urgent issues facing our world. The sold out crowd saw unforgettable performances from superstars Ludmilla, Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, joined by YG Marley and Zion Marley. The iconic Rio landmark Christ the Redeemer was also lit up red to celebrate the impact tens of thousands of global citizens have made together to drive forward Global Citizen’s mission.
Over the past month, global citizens across Brazil and beyond have taken action to earn free tickets to the show, helping advance efforts that have already supported approximately 1,250 jobs in sustainable industries across the Amazon region and Latin America, while expanding access to education and opportunity for young people in underserved communities in Brazil and around the world through the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Additionally, many attendees volunteered their time to earn their free tickets, participating in beach clean ups, tree planting and raising awareness about climate change. These efforts mark the next phase of Global Citizen’s work in Brazil since Global Citizen Festival: Amazônia held in Belém last November, where more than $1 billion was mobilized to protect the Amazon rainforest. Shifting from mobilization to implementation and investment, Global Citizen is now focused on connecting climate action with jobs, livelihoods, long-term economic opportunity, and the investments required to scale community-led climate and nature solutions.
Brazilian superstar Ludmilla kicked off the evening with a hometown performance featuring dozens of her amazing dancers, for the thousands of fans that gathered along Botafogo Bay performing, ‘Rainha da Favela’, ‘Dopamina’, ‘Onda Diferente’, ‘Paraíso’, ‘Bota’, and other hits.
Headliners Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean delivered an electric performance celebrating the 30th anniversary of seminal album ‘The Score’, joined by YG Marley and Zion Marley The set featured Fugees classics including ‘Ready or Not’, ‘Killing Me Softly’ and ‘Fu-Gee-La’, along with Ms. Lauryn Hill favorites ‘Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You’ and ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’. Together with her sons YG Marley and Zion Marley, Ms. Hill performed the Bob Marley & The Wailers classic ‘Turn Your Lights Down Low’. Wyclef Jean performed fan favorites including ‘911’, ‘Guantanamera’, and ‘Hips Don’t Lie’, and Zion Marley and YG Marley brought a new generation of reggae talent to the stage with songs including ‘Best of Me’ and ‘Praise Jah In The Moonlight’.
The night also marked a major milestone for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which surpassed USD $50 million raised toward its USD$100 million goal to expand access to quality education and sport for children around the world.
Global Citizen’s Co-Founder & CEO Hugh Evans addressed viewers across Brazil watching live on YouTube: “We have a challenge for you! Take out your phone, download the Global Citizen app, become a global citizen, and be on this journey with us over the long-term. Global Citizen is committed to Brazil, committed to Rio, this is a long-term journey for us.”
During the show, the Adam Foundation announced a transformative commitment of $750,000 to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, helping expand educational opportunity and unlock brighter futures for young people around the world. “The Adam Foundation understands that education is one of the most powerful ways to create opportunity and transform lives. We are incredibly grateful for their leadership and commitment to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which will help ensure that more children and young people, from the UK to Brazil and beyond, have access to the education, skills, and school meals they need to build brighter futures. We look forward to working alongside the Adam Foundation to create lasting impact and empower young people around the world to reach their full potential,” said Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Relations Officer, Global Citizen.
Through an in-kind donation of verified carbon credits from Future Climate and Solví, Global Citizen Live Rio’s carbon footprint will be offset by supporting projects that capture landfill gas, reduce methane emissions, generate renewable energy, conserve forest in the Amazon, and advance circular economy solutions across Brazil.
Global Citizen Live: Rio de Janeiro was presented in partnership with the City of Rio, with organizing partners Rio Nature & Climate Week and Re:wild, supporting partners Amazonia+21, Open Society Foundations (OSF), with thanks to Heineken.
Earlier in the week, Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro brought together leaders from government, business, philanthropy, and civil society to explore how Brazil and the Global South are advancing solutions to some of the world's most urgent challenges. Discussions focused on how protecting nature can drive economic opportunity, examining how climate finance, multilateral cooperation, investment, and innovation can help deliver sustainable growth while safeguarding the ecosystems on which communities depend. The event also helped build momentum behind climate finance and investment initiatives for sustainable agriculture across the Amazon and Latin America. Through the campaign, approximately 1,250 jobs have already been supported, representing early progress toward a broader goal of creating up to 10,000 jobs across the region, alongside growing support for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
In a fireside conversation with Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, former President of the European Commission, discussions focused on the importance of multilateral cooperation, democratic values, and global solidarity in addressing today's interconnected challenges, from climate change to economic opportunity.
In a video address from H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia, announced a $1 million commitment from the Government of Zambia to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Underscoring the importance of expanding access to education for children and young people around the world, Hakainde Hichilema called on governments, businesses, philanthropies and citizens everywhere to join Zambia in supporting the Education fund: “If we give young people the tools to succeed, they will do more than transform their own lives. They will help solve the challenges, strengthen our societies and indeed build a more peaceful and prosperous world. Together we can open doors that no child should ever find closed,” said President Hichilema.
Looking ahead, Global Citizen will build on the momentum generated in Rio de Janeiro as part of its 2026 campaign to expand opportunity for communities most affected by poverty and climate change. Building on early progress toward its goal of supporting up to 10,000 sustainable jobs across the Amazon region and Latin America, Global Citizen will continue working with governments, businesses, philanthropies, multilateral institutions, and citizens to unlock new investments and commitments that create economic opportunity, expand access to education, provide school meals, accelerate the clean energy transition, and improve health and nutrition outcomes around the world.
Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro was presented in partnership with the City of Rio, with organizing partners Rio Nature & Climate Week and Re:wild. Major partners are Amazonia+21 and MetLife; supporting partners are Open Society Foundations (OSF), and Pele Energy Group; with thanks to Heineken.
Global Citizen is the world’s leading movement to end extreme poverty and defend the planet, using culture, advocacy, and public participation to drive meaningful change. Since its founding, the movement has helped mobilize more than USD $50 billion in commitments implemented globally, impacting more than 1.3 billion lives.
For more information, visit globalcitizen.org and follow @glblctznbrasil on Instagram.