By Pooja Jaisinghani
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

“Change only takes place when and where there is action,” said Jay-Z. “I’m joining the 2014 Global Citizens’ Festival because I believe through actions, whether it be by raising awareness, getting involved or educating ourselves, the goal to end extreme poverty by 2030 is possible.”

This Saturday marked the third annual Global Citizens’ Festival. Sixty-thousand people went to Central Park not just for the music, but also for a cause: to end extreme global poverty.

Tickets may have been free to attend this festival, but ticket holders had to work hard in order to get them. They were won by gaining points through taking action – signing petitions, emailing world leaders or sharing content through social media platforms in order to campaign for a positive change.

Points from these actions would add up and individuals would be entered in the drawing. Individuals only needed a computer to take action, but the impact was much greater than a click. In a society that thrives upon technology, the media made it possible to reach out to the global masses and create a day dedicated to education for the misinformed and awareness for all.

Whether people heard about the festival from the news, from Twitter’s trending hashtags, celebrity gossip or pictures from Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, the day generated a global media frenzy capturing the interest of the young and old, wise and misinformed, devotees and wanderers.

Amazing artists including Tiesto, The Roots, FUN., Carrie Underwood, No Doubt and Jay- Z, performed for a cause. They all performed fan favorites and got Central Park moving.

The most inspiring moments happened while watching the crowd connect with the artists over such a meaningful cause.  You could hear the passion in their voices as the music was pounding, energy was rising and the crowd was singing and dancing in unison.

The most surprising moment was when Beyonce arrived on stage with Jay-Z. The audience went absolutely wild as we were treated to a couple of songs by the dynamic duo. They both performed “Holy Grail” and ended the entire festival with “Forever Young.” They had such a powerful presence on stage, that they moved the entire crowd with them. All 60,000 people who attended were moving with the beat of the music and lyrics as they all joined in to sing with Jay-Z and Beyonce.

It was a night to remember, and a defining moment that will be a part of our history in the journey to end poverty.