Wonder, Mayer, Keys and Kings headline Global Fest

[July 11, 2013]  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, John Mayer and Kings of Leon have volunteered their time to attend the second Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park, and organizers hope you will, too.

Tickets are again free for the Sept. 28 event, but must be earned through acts meant to help end extreme poverty around the world.

The festival is designed to coincide with the UN General Assembly meeting and put pressure on world leaders to address the needs of the world's poor. Fans can earn points toward tickets through simple tasks like sending letters to political leaders or reposting information through social media.

Hugh Evans, the 30-year-old chief executive officer of the Global Poverty Project, says the festival's nonprofit partners pledged $1.3 billion in new fundraising commitments last year and nearly 70,000 people took more than 700,000 actions through the project's website.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Foo Fighters and The Black Keys headlined the first year. Evans said he and the organizers who help him pick a lineup approach the task with goals in mind.

"We write a big list and we think, 'Who will effectively represent the cause of ending extreme poverty in the way they perform and the way they're involved, and who would also inspire a generation of people to take action?'" Evans said. "We're fortunate that this year some extraordinary people put up their hands to perform for free."

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Online:

http://globalfestival.com/

[Associated Press; By CHRIS TALBOTT]

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