Leonardo DiCaprio headlines Global Citizens Festival, in Climate Crisis awareness fight

Celebrities Took the Stage at Global Citizens Festival in Central Park…

Leonardo DiCaprio has consistently made strong statements in efforts to raise awareness of the Climate Crisis over the years. The actor spearheaded the issue in his 2016 documentary “Before The Flood” and even used the stage during his long-awaited Oscar acceptance speech to talk about importance of preserving our natural world. Clearly, the man is a passionate environmentalist.

On September 28th, 2019, DiCaprio spoke out about this issue yet again at the Global Citizens Festival in New York’s Central Park. In his address to the festival’s ~60,000 patrons, he reflected on the recent climate strike, paid tribute to its leaders such as Greta Thunberg, and condemned climate deniers. 

The actor stated: “Last Friday, young people led the world in strike. Millions of individuals did more than simply walk out of their schools and places of employment. They took a stand. They set an example of true leadership that our planet so desperately needs. These young people have said clearly, definitively and without fear, that the time for inaction is over. Yet, surprisingly, some have reacted to this movement with insulting tweets and negative talking points: individuals that seem to care more about profit and their own self-interests than about your own future. But we know that the climate youth movement is more important and crucial than at any time in human history.”

Contemptuously, he denounced politicians and people in power who refuse to act on the climate crisis, and ended his speech reminding the audience that there is scientific consensus surrounding the issue and that its reality is no longer debatable.

Worldwide Concern is Expanding as Big Names Help to Draw Attention

In addition to DiCaprio, Natalie Portman, Forest Whitaker, Laverne Cox, Kal Penn, Alicia Keys, and Dakota Johnson all spoke at the Festival, each addressing a different cause and delivering a humanitarian message. Meanwhile, musical acts included Queen + Adam Lambert, French Montana, OneRepublic, Ben Platt, Carole King, H.E.R. and more. 

The Global Citizens Festival plans on organizing additional events—one on each of the six developed continents. The next one will take place in Lagos, Nigeria and celebrities Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, Metallica and Billie Eilish have all expressed interest in appearing at it.

The New York Festival concluded with Coldplay front man and Festival curator, Chris Martin telling the crowd about the 2020 Global Citizen campaign. The campaign aims to raise money to help the UN reach the $350 billion it needs for its Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

All of this is very ambitious, but change will not come without initiative. The Festival garnered an overall feeling of hope—hope that change can come from the bottom up, and hope for a brighter future lead by passionate people who believe in the possibilities of the human spirit.

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