Brief

Global Citizen is a movement dedicated to ending extreme poverty by 2030. The objective of this event was to create the largest music festival in Africa to date, honoring the centenary of Nelson Mandela. The festival’s model was to reward acts of civic engagement with tickets, using a point system to quantify “actions” taken by “Global Citizens.”

Objectives and Strategy
The festival aimed to raise awareness for crucial societal issues like poverty, health, and education. To incentivize action, a star-studded lineup of local and international artists was assembled, including:

• Artists: Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Cassper Nyovest, D’Banj, Usher, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Femi Kuti, Pharrell Williams, Chris Martin, Sho Madjozi, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, and Black Coffee.
• Speakers/Ambassadors: Oprah, Sir Bob Geldof, Trevor Noah, Naomi Campbell, Dave Chappelle, Bonang Matheba, Nomzamo Mbatha, Gayle King, Tyler Perry, and Forest Whitaker.

The strategic approach was to work with a world-class team of local and international suppliers to create a seamless and impactful festival experience for a massive crew, artists, dignitaries, and thousands of attendees.

Results

• Stage: A 60m x 30m stage was built at FNB Stadium.
• Impact: The campaign generated over 5.6 million actions and commitments, which will ultimately affect the lives of around 121 million people.
• Funding: The Mandela 100 campaign raised over R104 billion (approximately $7.2 billion) in commitments.

• Historic Significance: The festival was a landmark event that saw African countries and leaders standing up to make their voices heard on the global stage, making major commitments to achieve the UN’s Global Goals.
• Reach: The livestream garnered 27 million views around the globe.
• Attendance: The event attracted over 70,000 Global Citizens to the FNB Stadium.
• Notable Performances: Beyoncé’s set included a new arrangement of “Halo” featuring the Soweto Gospel and Mzansi Youth Choir, and a duet with Ed Sheeran on “Perfect.” Usher joined Pharrell Williams on stage, and Pharrell also performed with Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Fun Facts and Stats

• Backstage Village: 6,000m² of backstage villages were constructed.
• Actions and Commitments: Over 5.6 million actions and commitments were made, affecting the lives of around 121 million people.
• Catering: 20,216 meals were served backstage.
• Hydration: 64,440 sponsored water & soft drinks were consumed.
• Cooling: Half a ton (500kg) of ice was used, with 380kg dedicated to refilling cooler boxes.
• Fuel: 28,205 liters of fuel were used on-site between 16 November and 3 December.
• Infrastructure: Nearly 11km of cable runs were laid.
• Technology: 150 devices were deployed, and 2 terabytes of data were used.