Montreal to host concert for world health; Trudeau and Bill Gates invited

MONTREAL — A concert to raise awareness about the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria will be held in Montreal on Sept. 17, organizers said Tuesday.

Usher, Half Moon Run, Metric and Grimes will be part of the program, which is being presented by Denmark-based Global Citizen and The Global Fund, an international partnership dedicated to eradicating AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

A day before the concert, The Global Fund is hosting what it calls a “pledging conference” that brings together governments, private-sector companies and other organizations to collect money for the partnership’s activities over the next three years.

Canada has pledged $785 million to The Global Fund between 2017 and 2019, a 20 per cent increase from its last instalment to the financial partnership.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Microsoft founder Bill Gates will attend the conference as special guests, organizers said.

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Montreal-based radio host Patrick Langlois will emcee the concert along with his radio colleague Maripier Morin, TV personality George Stroumboulopoulos and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Kweku Mandela.

“It’s an initiative to reach ‘millennials’ and people of my generation,” said Langlois. “With the Internet, their voice and social media, they are able to make a difference.”

Tickets go on sale Saturday but many will be given away to people who can “earn their tickets” by participating in a few online activities outlined on Global Citizen’s website, globalcitizen.org/canada.

The Canadian Press