Tony Bennett, Ben Harper, Janelle Monae and More Perform at the Clinton Global Citizen Awards on AXS TV June 22‏

AXS TV is proud to premiere the Clinton Global Citizen Awards, presented by Starkey Hearing Foundation, on Wednesday, June 22, at 8pE/5pP. The special event honors individuals from across the world for their outstanding leadership and innovative efforts to effect long-lasting positive social change in the realms of healthcare, poverty, economic empowerment, legal aid, and women’s leadership.

The ceremony honors five humanitarians in four different categories, including the Leadership in Public Service Award given to Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister for International Cooperation and Development, for leading the UAE’s global philanthropic efforts and fighting hunger and poverty around the world; the Private Sector Award, given to Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of the Dangote Group, for expanding economic growth in West Africa through business investments, healthcare, and education; the Leadership in Civil Society award, given to Syeda Ghulam Fatima, the General Secretary of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front Pakistan, for leading a proactive approach toward policy and advocating for core labor standards in Pakistan; and the Leadership in Humanitarian Response Award, given to co-winners Alan Knight, General Manager of ArcelorMittal, for his private sector leadership in the Ebola response efforts, and Raj Panjabi, the Chief Executive Officer of Last Mile Health, for bridging the gap between clinics and remote villages in Liberia and responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The program features performances from some of the biggest names in entertainment, including legendary crooner Tony Bennett; GRAMMY®-winning rocker Ben Harper; pop sensation Janelle Monáe; and critically acclaimed neo soul octet—and THE TONIGHT SHOW house band—The Roots; as well as appearances by The Rainforest Foundation founder Trudie Styler; Hadeel Ibrahim, director of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation; actor and philanthropist Rainn Wilson, co-founder of the Lidè Program; past performances by singer/songwriter Jason Mraz with special guests Raining Jane; and American soul artist Aloe Blacc; as well as fan-favorite TV personality and multi-talented music man Randy Jackson, acting as the event’s musical producer.

Founded in 2005 by President Bill Clinton as an initiative under the prestigious Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) brings international leaders together to strategize and create effective ways to solve the world’s most challenging issues. CGI has brought together 190 current and former heads of state, more than 20 Nobel Prize winners, and hundreds of CEOs, philanthropists, and media personnel, and has improved the lives of more than 430 million people spanning more than 180 countries. The Clinton Global Citizen Awards were established in 2007, to honor those outstanding individuals who create and inspire meaningful and long-lasting social change. Nominees are selected by members of the Clinton Global Initiative, as well as other world leaders.