Coldplay, Shakira, Pharrell Williams, Ellie Goulding, Herbert Grönemeyer - the lineup for the first ever Global Citizen Festival in Europe was rather impressive. Coldplay opened the four-hour show, with frontman Chris Martin calling on the crowd to "get involved!" Martin himself has committed to work with Global Citizen for the next 15 years.

First organized by Global Citizen back in 2012, the annual concert aims to draw attention to social issues, including access to health care, clean drinking water and women's rights. During the year, Global Citizen asks its 8 million followers to campaign via Twitter, emails or other methods and pressure politicians to act. Those who do gain points and can score free tickets to the concert.

Joining the music stars were several politicians from Germany and abroad - including Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Health Minister Hermann Gröhe. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim greeted the crowd with a local "Moin!" and Norway's PM Erna Solberg and Argentine President Mauricio Macri were also there. But it was Canada's Justin Trudeau who got the crowd cheering.

The concert wasn't all pop and politicians. Georgian concert pianist Khatia Buniatishvili also took to the stage between the speeches and short films, enchanting the crowd with her piano sonatas. It was a celebration for all age groups. Concertgoer Lea and her mother, Gabi, felt invigorated by the evening: "I'm going home with a new energy," Lea told DW.

Pharrell Williams called on world leaders to fight extreme poverty with "anger, love and passion." Joining him onstage were around 50 audience members, who danced as he entertained the crowd with his 2015 hit "Freedom."

German megastar Herbert Grönemeyer ended the concert, performing a duet with Chris Martin and calling on German Chancellor Angela Merkel to ask world leaders to commit the missing billions of euros in funds to fight world poverty, saying that else she should cancel the summit. "We have to stick together," he said, to the roar of the crowd.