Music is power — the kind that can inspire change for the better. Channeling this power are the good people of Global Citizen — action takers and impact makers. This non-profit uses their collective voice, and that of others like Mariah Carey and Metallica among many others, to inspire action to defend the planet, defeat poverty, and demand equity. They did just that this past weekend in Central Park, NYC, and Accra, Ghana.
Global Citizen raised over $800 million to empower girls, defeat poverty, defend the planet, promote health, protect civic space, and mitigate the global food crisis.
Marking its 10-year anniversary, the Global Citizen Festival in NYC featured performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MÅNESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, Rosalía, Angélique Kidjo, and Billy Porter.
Mariah Carey (pictured above) belted her iconic songs at the Global Citizen Festival 2022. Closing the event, Metallica gave the audience a taste of their heavy metal power. (Kirk Hammett and James Hatfield, pictured below.)
The event was broadcast and streamed around the world on YouTube, Twitter, ABC, ABC News Live, Amazon Music, Apple Music & the Apple TV app, iHeartRadio, Hulu, FX, Veeps, Albavision, Canal+, Bis, Nine Network, SABC, TimesLive, TV3, Twitch, and the Global Citizen app.
Watch the festival here.
What Global Citizen achieves
At the outset of its most recent campaign, Global Citizen called on world leaders, major corporations, and philanthropic foundations and attained the following remarkable achievements:
Raised $600 million to end extreme poverty and invest into the future of women and girls.
Closed the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall.
Delivered $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis.
Reallocated IMF Special Drawing Rights to provide urgent relief from debts unjustly crushing economies and to defend advocacy.
Global Citizen also secured significant commitments from governments, foundations, and the private sector in several areas.
FOR GIRLS
Investments committed for the future of women and girls include:
From governments
Belgium committed €2.6 million to the ILO's Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All for its second phase in Senegal and Burkina Faso, extending it until 2025.
Denmark committed $17 million to UNFPA Supplies and $30 million to UNFPA over the next year as part of their broader newly announced three-year partnership.
The European Commission committed €45 million to UNFPA.
Germany, as a champion for global education, committed €10 million to Education Cannot Wait's efforts to respond to the education needs in Ukraine.
Luxembourg committed to renew its partnership with the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Program to End Female Genital Mutilation, with a 70 percent increase of its funding based on previous contributions over the next three years, underlining its support for girls and women around the world.
From philanthropic foundations and the private sector
Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, and Girl Effect announced a $8 million partnership to fight against the gender barriers that limit uptake of HPV and other routine vaccines in Tanzania and Ethiopia.
The Global Menstrual Equity Accelerator was launched with the ambition of advancing gender equality for girls and women through a partnership ranging from combating stigmas, increasing the availability of period products, raising public awareness and education around menstrual health and safe disposal, and beyond.
LEGO Foundation committed $25 million to Education Cannot Wait in support of its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, including a commitment to playful learning opportunities for children affected by emergencies and protracted crises that are gender-transformative and reach children in all their diversity.
The United Nation Population Fund announced a $10.5 million contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to drive improved quality service provision for the advancement of women and girls’ health and well-being.
Procter & Gamble committed to advance the Care Agenda by producing and creating advertisements, digital content, and communications messaging that portray a more equitable division of care work and challenges the gender stereotypes and societal norms that perpetuate the inequity of unpaid care work in the home and societies around the globe.
FOR THE PLANET
Commitments made to defend the planet include:
From governments
The Peace Corps committed to launch a new climate initiative to support over 2 million hours of volunteer service in around 50 countries, including up to 1000 volunteers who will work with host country partners to identify and implement actions that contribute to host country climate priorities and national plans.
From the private sector
Five major corporations signed the United Nations-led Race to Zero campaign to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including American Eagle Outfitters, Betterfly, Harith General Partners, Juan Valdez Café, and Global Citizen Festival: NYC campaign partner World Wide Technology.
FOR THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS
Pledges made to improve food and nutrition security in response to the global food crisis include:
From governments
The Netherlands committed €25 million towards food and nutrition security in 2023, topping up the €425 million five-year budget announced earlier this year.
Norway committed NOK 100 million towards the African Development Bank’s Africa Emergency Food Production Facility.
Slovenia committed €1.23 million to civil society organizations fighting against hunger in sub-Saharan Africa.
From the private sector
Citi announced its continued support to No Kid Hungry for the next three years, estimated to be equivalent to the provision of 60 million meals.
FOR GLOBAL HEALTH
Commitments made to eradicate communicable diseases include:
From governments
Canada highlighted their CAD $1.209 billion commitment made at the Global Fund replenishment
The European Commission highlighted their €715 million contribution to the Global Fund
Malta committed €30,000 to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Philanthropic foundations
Rotary International committed $150 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative across the next three years.
TO DEFEAT POVERTY
Additional pledges to act in the interests of the world’s most marginalized populations include:
From governments
The United Nations in Ghana committed $257 million in funding towards the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework by 2025. This convenes more than 24 United Nations agencies, funds, and programs with the ambition of reaching all regions in Ghana, responding to the needs of the most vulnerable and seeking to leave no one behind.
The United States committed $138 million to support human capital development in the areas of health, education, climate, and peace-building, as well as $32.5 million to deepening partnerships across West Africa in Ghana, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo.
Lithuania announced they would be committing €11 million in funding towards rebuilding infrastructure including schools, homes, and a bridge in Ukraine.
From philanthropic foundations and the private sector
Dutch Postcode Lottery announced a €1 million contribution to the Legal Empowerment Fund, an initiative of the Fund for Global Human Rights.
Ford Foundation announced $30 million towards organizations protecting civic space in the coming year.
Google.org committed $1 million to OutRight Action International in support of its work for LGBTIQ communities around the world.
“Amidst all the doomsday messages we hear today, hope lies in the fact that millions of citizens are rising up to take action, more than any other point in history. 10 years ago, Global Citizen was just an idea – and 10 years from now we’ll see a generation of global citizens running for office, starting companies, and transforming communities. The media is pushing us to the extreme left or to the extreme right, but the solutions lie in the center. Ending extreme poverty is not a partisan issue, and those most in need can not be treated like political pawns. Our job is to not let our leaders forget that. If you are lucky enough to live in a democracy, use your voice!” – Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO, Global Citizen
Visit www.globalcitizen.org to learn more about the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign issues and to find ways that you can take action. Follow @glblctzn on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
Until next time, peace.