NEW YORK — This week’s Global Citizen NOW conference highlighted long-term investments in the continent’s fast-growing youth and young A special feature called for greater support for change makers.
Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen, said the conflict-ridden international climate makes it even more important for political, business and philanthropic leaders to support education and health care in least developed countries. He said that it has become. Among this week’s biggest requests were up to $6 billion for economic development in Africa and $600 million to the United Nations Managed Fund for emergency education assistance.
“There’s no need to lecture anyone about polarization,” Evans told The Associated Press. My only hope is that our platform continues to support clear, decisive, and practical actions that citizens can take to change the world for the better. ”
To further that goal, the two-day conference in New York relied on the star power of longtime ambassador Hugh Jackman, Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh and Brazilian singer Anitta. Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, also made a previously private appearance Wednesday to discuss the need for men to actively fight sexism and defend reproductive rights.
“The Walking Dead” and “Black Panther” star Danai Gurira said more aid from the West is not enough. The actress, who was born in Iowa and raised in Zimbabwe, said she needs true self-determination because “African countries are far from emerging from colonialism.”
“We’re incredibly wealthy, from cobalt to lithium to diamonds to rubber to oil. But we often don’t feel like we’re in control of it,” she says. I did.
The NFL has academies in England and Australia. Umeniyiora said the company hopes to add facilities in countries including Nigeria, Kenya and Morocco by 2030.
“In my estimation, the best athletes in the world are in Africa,” Umenyiora told The Associated Press. they are not trained. ”
The meeting followed the announcement that Global Citizen will co-host an economic summit in Ivory Coast this fall. The goal is to increase foreign aid to sub-Saharan Africa, where the working-age population is expected to double by 2050 but many people lack access to electricity.
Speakers stressed that world leaders must help close these gaps now if we are to harness the region’s full potential. Foreign aid is working, they said, despite recent moves by once-generous debt-laden governments to reduce allocations to developing countries.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has argued that development aid is not a unilateral act of charity, but an investment of mutual benefit.
“Why not take advantage of all the world’s potential?” asked Lofven, who during his tenure set a goal of spending 1% of Sweden’s gross national income on aid.
The conference also demonstrated Global Citizen’s efforts to engage Gen Z into its 12 million member network. The organization recently paired more than 300 young leaders with stakeholders, including World Bank President Ajay Banga, for its first international edition of Global Citizen Now.
HeadCount and I Am a Voter, nonpartisan civic groups, announced their merger during a panel discussion Thursday, leveraging the power of musicians and brands to reach young voters as the U.S. presidential election gets into full swing. The aim is to increase registration.
Other speakers shared strategies for authentically engaging with young people online. Anitta told The Associated Press that she hosts classes on Instagram Live so fans can learn together about environmental issues such as rainforest protection.
Actor Jordan Fisher acknowledged that seemingly insurmountable student debt and an unaffordable housing market may be creating a sense of political loss among young people. He emphasized that voting is just one way to start participating.
Fisher is also identifying new platforms to empower Global Citizen members. An avid gamer, he advises organizations as they develop their gaming departments. He said live streaming services like Twitch can be a great tool for raising money and awareness among viewers who tune in to watch their favorite creators.
“This is some of the most authentic work that can be done. It’s just people. And it’s just us. It’s humans,” Fisher told The Associated Press.
“The power of the game is tremendous.”
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