Global Citizen NOW returns with a new agenda for urgent action

The world’s leading international advocacy organisation Global Citizen has announced details of the second annual Global Citizen NOW summit, setting a global agenda for action on the most urgent issues facing humanity and the planet. Taking place in New York City on 27 and 28 April, Global Citizen NOW will convene government leaders, private sector executives, grassroots activists, cultural innovators, philanthropic experts, and leading journalists for a dynamic two-day event.

Every Global Citizen NOW session will feature definitive next steps for participants, attendees, and global citizens to take immediate action on urgent issues including climate change, the global food crisis, gender inequality, protecting activists, and more. The programme will feature major announcements on policy initiatives, intimate conversations with renowned artists, as well as corporate and world leaders. Various sessions will be livestreamed on Instagram and LinkedIn.

For the first time this year, global citizens around the world can contribute perspectives and questions for potential inclusion in Global Citizen NOW programming by downloading the Global Citizen app, visiting globalcitizen.org/message, or texting via WhatsApp on +27 63 534 5148.

Taking place at The Glasshouse in New York City, Global Citizen NOW is supported by Global Partners Harith General Partners, Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, P&G, Verizon, and Associate Partners Authentic Brands Group and Impossible Foods.

“The last few years have had a disproportionately harsh impact on the world’s poor. To redirect that trajectory we need to convene political, business, and cultural leaders and take action together,” said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO, Global Citizen. “Every session at Global Citizen NOW will drive impact with practical actions everyone can take. World leaders will hear from young climate activists, corporations will make new policy commitments, we’ll announce new ways everyone can take action in their daily lives, and we’ll launch our new campaign to mobilise billions to address the interconnected issues holding people in extreme poverty.”

“Multilateral action needs a re-boot and we need to make sure the global financial system is fit for purpose: the fight against extreme poverty and against climate change. Global Citizen NOW is an important opportunity to advance the debate and will help pave the way to a New Global Financing Pact to be agreed in Paris in June," said Emmanuel Macron, president of France.

“To fight climate change, end hunger and empower girls and women, the world needs our leadership; we all have the duty to act NOW,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.

Tshepo Mahloele, founder and chairman of Harith General Partners and the Global Citizen Patron for Africa, said, “I support the concert of being a global citizen – we are in this together and we must all contribute to the positive changes needed. I am excited this year to continue to advocate for the agitation of the private sector and our governments, to invest and reinvest into Africa so that the most pressing issues faced by our fellow brothers and sisters are alleviated. These challenges that we are faced with can only be resolved by us through partnership and ongoing collaborative efforts.”

“The world is at a critical crossroads, and it is imperative that we act NOW to save our planet, address the climate crisis, ease the burdens crushing economies, and alleviate the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable people,” said Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados. “I am thrilled to be part of Global Citizen NOW, which is assembling global change-makers, listening to young people and grassroots activists, and driving an agenda of urgent action the world desperately needs.”

“Global Citizen NOW is an important opportunity for the voices of young people and global citizens everywhere to be heard by those in power, and for all of us, together, to find solutions that will shape our world for future generations,” said Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador.

Showcasing the power of cross-sector participation to make progress on the systemic challenges our world is facing, Global Citizen NOW is convening the brightest minds, global decision-makers, and the biggest names in pop culture with a diverse programme of sessions and speakers, including:

• Power Our Planet
  Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados; Vanessa Nakate, Ugandan climate justice activist, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and author of ‘A Bigger Picture’; Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission; Dr Rajiv Shah, president, Rockefeller Foundation
  
• How Ideas Become Impact
  Sabrina Elba, United Nations IFAD Goodwill Ambassador; Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador; Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO, Global Citizen
  
• New York attorney general Letitia James in conversation with two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and author Tamron Hall
  
• The “Good Life”
  Portia Blunt, vice president, Global Apparel, Reebok; Ebro Darden, global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B, Apple Music, and host, HOT 97; Nicole LaPointe Jameson, CEO, Evil Geniuses; Jordan Fisher, producer, actor, gamer; Gary Vaynerchuk, chairman, VaynerX, and CEO, VaynerMedia

The pinnacle of the summit will be the annual Global Citizen Prize 2023 award ceremony on Thursday evening, honouring four trailblazing activists profoundly impacting their local communities in the areas of climate change, civic space, sexual health and reproductive health, and food security, as well as the recipient of the Cisco Youth Leadership Award, a young person positively impacting the world using technology innovation. Winners will be announced in the coming weeks. Proud partners of the Global Citizen Prize 2023 include Cisco, Citi and P&G.

Global Citizen NOW is co-chaired by International Global Citizen festival curator Chris Martin and Global Citizen Ambassador Hugh Jackman; political leaders Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, president of Ghana; Erna Solberg, former prime minister of Norway; and Stefan Löfven, former prime minister of Sweden; corporate sector leaders Hans Vestberg, chairman and CEO, Verizon; Nir Bar Dea, CEO, Bridgewater Associates; Fran Katsoudas, EVP and chief people, policy and purpose officer, Cisco; Chris Stadler, managing partner, CVC Capital Partners; Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer, P&G; Diego Scotti, EVP, chief marketing officer, Verizon; Tshepo Mahloele, founder and chairman of Harith General Partners; and Edward Skyler, executive vice president, Citi; and philanthropic sector leaders Dr Rajiv Shah, president, Rockefeller Foundation; Mark Malloch-Brown, president, Open Society Foundations; and Darren Walker, president, Ford Foundation.

Other participants include: AnjulaAcharia, founder and CEO, A-Series Management; Nat Kwabena Adisi (Bola Ray), CEO, EIB Network Ltd and chairman, Empire Group; Maggie Baird, founder and president, Support + Feed; Nir Bar Dea, CEO, Bridgewater Associates; Helder Barbalho, governor of the Amazonic State of Pará, Brazil; David Droga, CEO, Accenture Song; Pamela Fletcher, chief sustainability officer, Delta Air Lines; Dorothy Fortenberry, executive producer, “Extrapolations”; Michael Gandolfini; Phoebe Gates, women’s health and reproductive rights activist; CD Glin, president, PepsiCo Foundation; Dr Patrick Gruber, CEO, Gevo; Prabal Gurung, creative director and fashion designer; Katie Holmes; Daniel Humm, chef and owner, Eleven Madison Park and Eleven Madison Home; Fran Katsoudas, EVP and chief people, policy and purpose officer, Cisco; Alvaro Lario, president, International Fund for Agricultural Development; Stefan Löfven, former prime minister of Sweden; Emmanuel Macron, president of France; Tshepo Mahloele, founder and chairman, Harith General Partners; Mark Malloch-Brown, president, Open Society Foundations; Chris Martin, international Global Citizen festival curator; Peter McGuinness, president and CEO, Impossible Foods; Catherine McKenna, chair of the UN High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero; Bridget Moynahan, Global Citizen Ambassador; Antonio Nuño, CEO, Someone Somewhere; Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer, P&G; Diego Scotti, chief marketing officer, Verizon; Amanda Seales, comedian and social justice advocate; Alok Sharma, COP26 president and member of parliament of the United Kingdom; Yasmine Sherif, executive director, Education Cannot Wait; Edward Skyler, executive vice president, Citi; Erna Solberg, former prime minister of Norway; Abena Soreno, founder, GOALSFORFLOW; Darren Walker, president, Ford Foundation; Caroline Wanga, president and CEO, Essence Ventures; and Elizabeth Wathuti, Kenyan climate activist and founder, Green Generation Initiative.

Further programming details to be announced over the coming weeks.

To learn more about Global Citizen NOW visit www.globalcitizen.org/now23.