Podcast 104 – Meghan Markle & Prince Harry joining Global Citizen LIVE event in person in New York.

In what will be the first official appearance by Meghan outside of California since March 2020, Meghan and Harry are to attend in person at the Global Citizen LIVE event. Whilst the event is being hosted from Central Park in New York, the 24-hour event will feature performances from top artists all over the world, including: Lagos, London, Los Angeles,  Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, Sydney and other locations.

Back in May of this year Harry and Meghan acted as campaign chairs for Global Citizen’s VAX LIVE: "The Concert to Reunite the World" in Los Angeles,  during which Harry appeared in person and Meghan by video conference. That event focused on driving a worldwide effort to equitably distribute the COVID-19 vaccines and treatments around the world.

Prince Harry also spoke on the issue of vaccine equity when he recently presented the GQ Magazine Heroes Of The Year award to the entire team of dedicated scientists whose research led to the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID vaccine – notable a team almost entirely made up of women.

Global Citizen was founded by Hugh Evans who from an early age was involved in humanitarian work with the World Vision organization. Hugh has in the past founded or operated other non-profit organizations including the Oaktree Foundation; Australia’s first youth-run aid organization; and the Make Poverty History campaign in Australia.

In 2008, with grants from the United Nations, Australian government and British government, Hugh co-founded the Global Poverty Project (GPP) an education and advocacy organization aiming to increase the number and effectiveness of people taking action to end extreme poverty. In 2011 Global Poverty Project worked alongside the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation to execute The End of Polio campaign. In August 2012, GPP launched the annual Global Citizen Festival. 

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic Global Citizen joined forces with the European Union to help finance COVAX which buy vaccines for countries who cannot afford them.

The sharing of COVID vaccines is only part of Global Citizen’s plans for the immediate and long-term future. In their 2021  white paper called “A Recovery Plan for the World – A Campaign to end COVID-19  for all and Kickstart the Global Recovery” Global Citizen sets out their five pillars of action for 2021 and beyond which are:

1. Ending the COVID-19 pandemic
2. Stopping the hunger crisis
3. Resume learning for all children
4. Protecting the planet and 
5. Promoting justice and equity for all

Global citizen announced that for their part, Prince Harry and Meghan will join the 24-hour global broadcast event in New York City’s Central Park, to continue their urgent work with other world leaders in the pursuit of global vaccine equity so as to end the COVID-19 pandemic for everyone, everywhere and,  hoping that the G7 countries and the European Union will commit to share at least 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses as well as calling on Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna to share their mRNA vaccine technology with the World Health Organization.

Global Citizen founder Hugh Evans tweeted “We are honored that Prince Harry and Meghan, are coming to #GlobalCitizenLive in Central Park event." Adding:  "Their leadership on vaccine equity is of global importance as we seek to end the pandemic for all."

Please keep listening for future podcasts on all things Meghan, Harry, Archie and Lili. You can reach out to me through my blog at https://www.kindthoughtsformegh

Show written and produced by Jeanette Songolo.

Please keep listening for future podcasts on all things Meghan, Harry, Archie and Lili and in the meantime watch out for other posts on all things Sussex on my blog at https://www.kindthoughtsformeghanmarkle.com/