Photo: Global Poverty Project
Listen up, Global Citizen has big news. Yes, I think all of the news we cover is big, but seriously, the names, advocacy plans and events we are announcing today ARE big news. To give you the best understanding of what’s coming your way, I sat down with Global Poverty Project CEO Hugh Evans. Yes, this guy.
He’s one of the two who started Global Poverty Project | Photo: Huffington Post
The part where we make nice
BRANDON: Hugh, thank you for sitting down with me. It’s a busy day and time. HUGH: It is an exciting time Brandon. It’s always good to talk with you, and the global citizens on our platform.
Global Citizen 2015???
BRANDON: First up Hugh, you’re announcing something today called Global Citizen 2015, what the heck is that? Cause it’s a catchy combination of our name and the year, but is it more than that?
HUGH: Haha, it is a catchy name, but its a lot more than that. Global Citizen 2015 is a 15-year commitment for the world to achieve the goal of ending extreme poverty. We will be focusing on the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a set of global initiatives to improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable. They focus on a wide range of issues from improving child and maternal health, to improving infrastructure and technology to improving nutrition and ending hunger. This is the world’s to-do list for the next 15 years, and Global Citizen 2015 is a plan to make sure everyone on the planet is aware of these goals, and can take action to achieve them. Global citizens have the opportunity to hold leaders accountable for their commitments to end extreme poverty.
BRANDON: 15 years is quite the long term plan. I kind of know what I’m doing for Valentines day tomorrow. Kind of know…. But I digress, why is it important that we start on these long term goals today?
HUGH: Long term planning is the only way we can solve big structural and systemic problems and truly end extreme poverty. Over the last 15 years the world has managed to cut extreme poverty in half, thanks to the Millenium Development Goals. Now we need to plan the next 15 years-and that planning is happening this year. World leaders are approving the SDGs this year. If we, as global citizens, fail to make sure they are strong and leaders are committed to this to-do list, we could jeopardize the next 15 years of progress. We must make sure world leaders see accomplishing these goals as a political and policy necessity. That’s why driving action on the Global Citizen platform is so important this year.
SEE HOW THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS HAVE CUT POVERTY IN HALF
Some awesome friends
BRANDON:Hugh, these are some big goals to accomplish this year, are we building some important partnerships to help?
HUGH: Yes. At our announcement, I am being joined by Amina J. Mohammed, Special Advisor of the Secretary General of the United Nations on Post-2015 Development Planning. She is a key player in accomplishing the SDGs. I am also happy to announce that award winning filmmaker Richard Curtis and the co-founder of Coldplay Chris Martin are coming on board to play a big role in Global Citizen. Richard Curtis is serving as the creative director for the 2015 Global Citizen Festival and Chris Martin will be curating music at the Festival for the next 15 years. An incredible commitment from two talented and wonderful people.
BRANDON: Yes folks, you heard the man correctly, Richard Curtis of amazing films (you know, About Time, Love Actually, Notting Hill, etc. etc etc) and philanthropic projects, and this guy:
The stuff global citizens are going to change
BRANDON: Amidst all of these challenges and opportunities, what is Global Citizen going to be focusing on?
HUGH: We will be focusing on passing the SDGs and making sure they are famous and financed. Within this bigger idea, we will have a particular focus the themes of Health and Sanitation-two areas with the most unfinished business from the MDGs. And as in years past, Global Citizen will drive campaigns across key thematic areas including food security and education for girls, that we, and our partners, believe will have the potential to achieve real impact for the end of extreme poverty.
BRANDON: How are global citizens going to create this change?
HUGH: By taking action. The Global Citizen platform will continue to provide the opportunity for global citizens to substantively get involved in shaping the world around them. The voices of global citizens will be crucial in making 2015 a success. Their actions and their presence at events will make sure world leaders take the SDGs seriously and set the world on course to end extreme poverty by 2030.
The events (you’ve all been waiting for)
BRANDON: It seems global citizens will be taking a whole lot of actions this year. What events are planned for this year to focus these actions?
HUGH: We have an exciting year coming up. Right now, we’re planning Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day on the US National Mall in Washington, DC on April 18th, a Global Citizen G7 Summit Event in Bavaria, Germany on June 7th, and the 2015 Global Citizen Festival in Central Park in New York City on September 26th, which will be produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Ken Ehrlich. And we’re just getting started.
BRANDON: Any previews on who will be headlining these events?
HUGH: Haha, no Brandon. You’ll have to be patient. But, for those that want to be in the know, make sure you’re signed up for our email list to be the first to know what artists, activists and leaders will be standing up at our events.
BRANDON: Now, I’ve heard a rumor Hugh, and you just mentioned an event in Germany, so are Global Citizen events going global?
HUGH: You’ve heard right. Global Citizen will be hosting annual events around the world over the next 15 years to unite world leaders, world-renowned artists and socially-conscious global citizens to end extreme poverty.
Why all of this matters
BRANDON: This sounds amazing. Amina J. Mohammed, Richard Curtis, and Chris Martin; an amazing slate of events, and a pivotal year to set the agenda for our future. Remind me, what is the end goal of all of this?
HUGH: To end the injustice of extreme poverty. To make sure we live in a world where every child can survive and thrive. Where every child can go to school and be protected from violence and abuse. A world where everyone has access to clean water and a toilet. A world where governments and businesses are accountable to their citizens and customers. This is a world without extreme poverty. And it’s the world we should all want to live in.
The role for global citizens
BRANDON: Let’s send out some advice Hugh. What should global citizens do to make sure this great goal is accomplished?
HUGH: Make sure you’re signed up to Global Citizen, get involved, take action and hold our leaders accountable to ending extreme poverty.
There you have it folks. 2015 is THE year to set the world on the path to end extreme poverty. Global Citizen will set the stage (quite literally in many cases).Will you take action to end extreme poverty by 2030?
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Brandon Blackburn-Dwyer, Managing Editor of Global Citizen