On Wednesday, September 24, we’re returning to New York City for Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Climate Week NYC. 

This year’s event arrives at an important moment for the international advocacy community: 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the UN. As we celebrate this milestone and reflect on what the next chapter of international cooperation will look like, an urgent question arises: What should the next era of international cooperation look like if we are to meet today's challenges and achieve the UN's Global Goals? 

From adequately addressing the climate crisis and its subsequent impacts, to advancing global health, to safeguarding human rights and economic development, we need institutions and partnerships that will build systems that truly work for people and the planet. 

We can do that by truly listening to diverse voices at the frontlines of these challenges, and platforming the ideas that are at the forefront of the future. Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions is just the place to do that. Here’s everything you need to know, and how you can be a part of it.  

What’s Happening At Impact Sessions? 

Global Citizen NOW is our trademark, action-oriented platform meant to inspire action and drive real change, not someday, but in the moment. 

Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions is designed to mobilize action, capital, and momentum across our campaigns during one of the world’s most influential weeks. The day-long event’s agenda features a schedule of keynote addresses, fireside chats, and dynamic panels. We’ll bring together leaders and advocates across various sectors to focus on concrete solutions, building new partnerships, and crafting new policies — drumming up action where it matters most in the world. 

This marks the latest installment in Global Citizen NOW’s legacy of thought-leadership engagement between world leaders and civic society members, building off of our previous sessions this year in NYC, Sevilla, Detroit, and Belém. Our ultimate goal? Setting the stage for significant policy and financial commitments in time for COP30 in the Brazilian city of Belém and the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, both in November this year. 

What We’re Calling For

This year, the spotlight falls on three major campaigns: 

• Protect the Amazon (PTA): Ratcheting up climate action through concrete commitments worth $1 billion to safeguard and restore the Amazon rainforest, the lungs of the Earth.
• Scaling Up Renewables in Africa (SURA): Expanding renewable energy production across the African continent to power a just transition and triple renewable capacity by 2030. 
• FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund: Raising $100 million in partnership with FIFA to ensure 30,000 children worldwide have the chance to learn and play that they deserve. 

With multiple countries reducing their official development assistance (ODA) and international aid gaps widening worldwide, Impact Sessions will serve as a rallying point for greater ambition alongside UNGA — and beyond. To that end, we’ll also be highlighting ways to secure fair financing reforms and adequate investment in essential human rights and climate action work, along with building fair and inclusive educational opportunities — all of which are critical to eradicating extreme poverty within our lifetimes. 

Who’s Going to Be There? 

Hosted by Sabrina Elba, Chair of the Global Citizen European Board, Impact Sessions will bring together a vibrant coalition of heads of state, ministers, business leaders, civil society, and young advocates. Gathering diverse perspectives on stage together, we’ll unlock new ideas and exciting cross-sector opportunities, spotlighting grassroots voices and groundbreaking ideas side-by-side.

Confirmed speakers include: 

• Heads of State: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commmission; Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone; Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, President of Suriname; Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; and more.
  
  
• Private Sector: Fran Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer, Cisco; Gqi Raoleka, CEO of Pele Energy Group; Jonathan Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer, Globeleq; Roger Martella, Chief Corporate Officer, GE Vernova, and more.
  
  
• International Organization Leaders: Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank (keynote speaker); H.E. Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations (keynote speaker); Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; and more.
  
  
• Advocates: Taily Terena, Global Citizen Prize Winner, and Indigenous Brazil leader; Esther Kimani, Global Citizen CISCO Youth Leader Award Winner; Valeriia Rachynska, Global Citizen Prize Winner, Ukraine; Dr. Katherine Hayhoe, Director, Carbon Markets at Work: How Business Is Hitting Climate Goals; Puyr Tembé, Secretary of Indigenous Peoples of the State of Para; and more. 

Join Us and Be Part of the Change

Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions isn’t just about talk — it’s about turning ideas into tangible action that the world can seize. To do that, we need to amplify Global South leadership, translate policy commitments into significant capital flows, and demand accountability of governments, businesses, and international leaders. 

At a time when the foundations of multilateralism are under strain, this gathering seeks to reaffirm the power of true leadership and global cooperation. It’s also a clarion call challenging us to build a future where systems serve people and the planet, not the other way around. 

Stay tuned as we release more details on programming, partnerships, and action opportunities. You can join the movement now by downloading the Global Citizen app, checking out our website, and following our social channels for updates. And don’t forget to secure your spot for Impact Sessions now — register your interest here.