On May 14, Global Citizen NOW returns to New York — where the agenda for global action is set, aligning leaders across sectors to announce commitments and launch initiatives that drive impact worldwide.
Hosted at Spring Studios, the summit is all about action, not just talk. From expanding access to education to tackling food insecurity, clean energy, and global health, Global Citizen NOW is where big ideas become real commitments that can change lives.
Because right now, the need couldn’t be clearer. Millions of children are still out of school. Hundreds of millions of people still don’t have access to electricity. And preventable diseases and malnutrition continue to impact communities around the world.
The good news? Solutions exist — what’s needed is the investment and action to bring them to life at scale.
Who’s Taking the Stage
This year’s Global Citizen NOW will feature a powerful lineup of voices across culture, business, and global leadership.
Participants in Global Citizen NOW include:Adam Lambert, Artist, Actor, Global Citizen Ambassador; Ayra Starr, Artist and Advocate; Common, Award-Winning Artist, Activist, Global Citizen Ambassador; H.E. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Gianni Infantino, FIFA President; Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador; Jamie Salter, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Authentic Brands Group; Kat Graham, Actress, Singer, Humanitarian; Marcus Samuelsson, Award-Winning Chef, Restaurateur, Author, Activist; Nir Bar Dea, CEO, Bridgewater Associates; Rachel Brosnahan, Actor, Producer, Global Citizen Ambassador; Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Tom Taylor, President and CEO, Bezos Earth Fund; Vladimir Duthiers, Featured Co-Host of CBS Mornings & Anchor for CBS News 24/7; and Zoisa North-Bond, CEO, Octopus Energy Generation.
Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government of Spain; Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda; and Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, will join the summit virtually for live conversations.
Additional participants include:Lord Alok Sharma KCMG PC, President, COP26 and Member of House of Lords; Diego Scotti, General Manager, Consumer Group, PayPal; Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Fran Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer, Cisco; Leo Varadkar, Former Taoiseach of Ireland; H.E. Mariam Almheiri, Vice Chair and Managing Director of 2PointZero; Marcelo Thomé, President of Institut Amazônia+21; Mark Tinkess, President, RVCA; Michael Roberts, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, MetLife; Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief, Devex; and Randall Lane, Chief Content Officer, Forbes.
Together, they’ll help drive the conversations and commitments that can move the world forward.
More Than a Summit
Global Citizen NOW isn’t your typical conference. It’s designed to find ways that deliver real outcomes, from funding education programs to expanding access to clean energy and strengthening health systems.
The 2026 edition will focus on expanding access to education through the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, improving food security and economic opportunity, expanding access to electricity while cutting emissions, and advancing global health and nutrition for the world’s most underserved communities.
Right now:
- 250+ million children are out of school
- 750 million people lack electricity, including 600 million in Africa
- 20 million children miss routine vaccinations each year
- 45 million children face life-threatening malnutrition
At the same time:
- Development funding is declining across major donor markets.
- Climate shocks and conflict are increasing the humanitarian need.
The summit will also celebrate young leaders making a difference through the Global Citizen Prize and Cisco Youth Leadership Award — honoring those already taking action to end extreme poverty.
“At a moment when the world’s challenges can feel overwhelming, the antidote is action,” said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Global Citizen. “Global Citizen NOW is not another conference where leaders gather to talk about problems. It’s where leaders come to announce solutions and take action. By bringing together governments, businesses, philanthropists, and artists, we mobilize real commitments in real time to help end extreme poverty.”
Part of a Growing Global Movement
Global Citizen NOW has grown into a global platform for action. In 2025, the summit took place in cities including Detroit, Sevilla, Amazonia, and Johannesburg, connecting local priorities to global solutions.
In 2026, it continues to expand, creating more opportunities for leaders to step up and for citizens everywhere to be part of the movement driving change.
“Culture can be a catalytic tool to inspire change, and it’s an honor to stand with an international movement that recognizes the collective power of dreams and purpose,” said Common, Global Citizen Ambassador. “I’ve long advocated for education and justice, knowing them to be critical pathways that hold the power to transform life outcomes. This spring, I look forward to taking the Global Citizen NOW stage alongside changemakers across activism, business, policy, philanthropy, and the arts to drive real, lasting impact in communities at home and around the world.”
Ending extreme poverty isn’t just about what happens on stage, it’s about what happens next.
Global Citizen NOW is supported by major partners Authentic Brands Group, Bridgewater Associates, Cisco, Delta Air Lines, IHC, MetLife, PayPal, and P&G.