Why Global Citizens Should Care 
The Global Goal: Unite for Our Future campaign aims to ensure that everyone, everywhere, can access the tools needed to fight COVID-19, including vaccines, tests, and treatments. It's essential that we ensure all people — including people of colour, and the world's most marginalized people — have equal access to health care, to tackle COVID-19 and achieve the UN's Global Goal 3 for health and well-being. Join the movement by taking action here to call on world leaders to support the campaign.

It’s official: On June 27, Global Citizens, scientists, advocates, entertainers, and world leaders will unite for a day of action to drive forward the development and equitable distribution of COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines — working together to ensure that no one is left behind in tackling this pandemic. 

The evening will see Global Goal: Unite for Our Future — The Concert televised and digitally streamed around the world. Hosted by Dwayne Johnson, the concert will feature performances from Chloe x Halle, Christine and the Queens, Coldplay, J Balvin, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber and Quavo, Miley Cyrus, Shakira, Usher, and Yemi Alade. 

But earlier on Saturday, there’s another event that mustn’t be missed: Global Goal: Unite for Our Future — The Summit, which will gather world leaders, corporations, and philanthropists, all announcing new commitments to help develop and distribute the essential tools needed to fight COVID-19, as well as rebuild communities devastated by the pandemic. 

The Summit — starting at 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. CET — will be streamed widely on social media platforms, and you can also tune in here. 

Global Citizens have been calling on world leaders throughout the Global Goal: Unite for Our Future campaign, asking them to commit the billions of dollars needed to deliver testing, treatments, and vaccines to everyone, everywhere. 

And Global Citizens’ efforts have also been supported by some of the world’s leading entertainers — including Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Shakira, Christine and the Queens, and Coldplay. 

Justin Bieber kicked things off on June 11, asking his fellow Canadians to show their support for a global COVID-19 response by urging them to call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to commit new funding, by taking actions with Global Citizen ranging from signing petitions to sending tweets. 

Miley Cyrus joined the effort on June 12, tweeting leaders from Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands to ask them to step up their support for the global efforts. She highlighted the need for a united front when it comes to the disproportionate impact the virus is having on marginalized communities, especially for people of color.

Cyrus heard back from both Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Italy's Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte. 

Sánchez said that Spain’s is a “strong commitment” and added that “unity and multilateral response is the only way forward not to let anyone behind.” 

After thanking Sánchez for his support, Cyrus asked if he’ll be joining The Summit on June 27, to which he said: “Of course, I will be there! June 27 will be a great event. We encourage everyone to join us in this effort.”  

Conte's reply too highlighted Italy's efforts "at the frontline of the fight against COVID-19," and added: "International cooperation and solidarity are key to succeed. Together we will make it, Miley." 

Cyrus has also supported Bieber’s efforts in Canada — reinforcing his call for support to Trudeau.

On June 15, Colombian superstar Shakira also tweeted Canada’s Trudeau, sharing a photo of the pair of them together at Global Citizen Festival Hamburg in 2017.

And on June 16, Coldplay joined the efforts too — calling on Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for his commitment to ensuring the world’s poorest aren’t left behind in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

They too got a response, with Löfven saying that “Sweden is a committed partner. You can count on me on June 27.” 

Following the success with Sweden, Coldplay then extended the call to Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Ireland as well — asking them to help us increase the funding available to end COVID-19. 

On June 22, Christine and the Queens stepped up to join the efforts, calling on Belgium's Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, and France's President Emmanuel Macron. 

Thanks to these, and the considerable efforts of Global Citizens all around the world, dozens of countries and institutions such as the European Investment Bank have joined the European Commission and Global Citizen in uniting global efforts toward putting an end to the COVID-19 pandemic for everyone. 

When the campaign launched back on May 28, a number of countries had already lent support for the cause and others have joined since, including: Germany, France, South Africa, Norway, Canada, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mexico, El Salvador, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Japan, Kuwait, New Zealand, the State of Qatar, Switzerland, Slovenia, Sweden, the Slovak Republic, Singapore, Denmark, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Greece, Iceland, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), India, South Korea, Barbados, and Saint Vincent and Grenadines. Moreover, one of the European Union’s institutions, the European Investment Bank, is also participating in this campaign.

Making appearances will be world leaders including: Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; British Prime Minister Boris Johnson; President of France, Emmanuel Macron; UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres; Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg; Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau; Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern; President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa; and Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

As well as new commitments to the fight to end COVID-19, the Summit will also feature panel discussions and interviews with experts and thought-leaders, moderated by journalists Katie Couric, Mallika Kapur, Morgan Radford, Isha Sesay, and Keir Simmons. 

It will also spotlight the essential scientific reports on progress being made for COVID-19 treatment and vaccine development, and on how these life-saving tools will reach everyone around the world equally. 

Joining the conversation will be leading advocates, including artists and activists Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Miley Cyrus, Angelique Kidjo, and Ken Jeong. 

Meanwhile, experts and thought-leaders including Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Melinda Gates, Dr. Vin Gupta, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Eddie Ndopu, Abiola Oke, Kate Upton, and Justin Verlander, will also share their expertise. 

You can join the Global Goal: Unite for Our Future campaign by taking action here to help ensure everyone, everywhere can access the tools that are vital to putting an end to COVID-19, and mitigate its impacts on the world's most vulnerable people.

You can find out more about COVID-19, what's needed to tackle it, and how it's impacting the lives of people around the world, through our COVID-19 coverage here. 

TopicsGlobal HealthColdplayVaccinesShakiraJustin BieberMiley Cyrusaccess to health careCoronavirusCOVID-19PandemieGesundheitssystemeCOVID-19 TestingGlobal Goal: Unite for Our FutureThe SummitImpfstoffe

Editorial

Defeat Poverty

The Countries Joining 'Global Goal: Unite for Our Future' to Fight COVID-19 for Everyone, Everywhere

By Imogen Calderwood  and  Pia Gralki