Why Global Citizens Should Care
Global Citizen’s Recovery Plan for the World campaign will call on the international community to get us back on track to achieving the Global Goals by 2030 by advocating for an equitable global COVID-19 recovery. You can join us and take action to support the campaign here.

Global Citizen — with support from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and the World Health Organization (WHO) — launched the year-long global campaign Recovery Plan for the World on Tuesday to help end COVID-19 for all.

Featuring artist, songwriter, and activist Billie Eilish, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the WHO’s Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Global Citizen Ambassador Hugh Jackman, and many more, the special media event set the stage for the world to unite to end the pandemic and get the world back on track to meet the United Nations’ Global Goals.

The Recovery Plan for the World campaign has received international support from every level of society with more than 35 leaders representing government, philanthropy, and life-saving organizations pledging to ensure no one is left behind during this pandemic.

Artists and leaders alike stated that the world can only beat this pandemic if together we unite to protect vulnerable populations, and urgently fund the ACT-Accelerator to ensure vaccines and testing remain ready and available to everyone, everywhere — especially those in countries with weaker health systems. Messages of support also called on the world to ensure every child has access to education, that we respond urgently to the climate emergency, and strive toward an equitable world.

“This is not an act of charity, this is in all of our interest ... There is no safety without equity,” said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen.

Here’s a list of the most inspirational quotes from global leaders ready to take action to get the world back on track in support of the Recovery Plan for the World.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

"Global Citizen has been a leading force in bringing together civil society and the private sector. We need citizens of the world to mobilize again. We need out-of-the-box thinking, and using all means available. This is why I’m proud to support, as president of the European Commission, the new Global Citizen campaign called 'Recovery Plan for the World.'"

Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa

“South Africa is proud to be one of the supporting countries for the five-point Recovery Plan by Global Citizen under the patronage of the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and in partnership with Italy, the G20 Chair. The urgency to get a vaccine to everyone, everywhere cannot be underestimated. As a country we will be joining efforts to help the world recover better by ending the pandemic as a priority, addressing food security and hunger, getting all our children back to school, addressing climate change and protecting the most marginalized. We must ensure that no one is left behind.”

Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain

“We are at the beginning of a year with plenty of challenges: Along with the pandemic, we cannot forget to protect the planet, fight hunger, foster education worldwide, or promote equality. These will also lead the activities of Global Citizen in 2021. This is why Spain wants to support Global Citizen in our common efforts to make this world better every day. I invite you all to raise your voice and take action together to support change.”

Emmanuel Macron, President of France

"The emergence of new variants, which degrade the efficacy of some vaccines, only confirms the initial intuition behind the ACT-A initiative: This pandemic is being fought on a global scale, to the extent that our own health security depends on the rapid access of poor countries to protective devices, tests, and vaccines. These are all bulwarks against the virus. International solidarity and health security go hand in hand, which is why I have proposed the establishment of a mechanism for sharing doses with our African partners."

Volkan Bozkır, President of the United Nations General Assembly 

"During this pandemic, the most vulnerable have been the hardest hit ... We must increase our resilience. We must work together and take an integrated approach to health, hunger, climate, and equity crisis — no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe."

Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand

"COVID-19 highlights how truly interdependent we all are. How reliant we are on cooperation, communication, and compassion to successfully combat the virus. It highlights how important it is that we work together for a sustainable recovery that delivers for our economies and our planet.”

Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

“We are encouraged by the rollout of safe and effective vaccines, but the truth is simple: No person is safe until all — everyone, everywhere — are safe, and no country is safe until all countries are safe. Only by working together can we ensure that no one is left behind. Only by working together can we recover better and build a world where everyone thrives in peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet. It is possible, together.”

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization

"COVID-19 has threatened the lives and livelihoods of everyone on the planet. To respond, we must take several urgent actions. The only way that we'll be able to recover better, together, is by defeating the virus everywhere through universal access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. At the same time, we must mobilize response and recovery aid to address the pandemic's significant socioeconomic consequences, such as disruptions to food and education systems. I commend Global Citizen for raising awareness on these issues and playing an important role in promoting global solidarity to counter the pandemic.”

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

“The COVID-19 pandemic once again reminds us: Global crises require global solutions. We must act together to end the pandemic. And we must not forget those who are affected by extreme poverty and hunger. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are, and will remain, our compass for a better world. This is why, in 2021, Germany will continue to actively work toward the achievement of the Global Goals.”

Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium

“As a country of vaccine producers, Belgium knows first-hand how important they are. That is why we are stepping up our support to make the COVID-19 vaccines available worldwide. We need to assure everybody is safe if we want to recover better together — an aim I share with this campaign from Global Citizen.”

Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway

“No one is safe until everyone is safe. The recent mutations prove this beyond doubt. This is not only about health; it is also about the economy. The investments needed in vaccines are considerable, yet they are minimal compared to the costs of economic downturn.”

Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia

"We live in times when solidarity and international cooperation are needed more than ever. The ongoing pandemic has irreversibly changed our lives. It has touched everyone, but the impact on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable is especially dire. Multi-stakeholder action is vital, not only to ensure access to vaccines for all, but also to recover better together, while promoting equity and sustainable development. This is why I offer my and Croatia's strong support to the Global Citizen campaign and its five-point Recovery Plan, launched in partnership with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the World Health Organization. We look forward to continuing to work together at European and global levels."

Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

"Saint Vincent and the Grenadines endorses the 2021 Global Citizen's Recovery Plan for the World campaign. We must work together in solidarity for equitable vaccine access, to build immunity everywhere, and to enhance resilience and climate compliance."

António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal

“Promoting global health is one of the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union. All have to be equal in a universal, fair, and quality access to health. Universal and affordable access to vaccines is essential if we are to resume our lives in full. The Portuguese Presidency will support all efforts towards that goal, in initiatives such as COVAX and the ACT-Accelerator. Vaccination against the virus must go hand in hand with another vaccine, depending only on us: the vaccine of action! We cannot simply wait for the crisis to pass. There is no time to lose. It's time to act!”

Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore

“Global solidarity is essential to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Our collective efforts to keep supply chains open, and ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines, are the first steps toward a more sustainable recovery for all.”

Micheál Martin, Taoiseach of Ireland

“The UN Sustainable Development Goals are our roadmap. Today, I can assure you that Ireland is playing its part — on the UN Security Council, as part of Team Europe, and as a solid and reliable bilateral partner — in global efforts to recover better together.”

Antony J. Blinken, US Secretary of State

"The most urgent problem we face right now is the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to get it under control, and we need to invest in global health to stop pandemics like this from happening ever again."

Robert Abela, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta

“During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Malta has striven to ensure that all people requiring medical attention receive the necessary health care services.. Nevertheless, the world cannot return to normal if the pandemic is not controlled everywhere. Malta thus reiterates the call to foster a climate of cooperation and trust between states, to collectively take action to implement the five goals of the Recovery Plan for the World effort.”

Learn More About the Recovery Plan for the World

A true recovery from COVID-19 can only happen if everyone, everywhere has access to testing, treatments, and vaccines. Now, more than ever, the voices of Global Citizens matter. 

Eradicating poverty requires international cooperation, solidarity, and a shared understanding in order to overcome the systems and beliefs that create it. On Tuesday, Global Citizen launched the Recovery Plan for the World as a roadmap to prosperity and recovery during and following the pandemic, prioritizing health, hunger, education, environment, and equity.

In 2021, we have a chance to make history. Will you join us?

TopicsAdvocacyGlobal GoalsThe World Health OrganizationHugh EvansBillie EilishCOVID-19Access to COVID-19 Tools AcceleratorUrsula von der LeyenRecovery Plan for the World

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18 Inspiring Quotes From World Leaders in Support of the 'Recovery Plan for the World'

By Camille May