Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr John Nkengasong, and Head of the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team, Strive Masiyiwa to Address Vaccine Equity and Production Needs to Tackle COVID-19. Ms Bonang Matheba and Nomzamo Mbatha to are set to host th Global Citizen Live on the Great Lawn in Central Park on Sept. 25, 2021.
They join a list of incredible hosts donating their time and talent to this once-in-a-generation, 24-hour worldwide event. This announcement sees the continuation of our partnership between our Global Advocates and the organization, which recently included the Vax Live campaign and global broadcast, which secured 26 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for those who need it most.
“The battle against Covid-19 in Africa is unprecedented and unpredictable. The Africa CDC is calling for a “social contract” – unity in vaccination – I sign a “social contract” to protect myself, my neighbor, my love ones, and my community. Nobody is safe until everybody is safe”. Said Dr Nkengasong”
“As social activists and advocates of goodwill through their respective philanthropic work, Ms. Matheba and Ms. Mbatha’s involvement in Global Citizen Live is a wonderful progression of our partnerships established since our Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 and our recent Vax Live campaigns. We are thrilled to, yet again, continue our social impact work together with Bonang and Nomzamo and to welcome them to this once-in-a-generation event at our Central Park stage on September 25th.” – Chebet Chikumbu, Regional Director, Southern and East Africa.
“The dedication and commitment from Global Citizen to consistently and continually raise the bar when it comes to calling on world leaders and ordinary citizens to take action is remarkable! We will continue to fight for the eradication of extreme poverty, vaccine equity and climate change. The concert is also live from all parts and corners of the globe, which means this is one of its kind and is bound to be groundbreaking in every sense!! Action is commitment.” – Nomzamo Mbatha, social activist/philanthropist and Global Citizen advocate.
Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will also join Global Citizen Live on the Great Lawn of Central Park in New York City as they continue their work with world leaders in pursuit of global vaccine equity, announced international advocacy organization Global Citizen.
Also appearing as part of the global broadcast event are United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed, World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Dr John Nkengasong, African Union Special Envoy and Head of the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team Strive Masiyiwa, Executive Director of the World Food Programme David Beasley, Education Cannot Wait Director Yasmine Sherif, Vivek Maru CEO of Namati, Rotary President-elect Jennifer Jones, SDG Champion and Advocate Eddie Ndopu, President of the Ford Foundation Darren Walker, President of the Paris Peace Forum Steering Committee Trisha Shetty, Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., U.N. Next Generation fellow Valeria Colunga, advocate Eunice Akoth and more.
Performances from Johannesburg will be given by Sho Madjozi and Muzi, performances from Lagos will be given by Tiwa Savage, Davido, Femi Kuti and Made Kuti, while Angelique Kidjo will perform in Paris, and Burna Boy will perform from New York. Local hosts from Nigeria include TV personalities Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and Nancy Isime.
Timed to the UN General Assembly, ahead of the G20 and COP26 Meetings, Global Citizen Live will be a global moment of unity across six continents. Artists, luminaries, dignitaries, and citizens in Lagos, Rio de Janeiro, New York City, Paris, London, Seoul, Los Angeles, Sydney, and more will call on governments, corporations, and philanthropists to make new commitments to defend the planet & defeat poverty, focusing on climate change, vaccine equity, and famine.
Global Citizen Live calls on leaders to deliver by September:
- 1 billion trees planted and preserved to help prevent global temperatures from rising beyond 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels by curbing emissions and supporting 1t.org
- 1 billion vaccines to the poorest countries
- Meals for the 41 million people on the brink of famine
Global Citizen Live events will be broadcast across Africa from Sept. 25, 2021 on television, radio, and online:
- In Nigeria the broadcast will be live on Wazobia Max TV, Wazobia TV (dstv 259), Cool Fm and Nigeria Info radio starting on the 25 September from 6pm West Africa Time.
- In South Africa, the broadcast will be on Monday 27 September on S3 on SABC starting 10pm South Africa Time.
- Multichoice in Africa, Channel
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
