Global Citizen NOW urges investment in Sub-Saharan Africa and youth outreach
Global Citizen NOW says it wants 2024 conference attendees to invest long-term in the African continent's fast-growing youth population and increase outreach to young changemakers
NEW YORK — This week's Global Citizen NOW conference featured appeals for long-term investments in the African continent's fast-growing youth population and increased outreach to young changemakers worldwide, as the international advocacy organization seeks to drive resources toward antipoverty causes.
The conflict-riddled international scene has made it even more vital that political, business and philanthropic leaders support education and health care in the least-developed nations, Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans said. Some of the week's biggest asks included up to $6 billion for economic development in Africa and $600 million for a United Nations-administered fund supporting education during emergencies.
“I don’t need to lecture anyone about polarization," Evans told The Associated Press. «But I do think that the corollary of that is that sometimes people can feel completely hopeless and disempowered. My one hope is that our platform continues to stand for clear, decisive, practical actions that citizens can take to change the world for good.”
To further its goals, the two-day conference in New York leaned on the star power of longtime ambassador Hugh Jackman, Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh and Brazilian singer Anitta. Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, even made a previously unpublicized appearance Wednesday to discuss the need for men to actively fight sexism and champion reproductive rights.
“The Walking Dead” and “Black Panther” star Danai Gurira said more Western aid alone is not enough. African nations need
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