Global Citizen Awards, Prizes & Competitions NOW OPEN—Plus What to Read, Watch & Do
Check out these awards, prizes, and competitions now open for applications—plus standout reads and upcoming virtual events.
Dear Friends and Supporters,
A lot is happening right now—new prizes, competitions, and campaigns to check out, plus some standout reads and upcoming virtual events you can plug into.
I’m also so grateful for all the Amazon, Audible, and Goodreads reviews on From Ideas to Impact—keep them coming! They really help others discover the book, especially now when it feels like people are looking for practical, actionable guidance more than ever.
Let’s dive in.
2025 Global Citizen Waislitz Awards applications are now open!
$100K to scale your impact.
The 2025 Global Citizen Waislitz Awards are now open. In partnership with the Waislitz Foundation, Global Citizen is awarding three $100,000 prizes to bold entrepreneurs and changemakers fighting extreme poverty.
Driving measurable results? Pushing boundaries?
Apply by June 8, 1:00 PM EDT:
👉 https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/programs/waislitz-award/
Know someone who should see this? Share on your social channels with the assets and copy provided in this toolkit.
Who’s Rising, Who’s Falling? Your Forecast Could Win $25K + More
Can you forecast the future of the global economy?
Global Citizen and Bridgewater Associates have launched Forecasting the Future: A Modern Economics Challenge—and we’re looking for bold predictions.
As modern mercantilism rises and global cooperation shifts, we’re asking:
Who will lead, who will fall behind—and why?
Top entrants will win $25,000 and be considered for a job or internship at Bridgewater (pending interviews).
Deadline: August 1. Apply now:
👉 https://glblctzn.me/forecastingthefuture
Here’s my two cents.
If you’re thinking about who’s rising, who’s falling, and what actually drives job creation and competitiveness, I recently wrote about the three questions every government should be asking, and which countries are showing the way.
It’s about getting the fundamentals right: agile education systems, smart sector bets, and long-term policy incentives. Check it out and promote on LinkedIn here.
A Message for the UK: Let’s Protect Children, Together
Last week, the British Parliament and London’s iconic Tower Bridge lit up with a simple truth: every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy.
For over 20 years, the UK has helped lead the fight against deadly but preventable diseases through its support for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Thanks to that leadership, more than 1.1 billion children have been protected from deadly diseases, and over 18 million lives have been saved.
But the job isn’t done. Right now, 14.5 million children are still missing out on even the most basic vaccines.
This year, the UK has an oppourtunity to step up and help protect the next generation. We know the UK can be part of this. The British people have done it before. Now is the chance to do it again—for every child, everywhere. To help us support the word, please see our complete set of social media assets here and be sure to tag key UK leaders, including the Prime Minister himself (who is @keirstarmer on Instagram!). Here is one of the video assets:
The Future of Giving Is Changing — Join the Conversation on June 3rd
How can nonprofits get others to give smarter and harness AI for good? That’s what we’ll explore at SDG Inspiration Day 2025, hosted by RELX.
🗓 Tuesday, June 3
🕒 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM BST (drop in anytime - virtual)
🔗 Register here
Key speakers include:
Ban Ki-moon, 8th UN Secretary-General
Sir Lenny Henry, actor & activist
Sarah, Duchess of York, author & humanitarian
I’ll be in conversation with Nathan Chappell, author of Nonprofit AI, on how nonprofits can stay ahead of the curve and adopt AI across a whole range of functions, from marketing, speechwriting, fundraising, and back office admin.
Global Citizen Is Heading to Seville — Big News Coming June 29
The Global Citizen team will be on the ground in Seville, Spain, for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (June 30–July 3).
It’s a major gathering focused on how the world funds solutions to poverty, climate change, and inequality, especially relevant now as things shift so quickly. This is the first time in a decade that the conference is being held, and notably hosted by Spain, one of the few countries stepping up its foreign aid efforts right now.
We’ll be announcing new plans ahead of the conference—stay tuned for June 29.
If you’d like to stay in the loop or receive updates directly, drop a note to james.salazar@globalcitizen.org.
How Ghana’s Live Events Industry Could Redefine Development
And on the subject of foreign aid—and finding new ways to do things—here’s one model that holds potential.
When people ask, “How do we create jobs in Africa?”
One answer they don’t expect is: invest in music, culture, and the live events industry.
But that’s exactly where massive potential lies. To this end, last week, I returned to Ghana, a country rich in creative talent and cultural leadership. We were honored to be welcomed by leaders at the Office of the President to discuss a shared vision for investing in this space as a driver of job creation and economic development, provided the correct policy settings and infrastructure investment are in place. One highlight was touring the soon-to-open Ghana Trade Fair site—a world-class venue for events.
To learn more about the potential of the live events industry, and music more broadly, to be a game-changer for development, check out the recently launched Music Economic Development Initiative. You can also check out some of the impact of this year’s Move Afrika tour here.
New Partners to Scale Up Renewables in Africa
Earlier this month, Global Citizen brought together leaders from government, philanthropy, and business for a high-impact evening hosted by our European Board Chair, Sabrina Elba.
We were thrilled to welcome new partners Genesis Energy Group and TransEnergy Global, and grateful for the continued support of allies like DJ Cuppy and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.
Progress demands bold coalitions—and that’s exactly what we’re building.
More to come very soon! Watch this space for announcements. In the meantime, revisit this panel I hosted last month at Global Citizen NOW on this subject!
My Reading (and listening and watching!) List
Simple Ideas Change the World & What It Takes to Lead with Purpose Michael Sheldrick
The Sausage Sizzle That Started a Movement (a funny profile piece about yours truly!)
Beyond USAID: How to secure funding for sustainability amid a $200 million annual gap
Children die as USAID aid cuts snap a lifeline for the world's most malnourished
Danish aid group exits six countries, slashes more jobs after Trump cuts
Local Actors: Critical for the Future of Effective International Aid, Hardest Hit by the Crisis
How SIDS’ Can Influence the Global North Through Climate Action
Trump 2.5: A Primer (overview of how to navigate these uncertain times; written by my good friend Taufiq Rahim)
Info We Trust: How to Create Value with Data Graphics (Remastered Edition) - was lucky to recently get a copy of this gem!
New Ways for Social Entrepreneurs to Bridge the Capital Gap (a review someone published from a recent book talk.)
🎬 The Quiet Diplomat — A New Film on Ban Ki-moon
If you’ve read From Ideas to Impact, you’ll know a little about Ban Ki-moon’s incredible story from chapter 7. From a war-torn childhood to becoming the eighth UN Secretary-General, his journey is a poignant yet powerful lesson in leadership, service, and global impact.
Now, his story is being told on screen in a new documentary, The Quiet Diplomat. If you’re in Seoul or San Francisco, don’t miss the chance to see it:
📍 Seoul – June 19
RSVP here
📍 San Francisco – June 24
(One day before the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter—at the same historic venue)
Get tickets
Well worth it if you care about purpose-driven leadership, diplomacy, and the long game of global change.
As always, if you’re enjoying the weekly newsletter format, and want even more, you can subscribe to my Substack here where I publish reviews, lists, and articles regularly.
Till next week,
Mick
PS was thrilled to get this feedback about the book tour and that people have found it meaningful. If you felt similar, please don’t forget to leave to leave a review on Amazon, Audible, and Goodreads:
“Michael, this is ACE!! I can’t thank you enough for this. And also just for being so generous with your connections. This is going to sound a bit out there. But you’ve inspired so much in my practice and mission in the last few months. I can’t quite explain it, but I’ve realised my purpose.”
P.P.S. Wanted to flag this admirable group raising funds to ship 25,000 books to kids in South Sudan. If you’re in a position to help—or know someone who might be—feel free to check it out.
Absolutely love the work you and the team are doing. It has been an honor to hear you speak, read your book, and speak to you virtually.