Happy New Year / Book Update / How We’re Approaching 2024 / Davos

To kick off the year, I've got some exciting 'book updates' plus a preview of how we're looking at this year.

Jan 06, 2024

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. I was blessed to spend the last few weeks with Wendy and Miki while completing final edits on my book manuscript. 2024 is set to be another big year, and I am excited to kick things off with partners in Davos this month.

Over the break, I was shared with this image that appeared in one of the Outrage and Optimism newsletters (Which is a great podcast, too btw!). I thought this image really highlighted the mindset with which we should be approaching our work this year.

Book Update:

Some of you have inquired about an audiobook version of the book, and I'm excited to share that Record Books has acquired the rights to produce the audiobook. Expect its release around the time of the book launch in April.

For those in New York at the month's end, I invite you to attend a pre-launch party on January 30th, graciously hosted by Changing Our World. You can RSVP details using this form here. If you're free, I'd love to have you there! Here are the details:

New Book Pre- Launch Party
Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at 5:30pm
East Midtown, New York
A Celebration with Cocktails and Light Refreshments
Featuring:
Ambassador David Donoghue, Co-Facilitator of the SDG 2030 Agenda Negotiations
Eddie Ndopu, Global Humanitarian
Madge Thomas, Corporate Sustainability Leader
Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait @ UNICEF
And Other Special Guests…

Recognizing that not everyone can attend or resides in New York, I've received inquiries about supporting the book campaign and spreading the word. Here are a few ways you can actively support:

Pre-order the Book: Pre-orders play a crucial role in how Amazon positions the book. You can pre-order here. If you prefer a signed copy, you can also order one here.
Share on LinkedIn and with Friends: Help spread the word by sharing the book on LinkedIn or with your close friends and supporters.
Join the Marketing and Review Committee: If you're keen on spreading the word about the book through various platforms, organizing or hosting book talks, or suggesting media opportunities, your support would be greatly appreciated! We're also looking for volunteers to receive an advance copy of the book and commit to posting a review in sync with the launch. Feel free to contact committee chair Mike Hoffman and me at michael@michaelsheldrick.com and mhoffman@changingourworld.com.
Support Book Giveaways to Grassroots Change Advocates: This book is all about empowering individuals and organizations to drive policy change. Anyone can be a policy entrepreneur; we want more citizens and nonprofits involved. Scott Jackson of Global Impact has joined the book’s marketing committee and graciously set up a Nonprofit fund to distribute copies to nonprofits and advocates globally, ensuring widespread access to the tools outlined in the book. If you'd like to contribute or support this effort, you can donate tax-deductible to Global Impact’s fund here. Alternatively, consider placing a bulk order for your institution, as many have expressed interest in doing so for their colleagues.

I appreciate your support and look forward to sharing this journey with you. Thank you for being part of this exciting moment! The book is filled with inspiring stories and contributions from amazing people and partners, giving me hope that, even in division, a better way is possible, and action is the best antidote to the lack of agency many of us feel. I hope they will inspire many others, providing practical tools and how-to insights about how we can all contribute to the big policy shifts the world needs to see.

2024: Focus on Children

At Davos (Jan 14-19) and other tentpole moments throughout the year, GC’s advocacy will center around the perspective of children and youth who are disproportionately impacted by climate change, extreme poverty, global health inequities, and malnutrition. 25% of the world's population is under 14, meaning a significant portion of the population is impacted by decisions and actions they aren’t responsible for. Thus, each of Global Citizen’s activities this year will be leveraged to highlight children, from our advocacy on food security with the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD) to expanding the Move Afrika initiative and job opportunities across the continent of Africa.

The Countdown to Davos continues!

Global Citizen will have a dedicated space in Davos for bilateral meetings, and my colleagues and I will also be on the ground for informal meetings. Please reach out if you plan on attending the upcoming World Economic Forum, it would be great to catch up and see how we can collaborate this coming year. If you want to get in touch or organize some meetings, please email my colleague Annabel Hogg at annabel.hogg@globalcitizen.org.

Combating Misinformation via the Conversation Clinic

In December, Global Citizen launched the Conversation Clinic — a new multimedia series that explores the barriers preventing girls worldwide from getting the HPV vaccine. The series will dispel myths and combat misinformation by providing young girls with a safe space for questions — and factual answers.

The series kicked off in Rwanda with a video featuring teen girls asking their honest questions about the vaccine. This week, you can watch the second episode of the Conversation Clinic, featuring students from Tanzania — and share the videos with the young people in your life who might have the same questions!

My Weekend Reading List

If you're still looking for books or podcasts to dive into, explore the 16 recommendations I offer for leaders to explore in 2024.

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.

Til next week,

Mick