NYC Impact Event This Week, VIP Tickets for Move Afrika Lagos, Reflections from Davos, and More
This week’s newsletter highlights Global Citizen’s campaigns from Davos, the upcoming NYC Impact Roadshow this Wednesday, how you can secure your VIP tickets for Move Afrika in Lagos, and more!
Dear Friends and Supporters,
A great deal has transpired since my last newsletter, especially regarding U.S. policies that affect not only Americans but the world at large. Over the coming week, the Global Citizen team and I will examine how these developments could impact crucial, life-saving programs.
In the meantime, here are a few updates (with a special surprise right at the end!).
Oh, and happy Lunar New Year this week as we welcome the Year of the Snake! It’s an especially big one for my family, as both my mum and my wife share this lunar zodiac sign.
You're Invited: Global Citizen NYC Impact Roadshow – January 29!
For those of you based in New York, please join Global Citizen for an unforgettable evening at the Global Citizen NYC Impact Roadshow this Wednesday, January 29th, 2025, at 6:30 PM ET.
Global Citizen will be bringing together it’s closest friends and supporters to celebrate the impact supporters have helped create and to unveil bold new campaigns and opportunities for change in 2025. Last year’s event welcomed influential leaders from top corporations, NYC officials, global partners, artists, talent agencies, record labels, and more—and this year promises to be even bigger.
Don’t miss this chance to connect, collaborate, and be part of something extraordinary.
If you’ll be in town and want to join us, contact Kellen at kellen.edmondson@globalpovertyproject.com for further details. We’d love to have you there!
Global Citizen’s Move Afrika is Coming to Lagos, VIP Tickets Available Now!
Mark your calendars for February 25th, as EGOT-winning artist John Legend headlines this unforgettable event. Move Afrika celebrates Africa’s creative economy, driving job creation and entrepreneurship.
Explore VIP packages and join the movement—contact +234 201 330 9299 for tickets or reach out to Iphie Chuks-Adizue at iphie.chuksadizue@globalcitizen.org for partnerships.
Shaping the Agenda in Davos Last Week
To drive real, lasting change, you need to be where power resides. That’s why, last week, Global Citizen joined world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos to address some of humanity’s most urgent challenges.
We highlighted three critical campaigns—detailed in my recent Forbes piece:
Saving 8 Million Lives: Partnering with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide life-saving vaccines for children worldwide.
Powering Africa’s Future: Collaborating with the European Commission and the Government of South Africa to accelerate renewable energy investments across Africa.
Protecting the Amazon: Safeguarding the Amazon rainforest—“the lungs of our planet”—from destruction.
Throughout the week, I spoke with Sky News Australia about how Australians could save 150,000 lives in the Asia-Pacific region over the next five years for just the cost of three coffees per person annually. We teamed up with Forbes to host an unforgettable performance by Aloe Blacc and Wyclef Jean. We also met with various partners to advance our campaigns, and I had the honor of exchanging books with Nobel Peace Laureate - and Bangladesh’s Acting Leader - Professor Muhammad Yunus.
One of the standout moments was a private dinner featuring an exceptional performance by our guest of honor, Andrea Bocelli. There, we had a chance to discuss our Protect the Amazon campaign with David Beckham and our Brazilian colleagues at Re:wild. (David joked about his ‘fondness’ for Brazilians—fans of England’s national football team will appreciate the humor!)
Championing Women’s Health
Access to sexual and reproductive health services is not just a women’s issue—it’s a global priority with far-reaching economic and social implications. As highlighted in this recent New York Times opinion piece, empowering women through family planning and reproductive health unlocks economic opportunities, reduces poverty, and strengthens communities.
This is why I was excited to join our friends at UNFPA this past Wednesday in Davos at their panel, titled Champions for Reproductive Justice: Business & Private Sector Action on Sexual and Reproductive Health. We explored how businesses can take bold action to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, driving progress for women and girls worldwide.
While on the panel, I was asked how best to engage corporate and political decision-makers. Drawing from my book—and inspired by some of the incredible advocates I interviewed—I offered three key points:
Prioritize Your Ask. Avoid coming in with a “shopping list.” As Prime Minister Mottley of Barbados says, “The moment we ask for everything at once, the game is over.”
Give Credit Where It’s Due. Many decision-makers are taking risks; show them there’s a supportive constituency for what they’ve already done before asking for more.
Ask How You Can Help. Find out how you can be a stronger partner and support them in making the case internally.
Celebrating 25 Years of Impact with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,
This year marks GAVI's 25th anniversary—a remarkable milestone in the fight to ensure every child has access to life-saving vaccines, no matter where they're born. As we reflect on the lives saved and progress made, we also look ahead to the work still to be done. That’s why we’re calling on partners to join us in signing this letter of support to celebrate GAVI’s impact and reaffirm our collective commitment to immunization equity. Sign on here. Together, let’s amplify the call for a healthier, more equitable world.
Become an ACT4FOOD Youth Leader!
ACT4FOOD is recruiting the next generation of Youth Leaders (ages 25–30) to join a global, youth-led community dedicated to creating a fair global food system—one where everyone has access to safe, affordable, and nutritious diets, while protecting nature, addressing climate change, and upholding human rights.
Founded by and for young people, ACT4FOOD ensures youth voices reach global decision-makers. As an ACT4FOOD Youth Leader, you will:
Join a worldwide network of passionate young advocates
Participate in regular Zoom calls with peers around the globe
Collaborate on collective actions and campaigns
Speak out to key decision-makers on urgent food system issues
ACT4FOOD Youth Leaders have represented the movement at major global conferences, including COP and Women Deliver. During your first six months, you’ll take part in a leadership development program featuring expert-led workshops, training sessions, and at-home exercises—all aimed at sharpening your advocacy, communication, and leadership skills.
Ready to help shape a fairer food system? Email joe.skibbens@globalcitizen.org
Want to learn more about ACT4FOOD and who they’re looking for? Visit their website or follow them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Watch for their recruitment posts to stay updated on the Youth Leaders’ collective actions, opportunities, and benefits.
Be part of something bigger—together, we can transform our food systems!
From Ideas to Impact Book Tour
Every once in a while—often on a day when everything seems to be going wrong—I’ll get an email like the one below. As a first-time author, receiving such positive feedback (including every review on Amazon or Goodreads!) might seem like a small thing, but it’s incredibly encouraging. Please keep those comments coming—I’m thrilled the book is resonating.
On that note, “From Ideas to Impact” is currently available in the U.S. for just $15 for a limited time only—essentially two for the price of one - via Barnes & Noble. This offer won’t last (just a few days), so now is the perfect time to grab a copy or two. And if you’re in South Africa, you can still order a signed copy—just follow the details provided here.
One of my first talks of the year was at Middlebury College, where I was honored to receive this thoughtful gift in appreciation - such a thoughtful gift!
Late last year, I was fortunate enough to speak to Nova’s Public Policy Institute in Portugal about what it means to be a policy entrepreneur. Here is a link to the discussion with the institute’s director that has just been posted.
6 Timely Lessons From Benjamin Franklin
As some of you may know, I serve on the board of the Benjamin Franklin House in London. Recently, I was honored to give a virtual toast to celebrate Franklin's 319th birthday—an occasion that happened just days before the inauguration. Inspired by the event, I turned my remarks into an article highlighting six key lessons from Franklin that remain profoundly relevant in today’s divided world. Take a look here.
My Reading & Watching List
I’ve been reflecting on how much leaders shape historic events versus how much they’re shaped by them. World War II offers a particularly striking example. Recently, I started watching a new Netflix documentary on Winston Churchill—one that features previously unseen footage—where historian Jon Meacham points out early on in the series that, although Churchill was far from perfect, if he got one thing right, it was leading Britain through the Second World War.
For a contrasting view, I’ve been listening to the audiobook Dominion by C. J. Sansom—an alternative-history novel that imagines what would have happened if Churchill had not become Prime Minister on May 10, 1940 (the day after the pivotal meeting on May 9, when Neville Chamberlain’s government was losing support). Instead, Sansom’s Britain strikes a hurried settlement with Nazi Germany, triggering a drastically different course of events. It’s a powerful reminder of how one leader’s decisions can alter history.
Churchill himself famously reflected on the significance of that moment, writing in his memoirs:
“I felt as if I were walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial.”
I’ve also been listening to America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War (author unknown/unspecified), which takes place in 1930s America during the lead-up to the war. This book again highlights the extraordinary leadership qualities of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Taken together, these works illustrate how pivotal—and personal—the role of individual leaders can be in shaping our world.
How Switzerland is managing foreign aid at a time of global upheaval
Wall Street’s faltering on climate action opens up opportunity for European banks
WEF: International cooperation flatlined, some hope in climate finance, trade
Federal Reserve withdraws from global regulatory climate change group
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 On a personal note, our daughter Miki just took her first steps. Here is the moment she took one small step…