Some personal news, an upcoming campaign launch and the G7 gather in Hiroshima

I'm excited to announce a new book coming out as well as how NGOs can get excited in a forthcoming campaign announcement ahead of President Macron's Summit for a New Global Financing Pact next month.

May 19, 2023

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I’m up late waiting to go live on BBC World Service (6.15am UK time for those who happen to see this). I’ll be talking about the G7 and this open letter on what actions the world’s leaders should adopt as they gather in Hiroshima.

I’m also bringing you this week’s newsletter a day early, as Global Citizen is seeking NGO support sign on for our the next upcoming Power Our Planet campaign announcement - if you’d like to be included, make sure you read on, and submit your NGO name here for inclusion as a supporter!

Otherwise, bringing you all the regular updates his week, from a shoutout in Politco, a long-awaited GC NOW policy recap, and more! Read on to see what we’ve been up to. But first an exciting personal announcement…

Book Announcement

I’m excited to say that I have signed on to publish a book with US Publisher Wiley that is due out next year. It will serve as an entrepreneurial playbook, offering guidance to individuals committed to driving positive change and making a meaningful impact. The book provides practical insights and real-life examples, acting as a guide for creating lasting societal transformations. By distilling key principles, it empowers readers to find common ground and implement disruptive, win-win policy solutions at local, national, and global levels. It covers some interesting case studies of ‘Policy Entrepreneurship’ both from the present and the past. Stay tuned for more details over the coming months (especially as I write the thing during an upcoming busy campaign period!)

NGOs: Sign on to Power Our Planet

As you know Global Citizen launched the year-long Power Our Planet campaign last month, urgently calling for global financial reform to address the converging crises of climate change, hunger, and inequality. Next Tuesday, will see the next announcement. t.

If you and your NGO would like to sign on to join and support the campaign, and be mentioned in the upcoming press release, please make sure to follow the steps here by COB Friday 19 May.

Supporting the campaign will come with event tickets, promotion of your organization at the event, spotlighting the great work of your organization across our social platforms, and more.

Global Citizen in Politico

This week, Global Citizen was mentioned in the Politico PRO health newsletter, on our EU budget paper, where it was named specifically alongside a couple other organizations. You can see the mention below:

CALL FOR MORE EU CASH FOR GLOBAL WORK: As the Commission approaches its mid-term review of the EU’s long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), 24 civil society organizations have drafted a paper outlining their case for increased funding for external action — that’s the work the EU does with the rest of the world. Endorsed by the likes of Aidsfonds, Global Citizen, the European Public Health Alliance and Oxfam, the paper argues that while it won’t be easy to find the extra cash for this work, the EU just isn’t going to meet its lofty ambitions with the current amounts allocated.

GC NOW recap

For those who weren’t able to attend GC NOW, the team have put together a very comprehensive policy-forward recap of the two days of activities here, separated by issue area, and with links to watch each panel on Youtube. Make sure to check it out!

Why Does the G7 Need to Step up on Civic Space?

The yearly G7 Summit is approaching, this time taking place in Hiroshima, and as much as Global Citizen is aiming for specific deliverables and responses from leaders, civic space is notably absent in its work this year. For those of you who follow the G7 Summitry, you probably know that for the last couple of years, the leaders of the 7 largest democratic liberal economies adopted specific Declarations on open societies and civic space issues. This year it seems that will not be the case. With last year’s failure to establish a task force on civic space together with civil society, as was the collective CSO ask, this trend can be seen as the G7 dropping the ball on an issue that is essential for democracy and the liberal values they are upholding. Global Citizen could not just not say anything about this, so the team published this explainer, which you can help amplify by retweeting here. Come on G7! We are not asking for the moon here, just for you to walk the talk.

Global Citizen’s Latest Twitter Space Conversation: Shelter Cities

Some of you may remember (and hopefully have also read) Global Citizen’s explainer on Shelter Cities, which looks to raise awareness on what they are and why they are important to protect Human Rights Defenders that need to flee their home countries. In order to amplify and get deeper into this issue, Global Citizen just held a Twitter Space conversation on this very interesting topic which is also one of our civic space asks: to increase and strengthen the network of cities offering refuge to activists on the run. You can listen to the recording here and please also share among your networks! The conversation features the Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network and activists from Africa and India, and it will certainly make you wonder whether your home city is or could be a Shelter City too.

Benin Just Eliminated a Deadly Disease. This Woman Helped Make It Happen

The World Health Organization announced earlier this week that trachoma, a preventable disease that causes blindness, has officially been eliminated in Benin. Thanks to organizations like Sightsavers, local government leadership, and support networks, the West African nation joins six other African countries in successfully eliminating this disease.

To mark this achievement, Global Citizen published the following interview with Caroline Harper, CEO of Sightsavers - make sure to check it out!

2023 Waislitz Global Citizen Awards

Last week, Global Citizen opened up applications for the 2023 Waislitz Global Citizen Awards! It is calling on entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers who are dedicated to ending extreme poverty to apply.

The Waislitz awards are presented by the Waislitz Foundation and Global Citizen in order to recognize the excellence of individuals in their work to end extreme poverty. The Waislitz Global Citizen Awards are annual cash prizes totaling $250,000: the grand prize is $100,000, and two additional prizes are $75,000 each.

In addition to receiving cash prizes, the winners of the Waislitz Global Citizen Awards will be invited to New York City to attend the Waislitz Global Citizen Award Ceremony and the Global Citizen Festival during the week of the UN General Assembly this September.

Apply today! Applications close May 31, 2023, 20:00 PM EDT

2023 RELX SDG Inspiration Day

On Tuesday, 13 June, 10am-5:30pm BST, join global leaders, including myself, at the 2023 RELX SDG Inspiration Day: Not too late for nature – Biodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Keynote speakers include Dr. Jane Goodall and Ban Ki-moon. The free, virtual event is about connections, knowledge sharing and innovation. Find out more about the event and register here.

Global Citizen is Hiring - Come Work With Them!

Are you or someone you know passionate about our mission, and want to join what will most certainly be another impactful year of action? If so, come work with Global Citizen who is hiring for a Government Relations and Advocacy Manager (Germany).

If this sounds like you, please throw your name in the hat! Or if you know someone who might be a good fit, do share across your networks.

My Weekend Reading List

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 on a regular basis.

All best,

Mick