The star-studded global event rallied people to take action on some of the world’s most urgent problems

by Ryan Hyland

Rotary International President-elect Jennifer Jones took the stage at the Global Citizen Live concert on 25 September in Paris, France, and pledged $97 million in grant funding from the organization next year for sustainable, Rotary club-led projects.

Global Citizen Live, a 24-hour broadcast with events and performances across six continents, aimed to unite people to take action to defend the planet, end the COVID-19 pandemic, defeat poverty, provide education for all children, and promote equity and justice for all. Some of the world’s top artists, celebrities, activists, and government leaders participated in this year’s event to raise awareness and support in cities including Paris; Lagos, Nigeria; London, UK; Los Angeles, USA; New York City, USA; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Seoul, Korea; and Sydney, Australia.

In Paris, where Jones pledged Rotary’s support, thousands of people gathered at the iconic Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower to see performances from Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Black Eyed Peas, Christine and the Queens, Doja Cat, Angélique Kidjo, and more. Other leaders pledging support included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. 

“Every day millions of girls walk miles to fetch clean water, and millions of boys are on the streets instead of going to school. Every day moms and dads struggle to find ways to feed their children,” Jones said from the main stage in Paris. “And every day, members of Rotary and Global Citizen start our days knowing that we can make a difference.” 

“This year we’re putting a special focus on empowering girls worldwide, opening doors for young women to build brighter futures,” Jones said. “Today Rotary is committed to helping end poverty globally and protecting the planet by pledging $97 million in grant funding during 2022 for sustainable, member-led projects.”

She added: “We stand together with Global Citizen as people of purpose, people of action.”

Rotary has worked with Global Citizen for a more than decade, primarily regarding the effort to eradicate polio worldwide. At the 2012 Global Citizen event in New York City, Rotary General Secretary John Hewko and celebrity ambassador Archie Panjabi announced Rotary’s $75 million commitment to polio eradication. Rotary and Global Citizen have also connected at Rotary International Conventions, the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meetings, polio advocacy events, and polio funding announcements. 

In total, more than $1.1 billion in commitments, 157 million trees to be planted, and 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be donated to developing countries were announced in conjunction with the 25 September event.

Editors Note: This is the first of five articles highlighting Rotary projects around the world.

Many low-income residents of Porirua, a suburb of Wellington, struggle to connect with agencies that assist with food, housing, employment, and matters related to family and finances. In the eastern part of the town, “the communities have large populations of Maori and Pacific families, and many are unable to access the information because of lack of computers, or language barriers,” says June Murugan, immediate past president of the Rotary Club of Porirua. “Families find themselves left behind, often frustrated and unable to fully participate in society.” 

To remedy that, in March the club helped open a satellite branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau, a national service network, to serve that population on a one-on-one basis. The club’s $3,000 outlay for the initiative was matched by a grant from District 9940.