Hugh Evans and Jordan Hewson of Global Citizen sat down with Arianna on HuffPost Live at Davos Thursday to share how HuffPost and Global Citizen are working together to get more young people involved in fighting for global justice.
Hewson, editor of Global Citizen, announced a new feature that will allow HuffPost readers to take action to help eliminate issues like global poverty. After reading articles on HuffPost, readers can sign petitions encouraging action without ever leaving the site. (See an example below.)
“We’re really working against the injustice of extreme poverty,” Hewson said.
Hewson said Global Citizen “empowers people to learn how to contribute their own voice.”
“It’s rarely a privilege we know how to access easily,” she said.
Arianna said the media has “done a terrible job at telling the stories of what is working.”
“We’re committed to putting a lot of energy, recourses into also covering what is working,” Arianna said.
Arianna said there’s nothing “journalistically incorrect” with encouraging people to take action.
The group also discussed the success of the Global Citizen Festival, which took place in New York’s Central Park in September 2014 and was headlined by Jay Z and No Doubt.
“Throughout history we’ve seen how music has been a great driver of movements,” Evans said.
“We need a modern-day anthem,” Evans added, saying the Global Citizens Festival and other events could help bring that anthem to life.
Evans and Arianna said people who may not be committed to a cause can be reached through events like the Global Citizen Festival. She added that we should look to music to help propel movements.
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“In corporate America and in Silicon Valley we have a lot of work to do for women to feel included, to feel like they have a seat at the table, and to have the kind of leadership roles that I’ve experienced.”
Desmond-Hellmann said solving global issues like Ebola isn’t just the responsibility of philanthropists or private companies.
“I think it’s a collaboration… it’s non-governmental organizations, it’s academia, it’s private industry,” she said.
She said the Gates Foundation thinks of its funds “as leverage” for companies to get involved with helping global issues.
Desmond-Hellmann discussed the ongoing Ebola problem, saying the Gates Foundation has made a million investment in fighting the virus. But she said that’s a “small” investment, as the UN said there was a need for .5 billion to help eliminate the disease.
“I don’t think that anybody feels good about the global response to Ebola,” she said.
“We’re focused right now on getting Ebola to zero,” she added. “There continues to be people who are suffering and dying in West Africa.”
Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Interreligious Affairs at the American Jewish Committee, tells HuffPost Live that religion is being manipulated by terrorists.
Desmond-Hellmann said it’s important to focus on health issues in children that can affect quality of life, like the stunting of growth.
“To have a healthy and productive life, it’s not just survival, it’s thriving,” Desmond-Hellmann said.
