International music and film
stars will headline a globally televised and streamed
fundraising concert on Saturday to help fight Covid-19 as part
of a joint initiative by the advocacy group Global Citizen and
the European Commission.
The initiative, called "Global Goal: Unite For Our Future,"
is aiming to raise billions of dollars in private and public
donations to help lessen the impact of the pandemic on
marginalised communities.
Speaking at an online panel ahead of the event, pop star
Miley Cyrus said the pandemic was hitting the world's poor and
marginalised people the hardest.
She urged donors committing
funds for tests, treatments and vaccines to ensure they are
developed in ways that everyone everywhere has access to them.
Researchers and drugmakers across the globe are working on
more than 100 potential vaccines against Covid-19, which has so
far killed more than 463 000 people.
Hosted by actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, the virtual
concert will feature Cyrus, Chloe x Halle, Christine and the
Queens, Coldplay and Shakira and others, and include actors
Charlize Theron and Hugh Jackman as well as retired soccer star
David Beckham.
"We need our world leaders to commit the billions of dollars
needed to develop and equitably deliver testing, treatments and
vaccines,” said Hugh Evans, Global Citizen's chief executive.
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said the
concert would coincide with a pledging summit, at which artists,
scientists and world leaders will "commit to helping the world
end coronavirus, while leaving no one behind."
The EU is increasingly taking a role as a champion of global
cooperation in efforts to control and end the pandemic of
Covid-19 caused by the novel coronavirus, while the United
States and China are focused more on national initiatives.