Global Citizen is the world’s largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to getting the world on track to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals and end extreme poverty by 2030. With 10 million monthly advocates, Global Citizens post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call to inspire those who can make things happen to act — government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and citizens — together improving lives. In 2020, with the growing spread of COVID-19, Global Citizen immediately realized that this virus would have a massive impact on the ability to reach the goal of ending extreme poverty. Estimates have stated that the economic impact of COVID-19 could force an additional 150 million people into extreme poverty, and push those who are already struggling into a deeper hole. Global Citizen immediately pivoted their work to lead the global response.

The purpose of the “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future” campaign was to challenge global governments, philanthropists and the private sector to contribute the funds needed to provide tests, treatments and vaccines for everyone, everywhere. The campaign centered on a worldwide pledging summit to anchor the global response to the pandemic, and to mobilize the tens of billions of dollars in the funding still needed to combat COVID-19, make tests, treatments, and vaccines available and protect the world's most fragile health systems and communities. To cap off the effort and drive action, Global Citizen also produced the “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future” broadcast, to celebrate the success of the pledging campaign, raise awareness, and drive further action.

Global Citizen teamed up with the European Commission to implement and execute “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future.” Along with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Global Citizen worked with dozens of governments, officials, philanthropists, and corporate leaders to educate them on COVID-19, detail the desperate need to ensure that everyone, everyone would have access to treatment and care, and the need for a unified global response. In addition to their worldwide advocacy efforts, Global Citizen was also working around the clock to produce the “Global Goal” broadcast special. At that point in the year, audiences had been stuck at home for three months. For the look of the special, Global Citizen wanted to take performances out of people’s bedrooms and find unique shooting locations that could also handle social distancing precautions. Thus the special showcased a distinct visual esthetic that highlighted COVID-19’s impact on the world.

Combining policy and entertainment, “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future” aired in more than 180 countries, and streamed globally across YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. The campaign brought together 41 governments including Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Italy, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Russian Federation, South Korea, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, State of Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. The campaign also included key philanthropic and corporate commitments.

After the pledging campaign and summit, the broadcast was hosted by Dwayne Johnson and featured performances by Coldplay, J Balvin, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber and Quavo, Lin-Manuel Miranda and select members of the Original Broadway Production of HAMILTON with Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Miley Cyrus, Shakira, Usher and more.

“Global Goal: Unite for Our Future” mobilized $6.9 billion toward ensuring everyone, everywhere would have access to COVID-19 treatments. $1.5 billion of the funds went to address the health-related impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the broader effects of the pandemic on those living in poverty; and $5.4 billion were committed in loans and guarantees to support the world’s most fragile economies. Because of this effort, the goal is for 250 million vaccine doses to be made available to the world's poorest countries. The “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future” campaign also brought together a historic coalition of global leaders in the service of a single goal - addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Up until this point, the world’s pandemic response was largely focused on individual countries’ suppression methods. This was the first time the world came together in such a public manner to address it.