The Global Citizen Live festival raised more than $1.1 billion to combat and mitigate extreme poverty around the globe. The amount was collected after the 24-hour long festival that featured performances from Jennifer Lopez, Coldplay, BTS, Elton John and numerous others.

The event, which was conducted across six continents also collected promises for COVID-19 vaccinations, in addition to monetary assistance, for developing countries. 

France, where the event was hosted right opposite the Eiffel Tower in Paris, pledged 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccinations while companies extended a philanthropist arm and promised plating 157 million trees around the globe.

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Countries like Ireland and Croatia also pledged their contribution towards the COVID-19 vaccine donations. On the other hand, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made strong appeals to the people around the world and pushed for better protection from the disease.

Markle, who was present at the New York site for the event, said in a statement, “This year, the world is expected to produce enough doses to meet the target of vaccinating 70% of people in every single country”, according to reports from Associated Press.

She added, “But it is wrong that so much of the vaccine supply has only gone to just 10 wealthy nations so far, and not everyone else.”

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The United States government also took a step in a similar direction and pledged a monetary contribution of $295 million for humanitarian needs around the world, which were triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Major philanthropic commitments came from the Lego Foundation, which pledged $150 million to support UNICEF and other partners working with children, and Rotary International, which pledged $98 million in grant funding in 2022.

During Global Citizen Live, more than a dozen corporations, including Proctor & Gamble, Starbucks, Delta Air Lines, American Express and Citi, joined the Race to Zero Campaign, which seeks to reduce net carbon emissions around the world to zero by 2050.

(With AP inputs)