In the wake of social distancing, Hollywood’s best stars gather together – apart – in what could be the millennial version of 1985’s Live Aid, amassing the world’s beloved acts while tapping the power of multi-broadcasting.
One World: Together At Home is a joint effort between Global Citizen – an international movement of influencers dedicated to ending extreme poverty in the coming decades – and Lady Gaga, who curated the show. The virtual event will be a mix of musical performances, stand-up stints from comedians, and insights from medical experts who seek to take action against further harms brought about by the coronavirus and applaud the real heroes: the medical workers across the globe.
Stars share their support – and Instagram Lives
Big-name performers are headlining the event, including the multi-awarded singers Billie Eilish, Lizzo, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Martin, and Alanis Morissette. The classics are not taking the back-seat; the program also stars, Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Stevie Wonder.
Celebrities have already pitched in the event. Scandal’s Kerry Washington interviews Dr Nadine Burke Harris about COVID-19, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas hosts a question-and-answer segment with the World Health Organization. Under the social media hashtag #TogetherAtHome, stars like Niall Horan, Hozier, Jennifer Hudson, Jon Batiste, and Noah Cyrus have contributed musical live events that lead to the concert.
Music may not stop the coronavirus, but it will keep one glued to their seats inside their homes – and that’s equally significant. The all-star event will highlight the power of human resilience, celebrating the brave spirit of the health workers who unconditionally commit themselves to the response and recovery of coronavirus patients. One World: At Home Together is scheduled on April 18, running from 8 pm to 10 ET at several U.S. channels, including NBC, ABC, CBS, Bell Media, iHeart, and Viacom. UK’s BBC One will air the program on the following day, April 19. Do watch the show online as well.
Resilience becomes the heart of entertainment
While not exactly a telethon, One World: Together At Home aims to gather funds for the World Health Organization’s Solidarity Fund. The money goes to the purchase of healthcare supplies – including COVID-19 testing kits, masks, gloves, and protective suits – which will be donated to critical countries, especially the poorest ones. So far, the WHO has provided 1.5 million testing kits, hundred-thousand masks, and thousands of face shields, gowns, and gloves across 120 countries.
The first of its own, One World: Together At Home will also break boundaries in the streaming platform, being the first program to be shown in various services – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch. It will also be available in Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Over the past week, Lady Gaga, in collaboration with Global Citizen, has helped raised $35 million, calling on philanthropists and benefactors to pitch in for WHO’s COVID-19 relief. Apple’s Tim Cook, who will feature the event on Apple’s streaming service, will also be donating $10 million to the cause.
A show dedicated to the frontliners, One World: Together At Home will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert. There will also be a digital-only program on April 18, which will be separate from the home broadcast. www.globalcitizen.org ◼
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© This article was first published online in Apr 2020 – World Travel Magazine.