The eagerly awaited Move Afrika occasion is here and hopefully, you have procured your ticket and prepared your dancing shoes as you anticipate to usher in and groove along melodic American rapper and singer, Kendrick Lamar’s electrifying performance. The event which is a few hours away will not only be graced by Grammy Award and Pulitzer prize winner, but also Tanzanian singer Zuchu and Rwandan Bruce Melodie, among others. ALSO READ: Explainer: what you should know about Global Citizen Festival The inaugural event, Move Afrika: Rwanda aims to focus on the need to strengthen health systems, with a specific emphasis on supporting community health workers, and addressing the climate crisis. ALSO READ: Global Citizen VP talks Move Afrika: Rwanda lineup choices, mission Additionally, the occasion also centers mostly on its impact on food security, securing support for smallholder farmers and tackling the lack of access to economic opportunities for future generations. Move Africa, is a new initiative announced by Global Citizen, a five-year large-scale effort to create a first-of-its-kind international music tour across the continent. The Global Citizen is an advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty across the world, and create jobs and economic opportunities for young Africans. Being a Global Citizen means believing that extreme poverty can be eliminated, and that the resources to end it can be mobilized if enough people take action by learning about the systemic inequalities that fuel poverty, racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, and economic inequalities and joining in taking action to overcome these sustainably. Global Citizens recognise the power of advocacy to shine a light on overlooked issues to rally people worldwide and mobilize ongoing support from those that can drive real change including governments, the private sector, philanthropists, and everyday citizens. The organization ensures that the voices of people inspire action to defend the planet, defeat poverty, and demand equity. They post tweets, messages, vote, sign, and call to influence leaders and citizens to act. Furthermore, Global Citizen's advocates as a tool that complements the vital work of on-the-ground organizations to ensure access to food and water, education, health care, and more, for the communities most in need and recognize advocacy as a vital part of the mission not only to respond to humanitarian crises, but to help prevent them in a way that’s long-term and sustainable. The organization works with artists and activists who embrace their vision to end poverty across the world and is under a five-year partnership with the government of Rwanda. According to Liz Agbor-Tabi, the Vice President of Global Policy and Strategic Relationships at Global Citizen, the Rwanda Development Board-RDB being the host partner, the five-year progression intends to build skills, bolster and assist in scale the live music entertainment sector in Rwanda and across the African market. “We are kicking off in Rwanda by 2024, looking to build on two additional markets and by 2025 to scale to five markets with hopes to create a touring circuit which will enable attracting investment, build infrastructure that will promote touring across the African continent African artists, and across the globe.” Marlon Weir, a creative Afriprenuer and a Global Citizen said that the concert is about Rwanda’s image soaring, attracting investors, entrepreneurs, and travelers. For him, the concert is about Rwanda being perceived as a hub for innovation, inclusivity, and a global stage. “For Rwanda’s meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions industry, this is groundbreaking as it validates the infrastructure, organizations, and ability to host major events. It’s a chance to showcase our hospitality and culture to the world.” Weir also stressed that the alliance between Global Citizen and Rwanda seems to be geared towards the direction of instilling responsibilities for the globe, stressing that Africa is not the future but present, thus the opportunity for Rwanda to showcase on a global stage in a positive visionary inclusive way of message and setting. He added that this is all about empowerment and being united in the vision of ‘we are in this all together,’ we have a shared goal and responsibility to make the world as better as it can be, not just for us, but for future generations as well. He added that sustainability, and using green tech, all matter when one thinks of being a global citizen – a reason why Rwanda should champion inventiveness that are already in place such as conservation, tourism, and much more that protects the environment.
