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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have joined the star-studded lineup for Global Citizen’s VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World. It was announced on Tuesday that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are serving as campaign chairs of VAX LIVE and will deliver an important global message for vaccine equity during the music event. The California-based royals have also been leading a coordinated drive across the private sector to raise critical funds for the vaccine-sharing program COVAX to help ensure equitable access to the vaccine.
“Over the past year, our world has experienced pain, loss, and struggle—together. Now we need to recover and heal—together. We can’t leave anybody behind. We will all benefit, we will all be safer, when everyone everywhere has equal access to the vaccine. We must pursue equitable vaccine distribution, and in that, restore faith in our common humanity. This mission couldn’t be more critical or important,” Meghan and Harry said in a joint statement.
Selena Gomez is set to host VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World, which will feature performances by Jennifer Lopez , Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin, and H.E.R., as well as appearances by Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, David Letterman, Gayle King, Jimmy Kimmel, Nomzamo Mbatha, Olivia Munn, Sean Penn, President Macron of France, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, and Prime Minister Plenković of Croatia.
President Joe Biden , First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will also be making a special appearance as part of Global Citizen’s partnership with the White House’s “We Can Do This” initiative to increase public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, while reinforcing basic prevention measures like mask wearing and social distancing.
The VAX LIVE campaign is calling on businesses to donate dollars for doses, G7 governments to share excess doses immediately, and for pharmaceutical companies like Moderna to make vaccines available at not-for-profit prices.
VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World will be taped before an audience of vaccinated frontline healthcare and essential workers on May 2 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The concert will air and livestream May 8 on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App, at 8 p.m. ET, as well as on FOX at 11 p.m.