Anyone skimming through the programme for the global coronavirus benefit summit to be held this weekend might be forgiven for doing a slight double-take at the name of one of the co-hosts.
The man lining up beside the usual world leaders, eminent scientists and business magnates such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Wellcome Trust’s Sir Jeremy Farrar and Bill Gates, is from a somewhat different milieu.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the Hollywood A-lister and former wrestling champion, will help host a coronavirus fundraiser with a difference on Saturday afternoon – along with an array of celebrity artists, performers and sport stars including Coldplay, Chris Rock, David Beckham and Hugh Jackman.
The event is a worldwide concert and summit rolled into one as part of the Global Goal: Unite for Our Future campaign launched by the anti-poverty movement Global Citizen with the European Commission. It is calling on governments, corporations and philanthropists to fund the development of Covid-19 therapeutics, tests and vaccines for distribution to everyone, everywhere so that “no one is left behind”.
In a similar way to previous benefit concerts – such as Live Aid and Band Aid – the goal will be not just for countries and philanthropists to raise money, but the general public, too.
It will take place on Saturday June 27 at 3pm Central European Time.
The virtual event is part of a campaign that was launched last month to raise money to fight Covid-19.
Further famous guests include Charlize Theron, Forest Whitaker and Salma Hayek.
One notable absentee from the event and someone who has not joined the EU’s funding drive, is a man who has dabbled in WWE wrestling himself: US President Donald Trump.
Instead, the event will feature performances by chart-topers Christine and the Queens, Shakira, Coldplay, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus.
The virtual festival will be broadcast on channels around the globe, including: ARD, Canal+ Group and RTVE in Europe; Bell Media, CBC, CityTV and Global TV in Canada; NBC and iHeartMedia in the US; Grupo Globo in Brazil; MultiChoice Group and SABC in African countries; and Fuji TV and Star India in Asia.
It will also be live-streamed on the Coronavirus Global Response's website and on the European Commission's social media accounts and can also be viewed on Global Goal Unite's website and its social media accounts, too.
Although details of the event first surfaced last month, the European Commission revealed on Monday who will be appearing at the fundraiser.
“Artists have the power to inspire change. They use their talents to serve great causes. On 27 June, at the ‘Global Goal: Unite for our Future' Summit and Concert, artists, scientists and world leaders will speak with one voice, in a true and rare moment of global unity,” Ms von Der Leyen said in a statement on Tuesday.
“They will commit to helping the world end coronavirus, while leaving no one behind. The European Union is fully committed to ensuring fair access to an affordable vaccine, as soon as possible, for everyone that needs it. United, I know we can make the world a safer place.”
Several online summits have been held to raise funds towards a coronavirus vaccine.
One on June 4 hosted by the UK raised $8.8bn to replenish Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The summit was attended by private and public sector representatives from more than 50 countries, including heads of government from the G7 and G20, and came at a time of greater attention to public health during the current coronavirus outbreak.
Another summit in May hosted by European leaders almost met its target of raising €7.5 billion to discover, produce and distribute the treatment.
