Oprah Winfrey, Common and Charlamagne Tha God are among a cornucopia of entertainers, artists and thought leaders who will host the 24-hour livestream event "The Call to Unite."
Rolling Stone reports that the livestream, which will kick off on Friday at 8 p.m. EST boasts a lineup which includes Julia Roberts, former President George W. Bush, Deepak Chopra, Yo-Yo Ma, Martin Luther King III, Quincy Jones, Questlove and more. Timothy Shriver, who also leads the Special Olympics International Board of Directors, organized the event to inspire solidarity amongst those affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
“The Call to Unite will stand in solidarity with those experiencing pain, fear, loneliness, and grief — and offer hope and support as we build a new future together,” organizers wrote in a press release. “Throughout the event, global leaders will join citizens of the world in sharing practices, lessons, songs, performances, reflections, and more to help us turn the pain of this moment into possibility for tomorrow.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, each celeb will "answer the call in their own way," by performing a song, offering a prayer or sharing a personal reflection.
Viewers of the program will be encouraged to donate to COVID-19 pandemic relief through fundraising platforms GiveDirectly and Points of Light. The event will be livestreamed on The Call To Unite's website and on its partners' channels, which include Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, LinkedIn and SiriusXM Stars channel 109. Spotify will offer clips of the event following the broadcast.
"Today, billions of people around the world are isolated and anxious because of the COVID-19 pandemic — unable to gather with loved ones, go to work, or even mourn those they’ve lost. Still, in this moment of isolation, millions are rising to the occasion by showing each other love and support in countless ways," the press release read. "The Call to Unite is a celebration of those acts of humanity, and an invitation to the world to join in lifting one another in this moment of need. We need each other. Now more than ever."
The official Instagram page for The Call to Unite also released a promotional video, which shared a message of hope and encouraged potential viewers to "#AnswerTheCall."
"There are moments in time when everything changes. This is our moment to answer the call. You may be struggling. You may be scared. But you are not alone. The Call to Unite. 24 hours to come together through stories, insights, meditation, laughter, hip hop, yoga, painting, poetry, sermons, dance, chanting, gospel, rock, swing, drumming, prayer, giving, hope. So join and #answerthecall,” the video’s message read.
The Call To Unite event comes just a few weeks after the World Health Organization's “One World: Together At Home” digital concert, which included performances by Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Elton John among others.