Impossible choices are being made every single day by the more than 125 million people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance around the globe. To spark action ahead of the first-ever World Humanitarian summit, the United Nations (UN) has launched a global, interactive digital experience that aims to inspire commitment to meaningful change in the name of humanity.
The digital challenge at Impossible Choices.org features a three-minute, online journey based on real experiences people in crises often face. At the end of the online experience, users can share results across their respective social platforms and call upon global leadership to attend the Summit, and take bold action.
“Arguably one of the most powerful tools at our disposal today is social media – it can give a voice to the voiceless, create instant awareness and drive change in ways never before seen around the world,” said Stephen O’Brien, UN Humanitarian Chief. “With Impossible Choices, we are calling upon the digitally-connected to help create a movement towards showing world leaders that the world is looking to them to make bold decisions and act for the good of humanity.”
Celebrity influencers have also joined the call to action with a powerful short film highlighting the current global humanitarian crisis. Global stars, including Daniel Craig, Forest Whitaker, Rosario Dawson, Cody Simpson, Big Sean, Michael Douglas, Alfre Woodard, Yara Shahidi, Mallika Sherawat, Catarina Furtado and Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, speak passionately to the current refugee crisis and, together with thought-provoking footage of the ongoing plight of displaced people, address the core struggles and impossible choices being faced daily by men, women and children around the globe who are homeless, without healthcare or education and being subjected to constant violence.
The announcements will be broadcast on Turkish Airlines flights, a World Humanitarian Summit Sponsor, and across social media throughout the month of May leading up to the Summit.
In an effort to ensure the campaign maintains the most authentic possible voice, the UN has also appointed 20 Champions for Humanity, a group of influential individuals – from CEOs to photographers, philanthropists to entertainers – to kick-off the Impossible Choices campaign and gather support from within their networks.
Today is just the start. Impossible Choices aims to build momentum towards the World Humanitarian Summit, set to take place in Istanbul from May 23 – 24. The Summit is the result of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's three years of consultations with more than 23,000 people in 150 countries. It will bring together heads of state, business leaders, civil society representatives, and humanitarian workers to create clear, actionable goals for change, grounded in the one value that unites us all: our common humanity.
For more information about the World Humanitarian Summit, go to www.worldhumanitariansummit.org. To take Impossible Choices the three-minute challenge, go to www.impossiblechoices.org.
