This blog is by Richard Branson.
It was so brilliant to celebrate Virgin Unite’s 20th anniversary at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch, and we had a very special announcement up our sleeve!
Nile Rodgers joined me on stage to announce that we are teaming up to help the next generation of leaders tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues – from climate change to criminal justice reform. Our not-for-profit Virgin Unite will be collaborating with the brilliant We Are Family Foundation, which was co-founded by Nile. I’m thrilled to say we will also continue to work with Big Change (the education charity set up by my kids, Holly and Sam) and One Young World.
Early on in my career, I learnt that great things happen when you bring brilliant minds together. This means minds from all ages and walks of life. I believe that intergenerational collaboration is the best way to tackle the world’s biggest problems. Nile and I know this well, as we were both youth activists ourselves back in the day. When I was 16, I started Student Magazine to give young people a voice and educate them on global issues from LGBTQ+ rights to the Vietnam and Biafra wars.
At the same age, Nile was a member of the Black Panthers in the Harlem branch in New York City working as a community organiser fighting systemic racism, inequity and injustice. Their biggest accomplishment was the Breakfast for Children program, which provided free breakfasts before school and was subsequently adopted by all public schools in the United States. How incredible.
This collaboration with Virgin Unite and the We Are Family Foundation will support young changemakers who have diverse experiences and ideas, and deserve for them to be heard. We’ll create a space for them to work together, and give young people a louder voice during important global moments. We’ll also work to give them a seat at the table when it comes to solving the issues that will impact their generations the most.
To mark this exciting moment and to reflect on the past 20 years of Virgin Unite’s work as a positive disruptor in the world, Nile Rodgers & CHIC lit up the stage with a stunning performance, in a beautiful setting too. Our paths have crossed musically a few times over the years, from David Bowie to Madonna to Sister Sledge. I also had to thank Nile for producing Like a Virgin – the song has had a big impact on my life… as you might imagine!
Thank you to everyone who has been connected to Virgin Unite and has helped us challenge some of the world’s toughest issues over the years. It has been an enormous collective effort. The impact is exceptional, because the people are too.
I’m looking forward to the work that is yet to come – particularly this focus on intergenerational collaboration. The problems we face today mean it has never been more important to put young people at the heart of every solution we come up with. We owe it to our children, our grandchildren, and the generations to come.
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