LONDON, GENEVA, NEW YORK, October 19, 2020 – A special edition cover of Sister Sledge’s timeless hit We Are Family will be released in a new and inspiring call for global solidarity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to generate proceeds to address the most pressing global health challenges of our time. The initiative is being launched by The World We Want, the global social impact enterprise, and Kim Sledge, part of the legendary multi-Gold and Platinum recording music group, in benefit of the WHO Foundation, and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This new initiative, being launched ahead of United Nations Day on 24 October, will also be accompanied by a unique video and social media campaign, and sound a bold and hopeful call for solidarity, unity, and collaboration to promote and protect the health and wellbeing for every person on the planet.
A call for solidarity
The inspiration to release a special edition of the classic track came in March 2020 as communities around the world were left reeling from the impact of COVID-19.
Kim Sledge said: “From the doctors and nurses on the front lines, to the paramedics and police, from the midwives and scientists to the carers for the vulnerable, the We Are Family initiative will salute each and every one with a feeling of unity, strength and solidarity in response to the unprecedented challenges the world faces as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.”
“There are many people who motivated me to embark on this new initiative in support of making We Are Family come to life, and who are very dedicated to finding ways to conquer this crisis. They include my close family friend Lou Weisbach, my Mercy Seat Ministry brothers and sisters, and all of the global health workers, scientists, the essential labourers, care givers and emergency personnel around the world who have been working day in night during the pandemic in support of others,” added Kim, a vocalist, philanthropist, novelist, songwriter, producer and Minister.
Using music’s universal power in bringing the world together, the #WeAreFamily campaign is focused on raising awareness on, and much needed resources for, addressing global public health needs, from emergency preparedness, outbreak response, and stronger health systems to promoting mental health and preventing non-communicable diseases.
Natasha Mudhar, founder of The World We Want and the driving force behind the #WeAreFamily campaign, said: “We Are Family is one of the most instantly recognizable anthems in the world. The song carries such an inspiring message of unity and solidarity. We are certain that the We Are Family song and video initiative is being launched at the right time. It is a rallying cry for togetherness, for the strength of our global family. We are all together during these times.”
Special edition version song to support health efforts
The special edition of the classic We Are Family song will be released online for download on 9 November 2020 in conjunction with the opening of the World Health Assembly, at which Kim Sledge is also scheduled to perform the song alongside choral singers from New York to Tonga. A portion of the song’s proceeds will be donated to the WHO Foundation to support the delivery of life-saving health services.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, said: “We Are Family is more than a song. It is a call to action for collaboration and kindness, and a reminder of the strength of family and the importance of coming together to help others in times of need.”
Dr Tedros added: “Now more than ever, communities and individuals all over the world need to heed this message and come together, as a global family, to support each other through this COVID-19 challenge, and to remember that our health and wellbeing is our most precious gift. I am grateful to Kim Sledge and The World We Want for sharing this masterpiece and message of hope with us all. It is only through national unity and global solidarity that we will overcome COVID-19 and ensure people all over the world attain the highest level of health and well-being.”
Join the We Are Family video campaign
In support of the song’s release, a call is being launched today (19 October) for people worldwide to submit videos of themselves singing We Are Family for inclusion in a unique and inspiring compilation video for release on 7 December 2020. This video will honour the incredible work of the frontline workforces risking their lives around to save ours, and all those around the world who have been affected by the pandemic.
To submit sing-along videos to the Special Edition Cover Version of the We Are Family song, the key steps are:
● Record yourself singing We Are Family either alone, or with friends and family, whilst observing physical distancing guidelines.
● Share the video on your favourite social media channel, with the hashtag #WeAreFamily #COVID19 #HealthforAll and tag @WHO, @The_WorldWeWant and @thewhof.
● Upload your video to https://unitystrong.com.
● If you want your video to be considered for inclusion in the global We Are Family video, you will need to share your video by Monday, 30 November 2020.
● Video clips will be selected based on age, geographical diversity, and appropriate physical distancing if the video includes groups of people beyond immediate family members and correct handwashing if singing along to the song while washing hands.
● More details including Terms & Conditions can be found here www.unitystrong.com.
For further information, please contact
The World We Want: WAFmedia@theworldwewant.global
About the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
For updates on COVID-19 and public health advice to protect yourself from coronavirus, visit www.who.int and follow WHO on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube and Twitch.
About The World We Want (WWW)
WWW is a purpose-driven global social impact enterprise, launched to unlock the collective strength of people, ideas, networks and technologies to accelerate the pace of progress towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. WWW achieves this by providing high-level advisory and strategy, executing creative campaigns, launching global communications strategies, and creating sustainable impact through a variety of its own ventures to drive awareness, action, and advocacy for major global issues. WWW is renowned for being at the intersection point of convening governments, private sector, media, celebrity profiles, thought leaders, changemakers, academia and not for profits, to bring visions to life and create pragmatic solutions. The World We Want was Founded by Natasha Mudhar, an SDGs campaigner and advocate who spearheaded the launch of the SDGs in India when they were announced in 2015, to popularise the goals to India’s 1.3bn population and beyond.
For more information visit www.theworldwewant.global and follow The World We Want on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.
About the WHO Foundation
The WHO Foundation is an independent grant-making foundation focused on addressing the most pressing global health challenges of today and tomorrow. By funding high-impact initiatives and advancing strategies of innovation, effectiveness, and rapid response, it will support the global health ecosystem. Headquartered in Geneva and legally independent from the World Health Organization, the Foundation works with individual donors, the general public and corporate partners to strengthen health systems globally and support global public health needs, ranging from the promotion of mental health and wellbeing and beating noncommunicable diseases to investing in emergency preparedness, infectious disease outbreak response and health system strengthening.
For more information visit www.whofoundationproject.org and follow WHO Foundation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram