The Burkle Global Impact Initiative, which works within the creative community to educate and inform the public about international and humanitarian affairs, helped produce a video for the United Nations Climate Summit that took place Tuesday in New York. The short piece features United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, environmental activists and a roster of celebrities calling for action on climate change.
The video was widely circulated on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook in the lead-up to the summit and was displayed on the Times Square jumbo screen Monday to garner support for the summit.
Established in early 2013, BGI engages the entire entertainment industry — including film, television, digital, publishing, live performance and music — to address and promote critical global, humanitarian and advocacy issues. The initiative is housed at the UCLA Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations.
“I’m delighted that BGI is able to support the work of this summit, which addresses a critically important issue that requires a global response,” said Kal Raustiala, professor of law and director of the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations, of which BGI is a part.
During the past year, BGI has helped produce a public service announcement for the new USAID campaign, “Let Girls Learn”; conducted research on the Millennium Development Goals for documentaries shown on the “Chance of a Lifetime” reality television show; and teamed with Film Independent to create the Film Independent Humanitarian Award, the first of which was presented to Ted Turner last June.
The most recent video, which emphasizes the urgent need for action on climate change, features film stars Antonio Banderas, Robin Wright and Ed Norton; supermodel Giselle Bündchen; astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield; and renowned primatologist Jane Goodall.
This story was adapted from one posted on the UCLA International Institute website.