The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Citizen and FC Barcelona Announce Partnership to Beat Extreme Poverty

SAN FRANCISCO (July 23, 2015) – FC Barcelona, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Global Citizen today announced they have joined forces and are launching a campaign called “Beat Extreme Poverty” to further the movement to end extreme poverty. The campaign will engage millions of people to learn about global issues, while taking meaningful actions in support of the world’s poor. 2015 marks a turning point for the future of the planet. At September’s United Nations General Assembly, world leaders will set global goals that will form a roadmap for how we’ll tackle poverty, inequality and climate change. Therefore, FC Barcelona, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Global Citizen’s partnership comes at a crucial time to help make sure millions of people around the world not only understand the goals, but have the opportunity to take effective and meaningful actions.

Speaking to the goals of the partnership, Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans said, "FC Barcelona is much more than a football team, they are a global phenomenon. Sport is one of the most unifying experiences in the world and we look forward to partnering to engage and motivate millions of F.C.B. fans as we unite to beat extreme poverty and become global citizens."

Tom Scott, director of Brand and Campaigns at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said, “the issues affecting people in the developing world – access to basic health care, clean water, nutritious food and proper sanitation – don't make headlines every day. That's why we formed a partnership with Global Citizen. We want to tap into the remarkable generosity we see in the world by sharing information about these issues and ways people can help. The commitment of FC Barcelona and its players to issues affecting the world’s poorest is impressive and embodies the philosophy that FC Barcelona is ‘more than a club’.  After a season of unprecedented success on the pitch we are excited to be partnering with the club off it to engage with their fans and have them join us in becoming global citizens."

FC Barcelona Club President Josep Maria Bartomeu said, “FC Barcelona and its foundation have always been very close to the problems that affect its society. Poverty and Hunger is one of these issues that we want to get more involved in.”

About Football Club Barcelona
FC Barcelona was founded on November 29, 1899 by initiative of a Swiss gentleman called Hans Gamper. Since then the club has grown along with the city around it, and has come to represent Barcelona and Catalonia all around the world. ‘Barça’ now has more members than any other football club in the world and its achievements have also made it one of the most successful. Few clubs have won as many major titles as FCB. These include 5 Champions Leagues, 23 Spanish Ligas, 27 Spanish Copas, 11 Spanish Supercups, 4 European Supercups and 2 Clubs World Cups.

The FC Barcelona Foundation was created in 1994 as the vehicle for FC Barcelona’s corporate social responsibility. At present, its projects are mainly based on the following premises: the use of sports as a core instrument; the fostering of education and the positive values of sport; children as the target beneficiaries and the promotion of Catalonia through Barça. Nowadays the Foundation reaches more than 400,000 beneficiaries all over the world.

About Global Citizen
Global Citizen is a content and campaigning platform where people can learn about and take action on the world’s biggest issues. Global Citizen works in partnership with and supports some of the most effective organizations working to end extreme poverty. Committed to providing the most interesting stories, effective actions and powerful campaigns, Global Citizen aims to unlock the power of every individual to play his or her part in the movement to end extreme poverty in the next 15 years. For more information, visit GlobalCitizen.org and follow @GlblCtzn Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #GlobalCitizen.

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

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