User:Riptonsunshine/sandbox

Michael Sheldrick
Born	(1988-06-10) June 10, 1988 Perth, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Occupation(s)	Author and policy entrepreneur
Known for	Addressing global challenges

Michael Sheldrick (born June 10, 1988) is an Australian author and policy entrepreneur known for his work in addressing global challenges such as extreme poverty, global health and climate change. He is the co-founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer at Global Citizen, where he has worked with governments, businesses, foundations, the artist community, and everyday citizens to distribute more than $40 billion globally over the past decade. Sheldrick is the author of From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World, which features a Foreword by United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre Elba. The book has also received other endorsements including from British rock band and philanthropists Coldplay.

Early life and education

Sheldrick was born in Perth, Australia and is said to have struggled academically growing up. He was once enrolled in special education classes and was told by a teacher that he probably wouldn't make it to university. He credits two high-school teachers (from Clarkson Community High School and Mindarie Senior College) and the guidance of his university lecturers for pushing him to overcome learning difficulties. In 2012, he was named "human tornado" by PerthNow due to his dedication to turn ideas into action. Sheldrick graduated from The University of Western Australia in 2013, with a combined degree in law and arts, majoring in political science and international relations. He became the young Western Australian of the Year in 2013 for his work as a community activist and social justice campaigner.

Notable contributions and impact

Polio eradication

Sheldrick has played a critical role in the efforts of polio eradication advocacy in Australia, which has been recognized by the Australian Parliament. While still a student at the University of Western Australia, Sheldrick co-founded Global Poverty Project, now known as Global Citizen, in 2008 along with Hugh Evans and Simon Moss. In 2011, he had written a letter to then-Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, which prompted her to meet him and then agreed to put The End of Polio campaign on the agenda of the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Despite being warned by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that the doors to the Australian government's aid budget had been long closed, Sheldrick managed to secure a $50 million contribution from the Australian Government and nearly $70 million from other world leaders. In 2015, Sheldrick is also said to have contacted the then-Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat which led to Malta’s initiative to boost awareness needed for the international community to take further action against Polio.

Collaboration with the WHO

As the Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer at Global Citizen, Sheldrick leads the policy efforts at the organization including its partnership with the World Health Organization. In June 2013, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the main objectives to support global efforts to overcome inequities in public health. This follows WHO’s collaboration with Global Citizen on multiple campaigns including One World: Together At Home, which raised almost US$128 million.

Work in Africa

Sheldrick's work has garnered international attention and recognition, particularly in the African continent. In 2018, Global Citizen launched“Global Citizen Festival - Mandela 100”to celebrate the centennial birthday of Nelson Mandela, which galvanized 16 governments, eight international organizations, and 12 corporations to make financial and political commitments to work in a collaborative manner to tackle poverty. During the same year, he also traveled to Senegal with Rhianna to petition for US$2.3 billion to support education in developing countries. In 2019, Sheldrick participated in the Global Goal Live: Nigeria Policy Forum in Lagos which focused on working with private sector philanthropy and government to achieve the SDGs and end poverty. In 2022, the Global Citizen Festival in Ghana’s Black Star Square spurred the establishment of an "Africa Prosperity Fund", a $1 billion development funding pledge compiled solely by African governments and launched jointly by the governments of Ghana and South Africa. Sheldrick believes Ghana’s success symbolizes what is achievable, as the country has seen great success in reducing poverty, building institutions, providing healthcare and education.

Climate action

Sheldrick believes that addressing climate change and ending extreme poverty are two sides of one coin. He argues that the current hunger crisis is a result of poor governance and decades of poor choices that has left farmers ill-equipped, and that the climate and food crises are intertwined and that global governmental leaders must proactively intervene. In 2021, Sheldrick through Global Citizen partnered with Google, FCB and 360i to create a video of a burning photograph to tap into viewer emotions to protect the planet. In 2023, Global Citizen launched a climate action campaign known as Power Our Planet.