Hugh Jackman's Advocacies

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Arefin J
@j_arefin
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1h
Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman attended the Grameen America reception in New York recently to mark the opening of its Manhattan branch. Jackman is a strong supporter of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Remember "Banker to the Poor"?

Prof Yunus is now interim head of the Bangladesh government.


Jo

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More details of the Global Citizen Festival on September 28 hosted by Hugh Jackman et al.

Nomzamo Mbatha set to host this year’s international Global Citizen Festival in New York
28 August 2024 - 07:30
Joy Mphande
Journalist

Nomzamo Mbatha has been announced as one of the presenters set to take centre stage at this year's Global Ciitizen
Nomzamo Mbatha is expected to return to the Global Citizen stage at Central Park’s Great Lawn in New York on September 28.


The South African actress and activist joins Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Bridget Moynahan, Charlamagne Tha God, Danai Gurira, Eric Adjepong, Gavin DeGraw, Jordan Fisher, Kal Penn, Liza Koshy, Doctor Mike Varshavski, Osi Umenyiora, Rachel Brosnahan, Rhett & Link, Sophia Bush and Vladimir Duthiers who have also been confirmed as this year's presenters.


The festival will be hosted by Global Citizen ambassador actor Hugh Jackman, Dr Jane Goodall and Chris Martin of Coldplay, who are expected to make special appearances.


The star-studded lineup also features Benson Boone and Raye, who have been added to the lineup for the 2024 Global Citizen Festival alongside previously announced headliners Post Malone, Doja Cat, Lisa, Jelly Roll and Rauw Alejandro.



In a significant move towards sustainability, the 2024 festival organised by Global Citizen will be entirely powered by a SmartGrid battery system, reducing carbon emissions by replacing diesel generators. This marks one of the first major US festivals to make the shift, supported by Coldplay and other partners.

“Global Citizen Festival has always been about using the power of music and activism to drive real, tangible change. This year we're taking bold steps to protect our planet, from powering our stage with clean energy to advocating for indigenous-led projects that preserve the Amazon and calling for a global fossil fuel bon-proliferation treaty,” said Michael Sheldrick, Global Citizen co-founder and chief policy, impact and government affairs afficer.



“Ending extreme poverty is a responsibility we all share. I’m grateful to be involved in Global Citizen's mission by helping those living in extreme poverty. I hope we can all come together to take action and make a real difference in the world," said Benson.



Ahead of the festival, Global Citizen will participate in a beach clean-up at Jamaica Bay on September 21, coinciding with International Coastal Clean-up Day. Volunteers can earn festival tickets by helping remove trash from the shoreline.

The festival is also advocating for the protection of the Amazon rain forest, calling for $1bn (R17.8bn) in investments to conserve the forest and support its indigenous communities. Additionally, Global Citizen is urging for the signing of the Trees Act in New York to prevent public funds contributing to deforestation.

In line with its environmental goals, Global Citizen is pushing for a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty to phase out fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to clean energy.



Official merchandise for the festival, including collaborations with Doja Cat and Rauw, is available. The festival is presented by Citi and Cisco, with other major partners including Delta Air Lines and PayPal.

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Meditate America Gala Promotes Healthcare Worker Wellbeing

David Lynch Foundation, a nonprofit philanthropic organization and Affiliate of the NIOSH Total Worker Health program, will host a gala event in New York City on September 12, 2024 to celebrate the launch of Meditate America, a national initiative to bring evidence-based meditation to relieve burnout and promote wellbeing for frontline healthcare workers and first responders. Hosted by award-winning actor Hugh Jackman, the event will be held at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Honorees will include United States Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, who will receive the "Enlightened Doctor of the Year” award for his inspiring leadership for Health Workforce Wellbeing and other critical initiatives to promote societal wellbeing. Maria Shriver, global women's health advocate, will be honored as the recipient of the “Enlightened Woman of the Year” award.

The Gala event will feature the work of the Foundation’s Heal the Healers Now program, which has provided instruction in the evidence-based Transcendental Meditation technique to reduce burnout and enhance resilience in frontline healthcare workers in over 100 hospitals nationwide over the past 4 years. Research on the program has been conducted at leading centers including Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Duke University Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, Moffitt Cancer Center, Georgetown University School of Medicine, and other sites. Results from published studies have consistently shown significant improvements in healthcare worker burnout, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and mental wellbeing, with rapid onset of improvement within two weeks. Further information is available at HealTheHealersNow.org.

[jo]

Interview with Hugh -- 10 years ago.

[jo]

It looks like the Global Citizen movement is Hugh Jackman's most important advocacy now!

*Started with his journey to Ethiopia sponsored by World Vision ( which shares a vision towards poverty alleviation with World Vision) which saw him witness extreme poverty at the lowest level - where people depended on the land & the weather to eke out a living

*Delivering a paper to a United Nations special meeting - his paper focusing on how extreme poverty can be eased by giving coffee farmers some slight technology means and fair trade opportunities

*Hosted early meetings of Global Citizen at their Perry St place

*Started his run as Global Citizen Festival host

*A main speaker in their NOW summit in 2023

*Continuing with their mission -- the two Hughs from Australia!





On Sept 28 - hosting the festival again!


Jo

[jo]

But he also works best with kids --

here singing A Million Dreams for the benefit of the Harlem Village Academies --

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And the iconic "This Is Me" --

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At a school library -- did Hugh pose for this as one of his advocacies?


Jo

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Hugh Jackman's role at Global Citizen Movement through the years.

A comprehensive guide on what he can be done further.

www.globalcitizen.org/en/supporter/hugh-jackman

They are getting close to 500 thousand in actions delivered... asking for the public's help to complete 500 K acutions taken.

Jo

[njr]

My friend from Nashville emailed me this. 😂
Is this the guy you like? Hugh Jackman?
Jennifer

I am pleased to share this link with you for what promises to be an extraordinarily entertaining, informative, and inspiring event. This is our global inauguration of Meditate America—an initiative to bring Transcendental Meditation® to millions of Americans through the healthcare system. The livestream is free. I hope you can set aside the time to watch!

​​​​We look forward to sharing this exciting night with you!

Best,


Bob Roth
CEO, David Lynch Foundation
Meditate AmericaThursday, September 12, 2024Watch Free Unable to tune in?Donate Hugh JackmanTony NaderVice AdmiralMaria ShriverDavid LynchFor more info on Transcendental Meditation, visit tm.org or davidlynchfoundation.org
Click below to add this event to your calendar of choice and set a reminder
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© 2024 Maharishi Foundation USA, a non-profit educational organization. All rights reserved. Transcendental Meditation® and TM® are protected trademarks and are used in the U.S. under license or with permission.

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x.com/i/status/1834460928009449920

[jo]

The site has uploaded the presentation hosted by Hugh Jackman and Ben Roth.

live.meditateamerica.org/

I listened to the entire 2 hour and 17 minutes and found it all interesting -- but I got bored with the magician's act.



Just to put this on a personal context for me --

Many, many decades ago, the company I worked with heard about the new practice of Transcendental Meditation and the President of our company ( who was one of the country's most brilliant economists and deep thinkers) decided to invite a group that has started this practice.

We were all invited to take a look at the benefit of mixing " Western pragmatism with Eastern mysticism " and had some sessions.

I remember after the introductory talk, the main speaker started teaching us about TM in practical terms.

We were asked to all lie down on the carpeted floor...and to start to "think of a meadow" on and on and on.

We were told the mantras that we would use... and hopefully, that will bring us to a deep level of consciousness.


Long and short of it -- maybe because I had just come off my MBA Studies & working with a major international bank (NYC) in the USA -- my mind was not receptive - -I was actually skeptical... and so I did not proceed with what was to follow as more sessions.


But maybe something came off that short interaction with the concept of TM

*I became a nature lover -- and the site of greenery and other nature colors has given me a state of being able to think well (logically & creatively) when virtually seeing such a sight.

*the love for service to others ( family/ corporate goals, etc) became a personal and professional hallmark

*it deepened logical thinking while harnessing the creative aspects of the brain.


Transcendental Meditation expert and neuro-scientist Dr.Tony Nader ( as interviewed by Hugh) defined it as " deep physical rest with heightened consciousness"

JO

[jo]

Maria Schriver was the honoree of the evening.

Such a vibrant personality. Now an awarded journalist and advocate for some great causes (incl TM).

Excellent impromptu speaker.

Maybe audiences did not realize early on that she was the ex-wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger. She talked about the time she got separated from her husband and how Bob Roth came to see her to see if TM could help her distressed state then.
But I did remember her early on as a niece of John & Robert Kennedy. Her Dad headed the Peace Corps in JFK's time and IIRC her Mom Eunice seemed to be the most accomplished Kennedy daughter.

Jo

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[njr]

I watched the entire TM special on my iPad. I thought the magician was amazing! How he did what he did I’ll never know! Then at the end was great when they played a faithful cover version of The Beatles/John Lennon song “Across The Universe” - there are 2 versions of that song. One by John for charity and the other done by the Beatles.
World Wildlife Fund version:
youtu.be/iotagMCkJRE?si=eQL6LgDjq4HkqSXW

Beatles version:
youtu.be/90M60PzmxEE?si=KJfbgi-EqYFR7ALA

Nancy

[jo]

From People.com --

Hugh Jackman Explains Why He Practices Transcendental Meditation: 'Every Aspect of My Life Changed' (Exclusive)
The ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ star says he’s been meditating for 31 years

By Cara Lynn Shultz and Mary Park Published on September 13, 2024 03:18PM EDT



Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at the David Lynch Foundation's Meditate America Gala, the actor said he started meditating 31 years ago — back when he was a “younger acting student.”

“I thought it would really help me with my acting. That's why I sort of went and it did,” Jackman tells PEOPLE. "It helps you be more present, more creative, more energized, more able to connect to people.”


“What I realized very quickly is it changed everything in my life into better: My relationships, my sense of who I am, my accountability with who I am — and literally, every aspect of my life changed,” Jackman said.

As the website Transcendental Mediation explains, it's “a simple mental technique, practiced silently with the eyes closed, sitting in any comfortable position.” It’s not “mindfulness” or breathing control, the site says, but rather a practice that “has the potential to transform all areas of your life: mental and physical health, sleep, relationships, cognitive function, self-actualization, and much more.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The Greatest Showman star said that while he tries to keep his enthusiasm for transcendental meditation in check and avoid "converting" people, he can’t help but share his love of meditation with friends.

Hugh Jackman speaks onstage during Marvel Studios: The Ultimate Deadpool & Wolverine Celebration of Life in Hall H at SDCC in San Diego, California on July 25, 2024
Hugh Jackman in July 2024. Jesse Grant/Getty
Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman React to Massive Record-Breaking Opening Weekend Box Office for Deadpool & Wolverine
“I am one of those people [where if] there's something good in my life — could be good restaurant, a good walk, or a beautiful day — I do like to talk to people around me," Jackman told PEOPLE.

He said he tells his friends, “ ‘You gotta check this out.’ I do like to share this. So this is something very dear and important to me.”

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Meditation, he tells PEOPLE, is how he “came back to me," saying it's "very, very deeply wonderful.”

He shared that he meditates on set every day at lunchtime because, as he tells PEOPLE, “when you work on these movies it can be grueling, can be tiring.”
“For me, having that reset at lunchtime, I'll go back in the afternoon, and I can watch people on set, sometimes flagging a little bit, and I'm like, ‘Let's get ready to go.’ “

“It's not just energy," Jackman tells PEOPLE. "It's the quality of the energy that makes you feel grounded, feel present, more creative, more able to be spontaneous.”

“And when you work with Ryan Reynolds,” he added, a reference to his good friend, prank buddy, and costar, “you need to be spontaneous.”