One World: Together At Home

The Global Citizen movement and the World Health Organization (WHO) organized a concert named “One World: Together At Home” which was a virtual concert with more than 100 participating artists. Lady Gaga collaborated to curate the lineup, which included Beyonce, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Burna Boy, Chris Martin, David Beckham, Eddie Vedder, Elton John, Lilly Singh, FINNEAS, Idris and Sabrina Elba, J Balvin, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum,  Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, Lizzo, Maluma, Paul McCartney, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan and Stevie Wonder among many. The artists participated from all over the world while socially distancing themselves. 

The concert was broadcast on major television networks worldwide on Saturday, 18 April 2020, and streamed online on multiple global platforms, such as Alibaba and Amazon Prime. 

You can watch the performances here: Performances | One World: Together at Home

The event has been said to have raised almost $128m (£102m) and the proceeds will go towards vaccine development and local and regional charities.

New Yorkers applaud for essential workers 

Thousands of quarantined New Yorkers are clapping for essential workers from their balconies every day at 7:00 pm when it’s time for the healthcare workers to switch shifts. They want to show how much respect and appreciation they have for all the workers who are putting their lives at risk to help others and to keep them motivated in such a dreadful time. 

Landlords are helping out with rent in New York

COVID-19 has resulted in businesses closing and a lot of people not being able to work or getting paid, and one of their biggest concerns has become about how to pay rent. While the bill for “rent cancellation” is still moving through the state senate, a lot of landlords in new york have stepped forward to help those in need. They are either helping tenants with rent or forgiving rent for the months that tenants are unemployed due to coronavirus. 

Rainbows over New York

 Rainbows can be spotted on windows here and there in Brooklyn in the form of art, paintings, etc, Ever since playgrounds and schools have been closed, children have not been able to see their friends. To keep the children’s spirits up, people are putting up rainbows on their windows for these kids to spot and spread some joy!

The cities are lighting up in Blue all over the USA

 #LightItBlue initially started in the UK to help show support for their National Health Service workers by lighting up the London Eye in blue. The U.S. also joined in on this movement and 400 landmarks all over the U.S. are now participating to show gratitude and appreciation for the hospital workers and first responders who are fighting COVID-19. Participating landmarks in NYC are The Madison Square Garden, The Vessel in Hudson Yards, Times Square, The Beacon Theatre, One World Trade, Rockefeller Center, Columbus Circle, Citi Field, Con Edison Headquarters Clock Tower and the Intrepid Museum. Outside of New York, The Lowry Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis and the Universal Studios in California are some of them. The lighting will continue every Thursday evening to show support for these essential workers.

People in Seattle spread “Joyful Noise"

People in Seattle participated in #MakeAJoyfulNoise by cheering, hollering, whistling and banging pots and pans together and playing instruments to make some “joyful noise.” The heartiest efforts towards #MakeAJoyfulNoise was all to portray love, compassion, and appreciation towards the front line workers.

The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds salute frontline workers

The air squadrons of the Navy and Air Force— the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds — flew over Philadelphia, Trenton, N.J. and New York City as a tribute to healthcare workers and other essential workers in the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. This flyover was part of President Donald Trump’s Operation America Strong salute. To know more about it, click here.

 DJs host virtual quarantine parties

DJ Neky The Kid has been hosting block parties during Quarantine in his neighborhood in Vancouver. Neighbors have been joining in with pots and pans to create a community-wide dance party, while social distancing to keep their spirits up. 

Virtual Quarantine Parties have now become a thing with DJs playing music from their balconies and making their neighborhood dance to their beat. Amsterdam, Italy, Miami, and other cities are also part of it. 

Europeans clap from balconies to appreciate health care workers

 Europeans are appreciating their healthcare workers by applauding, cheering, and singing from their balconies every day at 8 pm in Rome, Madrid, Paris, Athens, and Amsterdam.  Italians are singing and having musical flash mobs through their windows and from balconies to lift their spirits during this moment of crisis and to show support for the essential workers who are risking their lives during this crucial moment. 

Musicians and singers in Bangladesh encourage people to stay home through music

Sponsored by Grameen phone, famous musicians collaborated to make a song “Ekshathe dure thaki (Let’s stay away together)” which focuses on the importance of social distancing during this pandemic, with the hope that it will get people to follow the rules and self-isolate, as well as reduce their feelings of isolation and anxiety, and make them feel like they are not alone and everyone is in this together. The singers have collaborated from their respective homes and recorded “home-concerts.”

Indians break into applause to show appreciation to front line workers

In India, the entire city of New Delhi broke into applause to acknowledge and appreciate the hard work and efforts of the frontline workers. 

Brooklyn Navy Yard steps in to make masks and face shields

During World War II, ships were built at The Brooklyn Navy Yard, and troops left for battle from here, so it served a significant role during WWII. It looks like history is now repeating itself as the world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and Brooklyn Navy Yard Is Making 19,000 Hospital Gowns & 27,000 Face Shields Every Single Week, as the city needs more supply of them. 

Neighbors in Kirkland sing to lift spirits up

Inspired by the Italians, Kirkland residents organized a singing event for neighbors to bond through music during the lockdown. Neighbors were encouraged to step outside of their homes for a while maintaining social distancing guidelines and play music or listen to it. From kids to adults, a lot of people joined the event, making it a fun one, with their instruments such as drums kits and cello, while the kids came out with whatever instruments they had, including shoeboxes!

Even though the whole world is facing a really difficult time right now, it is incredible how people are still coming together to show support for each other and to keep the essential workers motivated.