Nile Rodgers and Richard Branson plan to ‘make a difference’ for youth activists

Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson have joined forces in an attempt to “make a difference” for youth activists and drive change around issues such as climate change.

Sir Richard’s non-profit foundation Virgin Unite will pledge more than a million dollars (£770,000) as it turns 20 this year, and partner with Rodgers’ We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) to support youth organisations.

Speaking to the PA news agency at a launch event at Virgin Hotels in Shoreditch, east London, on Monday, which saw Chic perform, Rodgers said there are “so many problems that we have to deal with, and we can no longer be apathetic”.

The 72-year-old US musician told PA: “There are so many problems that we have to deal with, and we can no longer be apathetic.

“It’s time that we deal with climate change as a very serious issue, it’s time that we deal with waste, it’s time that we deal with even little things that used to just be a nuisance when I was a kid, like bullyism now has become a really big thing.

“I see kids taking advantage of kids all around the world, it just got crazy.

“It’s now become entertainment for people, I don’t get it. You have to forgive me, because I come from a very hippy, peace and love kind of world, I can’t help it. That’s just the generation I was born into.”

Both men were activists in their youth, with Rodgers being a member of the Harlem branch of the Black Panther Party, and Sir Richard establishing Student Magazine at the age of 16 to protest against the Vietnam and Biafra wars.

The 74-year-old British entrepreneur told PA: “I think in my lifetime, we talk the world down and talk everything down, and it’s a natural thing to do, but actually, every decade of our lives, the world has seen improvements.

“The amount of people going to school, the fewer people getting pregnant too young, the amount of wars – despite, you know, obviously two very public wars – has by and large gone down, not up.

“The amount of people dying from disease has gone down, so there’s a lot of pluses, but there’s still a lot of work to do and it’s up to people in positions like us here to do everything we can to move it on to the next stage.”

Sir Richard told PA the thing he was most proud of achieving during the first 20 years of Virgin Unite were its Elders and New Now groups featuring old and young world leaders respectively who work together to help with global challenges.

He said: “If I had to choose one (thing), I suppose the Elders that we set up with (Nelson) Mandela and Archbishop (Desmond) Tutu, and Kofi Annan, and Mary Robinson would be maybe just the one that stands out from everything.

“But then we have another organisation called the New Now, which is a younger version of the Elders, which will be the leaders of the future.

“And they’re equally extraordinary people, but younger people who are making a big difference all over the world.”

Rodgers and Sir Richard’s organisations will partner with “youth empowering” not-for-profit organisations Big Change and One Young World as part of the initiative.

Rodgers set up the WAFF in 2002 alongside his partner Nancy Hunt with the aim of recognising, funding and mentoring youth leaders who work to bring about positive change.