Antonio Freitas, the deputy coordinator of the Group of 20’s finance track, recently opened a gathering of G20 officials and civil society representatives with an astonishing observation:
“If the five richest [people] on Earth spent $1 million per day,” he began, “it would take them 476 years to waste their wealth.”
He shared other statistics demonstrating the width and depth of global inequality, and then, for nearly 40 minutes, representatives from civil society engagement groups had the floor. Speakers offered perspectives from around the world, sharing the opportunities they saw for change, and the solutions they hoped the major economies of the G20 would deliver.
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About the authors
Atila Roque
Atila Roque is a human rights advocate and expert on social justice and public policy. He is the director of the Ford Foundation's Rio de Janeiro office, overseeing grantmaking in Brazil. Roque has held leadership positions at Amnesty International Brazil, INESC, and ActionAid International USA.
Otto Saki
Otto Saki is the global governance program officer at the Ford Foundation. With expertise in law, technology, and human rights, he brings together diverse stakeholders to advance a just and inclusive global order by fostering dialogue and strategic alliances to promote democratic values.
Vuyiswa Sidzumo
Vuyiswa Sidzumo directs the Ford Foundation's southern Africa office, overseeing grantmaking and promoting philanthropy growth. With a background in biochemistry and extensive experience in philanthropy and government, she has championed local philanthropy and social justice in the region.
