Never let anybody tell you that just because you’re in entertainment doesn’t mean you can’t care about policy issues.
Pop superstar Rihanna got political over the weekend, tweeting at multiple world leaders to ask them what they were doing about funding education.
The singer tweeted at Argentina, France, Germany and Canada to ask if they would commit to funding education at the upcoming G20 summit.
hey there @mauriciomacri, what's your plan for Argentina to commit to #FundEducation? 🇦🇷
— Rihanna (@rihanna) June 23, 2017
🇨🇦 @JustinTrudeau I know you had our backs during the #GlobalCitizen Festival, will you recommit Canada to #FundEducation?
— Rihanna (@rihanna) June 23, 2017
🇫🇷 bonjour @EmmanuelMacron, will France commit to #FundEducation?
— Rihanna (@rihanna) June 23, 2017
Germany, I'm checking in to see where we are on the commitment to #FundEducation w/ @GPforEducation? @regsprecher, I'm depending on you!😊 🇩🇪
— Rihanna (@rihanna) June 23, 2017
Rihanna was tweeting on behalf of Global Partnership for Education, a nonprofit that seeks to ensure children in developing countries receive an education. She was named a global ambassador in 2016 and has since traveled to countries such as Malawi to advocate on the organization’s behalf.
“I feel strongly that all children everywhere should be afforded the opportunity of a quality education,” Rihanna said in a GPE statement. “Working together, I know we can amplify our efforts and ensure that millions of children gain access to education globally.”
Besides tweeting at world leaders, she also tweeted to her followers, asking them to also demand those attending the G20 Summit to fund education.
As of the time of this writing, two out of the four — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President of Argentina Mauricio Macri — have responded, saying they’ll support funding.
.@rihanna we've got your back! Thanks to @mclaudebibeau who made sure girls' education is in our feminist international development policy.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 26, 2017
Hola @Rihanna! Education is in the central core of our political aims. Only education can change the world. @EstebanBullrich 🇦🇷 https://t.co/T49GIB0QXo
— Mauricio Macri (@mauriciomacri) June 24, 2017
Other world leaders and politicians not included in the original tweets also responded. Julia Gillard, the former prime minister of Australia, tweeted in support of GPE.
Thanks to @rihanna Global Ambassador for @GPforEducation – for urging #G20 leaders to #FundEducation …. JG
— Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) June 24, 2017
…Real action per @rihanna means pledging funds to @GPforEducation to build schools, train teachers & deliver quality education for all-JG
— Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) June 24, 2017
Angela Merkel or other world leaders from Germany haven’t responded, but Steffen Seibert, the head of the German governmental press, tweeted at the pop star to show the country’s support of education.
Hi @Rihanna, education is a key area of German development policy. We have nearly doubled spending since 2013.Thanks for spreading the word! https://t.co/ff4QX1rb0s
— Steffen Seibert (@RegSprecherStS) June 24, 2017
Celebrities such as Demi Lovato also came out in support of Rihanna and GPE’s vision.
Education is one of the key tools for mental health and well being https://t.co/2b0gfPOHrY
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) June 24, 2017
The G20 Summit, an annual gathering of the leaders of the Group of Twenty nations, will be held in Hamburg, Germany on July 7 and 8.