This week, Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer launched a new web series, Pizza With An Icon, to bring together global activists and teens. Every month, an individual who has an internationally-focused career or is active in global philanthropy will join a pizza party with a group of curious and inspired teens.
The engaging new series, inspired by Hans Zimmer watching his son interact with Nobel Peace Prize winner and President of Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta in a honest and real way that left all parties inspired, is a forum to inspire teens to be culturally aware, and to participate in dialogue about global issues.
The first episode features our own John Prendergast, long-time human rights activist and co-founder of the Enough Project, as well as Quinto Okello, a Ugandan activist with Invisible Children. In the video, Prendergast discusses his reasons for working in Central Africa, and his goals to help bring an end to the violence caused by the Lord Resistance Army and the role that youth can play in solving global conflicts. During the session, one teen reflected on his experiences doing activists work: “If you ever think that I'm too young to make a difference.. something as small as like sending an email or writing a letter or setting up a meeting [with a member of Congress] can have a powerful impact.”
Pizza With an Icon impacts not only the teens, but also the icons. John Prendergast left the conversation energized by the teens,
“To me it’s extraordinary that people so young step outside of themselves out of basic compassion and curiosity and desire to see a better world. It gives me a heck of a lot of hope about the future.”
Check out the Pizza with an Icon site for future episodes which will include activists such as singer-songwriter Katherine McPhee speaking about Malaria No More and photographer Eli Reed.