On Thursday, 24 September, The Waislitz Foundation in partnership with Global Citizen hosted an intimate evening of drinks and canapés celebrating the three recipients of the 2026 Global Citizen Waislitz Awards.
The evening brought together this year’s award recipients, past winners, Global Citizen board members, friends and representatives from EarthOne and the wider Waislitz Foundation community. It was an opportunity to connect, celebrate and hear directly from the change makers whose work is addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
This year’s three recipients each received a USD $100,000 award in recognition of their innovative work and the potential to create meaningful change through their organisations. Each recipient or their representatives spoke during the evening, sharing their gratitude for the Award and reflecting on the impact the funding and support will have on their work.
Alex Waislitz also addressed guests, speaking about the incredible work being undertaken by the recipients and the shared commitment of the Waislitz Foundation and Global Citizen to supporting innovative solutions to global challenges. Global Citizen co-founder Michael Sheldrick also spoke about the partnership and its impact.
The evening proved particularly meaningful given that the planned Drinks in the Park event and 2026 Global Citizen Festival were subsequently cancelled due to severe weather conditions in New York.
While the larger celebrations could not go ahead, Thursday’s gathering provided a wonderful opportunity for the 2026 recipients, past Award winners and supporters to come together, celebrate their achievements and mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter in their work.
