Jorge Bernal spends a lot of time with children who have dreams of becoming the next big music sensation as the host of "La Voz Kids." The children who win the competition receive a cash prize and a recording contract with Universal Music Group.
But Bernal recently revealed to MSNBC that he really hopes to give children more than just a music career. The star and "Global Citizen" wants to make sure every child gets an education regardless of where they live.
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According to UNESCO, there are about 1 billion non-literate adults globally, a stunning 26 percent of the world’s adult population. A shocking 98 percent of this population lives in developing countries and an alarming two thirds of all non-literates are women.
Bernal stresses that he believes “whatever we can do to help education and raise the quality of education, that’s what we need to do!”
Bernal is also focused on advances in technology and the way new products and systems can help provide education for “people in every part of the world.”
Global Citizen and Microsoft have recognized the importance of technology in making a dent in the education gap. On World Humanitarian Day, the two groups created an innovative way for global students to learn together. Students in the United States were connected by Skype to youth living in Middle Eastern refugee camps who sought education despite the odds.
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Bernal himself has been involved with donating products, books and devices to classrooms around the globe, and he encourages others to do so.
Global Citizen aims to end extreme poverty by the year 2030 by seeking commitments from world leaders, governments, organizations and policy makers. The actions spurred by the organization and its many members have resulted in 130 policy announcements and pledges that will ultimately affect 656 million lives.
The Global Citizen Festival will air on MSNBC on September 24th beginning at 3:00pm ET.
