Category: Field Story in Europe

Inequalities Virtual Reality Film selection at European Development Days 2019

Addressing inequalities: Building a world which leaves no one behind

A selection of 13 Virtual Reality films from UN Agencies and the MY World 360º young media creators showcasing the challenges of inequality and the importance of leaving no one behind will be screened at the European Development  Days. The films take place around the world – in the Philippines, Albania, South Africa, Nepal, Iraq, Malawi, Nigeria, Lao PDR, Germany, USA, Brazil and Mongolia.

See the virtual reality film selection:

Migration – Sophie’s Story (3:00) FAO

Watch: Youtube / Facebook

Sophie is 11 years old. She used to live on a farm with her parents and always knew that when she grew up she wanted to be a farmer too. But life was not always easy on the farm and it became ever so hard to grow the food they needed. Harsher weather conditions meant that Sophie and her parents had no other choice but to leave their home and their farm behind. When they had lost everything they had to migrate to the city in search of a better future. However, they didn’t expect that life could be harder in the city… Their story is just one of the millions of stories of rural people around the world that are forced to migrate to escape hunger, poverty, natural disasters or conflict.

Abdul’s story (3:46min, Philippines) IOM / Watch

When ISIL affiliated fighters clashed with government forces in May 2017, 98% of the city’s inhabitants fled and cannot return home due to its complete destruction. Abdul, a former tribal dance instructor, fled together with his brothers and adopted performers in the midst of sewing costumes. Living in an evacuation centre, he holds on to a piece of traditional fabric that he inherited from his grandparents to remind him of the livelihood and dreams he and his brothers and adopted performers lost.

I Am Fatmira (07:00, Albania) UNDP / Watch

Roma activist Fatmira Dajlani married young at 14, dropped out of school and had two children before the age of 18. In many ways, Fatmira’s life story reflects common issues that Roma face, like lack of education, lack of employment, discrimination, early marriage and migration. But she also defies stereotypes. She left her marriage so she could have the freedom to be an activist, went back to finish school, and started an advocacy organization, Jemi dhe ne (We are Here Too) for her community. Fatmira’s story reflects the diversity of the larger Roma community, and the power of the individual to improve it.

360HIV (3:46min, South Africa), UN AIDS / Watch

According to the The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), roughly one quarter of people living with HIV are completely unaware of their status. That’s a pretty terrifying number when you consider there’s an estimated 37 million people carrying the virus worldwide. South Africa alone currently has 7.2 million people living with HIV — the highest amount in the world. Produced by South African production company Makhulu Media with support from Google, the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, and the Children’s Radio Foundation, the live-action series follows a young woman as she travels from her home to a health clinic on a mission to determine her HIV status.

Family planning in remote areas (6:20, Nepal) UNFPA / Watch

In remote areas of Nepal, women have little say in family planning, and often give birth to upwards of 8 children. With the help of the United Nations agency for reproductive health and rights (UNFPA), one woman is making choices about her future and family

The call center – Lives on the line in Northern Iraq (2:38, Iraq) UNOPS / Watch

When the phone rings, the reality of mass displacement suddenly becomes heartbreakingly concrete. Children call to find their parents, mothers call to find medicine for their child, and families call looking for a place to sleep. Through a free helpline, Iraq’s Internally Displaced Persons Information Centre can provide life-saving information to the people who need it most. This project is funded by the European Union.

Chief Theresa Kachindamoto – Courage to Question Inequality (6:30 Malawi) UN Women / Watch

Worldwide, more than 700 million girls alive today were married before their eighteenth birthday (UNICEF). Child marriage has devastating impacts on the realization of the rights of the child, from her right to an adequate education, to her right to sexual and reproductive health. Chief Theresa Kachindamoto has annulled 3,500 child marriages in the central region of Malawi and has helped girls to complete their education, often by subsidizing their schooling. Working with UN Women, the government, civil society and traditional leaders, Chief Kachindamoto contributed to the February 2017 adoption of a constitutional amendment raising the minimum age of marriage from 15 to 18 years. These achievements are against all odds—as the first woman leader in her village and in a village where child marriage is deeply embedded in cultural practice, Chief Kachindamoto’s fight for cultural change has required determination, leadership and persistence.

Big Picture (8:45, Nigeria) WFP

More data is being collected and shared by humanitarian actors and partners than at any other time. In Nigeria today, data helps respond to a food security crisis affecting millions of households. The challenge is to get an accurate Big Picture: making sure data is accessible, shared and analyzed to inform life saving decisions.

The Role of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Reducing Malnutrition in Lao PDR (3:57, Laos) World Bank / Watch

Water, sanitation, and hygiene plays a key role in reducing malnutrition. In Lao PDR, many communities, especially those in poor or rural areas, do not yet have improved access to water supply and sanitation. Join us on a virtual journey to Huaichai village, where families are focusing on overcoming these issues in pursuit of a better life.

 

Gender Equality (3:48, Germany) UN SDG Action Campaign – MY World 360° / Watch

A dramatic enactment of gender discrimination, portrayed through the story of a young girl pursuing her dreams despite the discouragement of those around her, created by students at Berufliches Gymnasium Wirtschaft, Schulzentrum Wirtschaft & Makemedia Studios, Bremen, Germany

Youth Producers: Sukhmen G. (16), Alexandra D. (17), Sevginur K. (16), Alejna A. (17) Educator: Dr. Ute Pieper

Complex City (10:06, USA) UN SDG Action Campaign – MY World 360° / Watch

Complex City tells the story of the historical neighbourhood of Fifth Ward and its community. Crime, poverty and abandoned houses are some of the concerns that this project showcases. Created by youth producers from Texas, USA, the film gets the viewer to understand the problems and social issues of the people living in the neighbourhood. What are the actions that the community takes towards poverty?

Youth Producers: Byron A. (16), Daylen H. (13), Deandre D. (15), Roderick J. (14), Lamar E. (15), Matthew T. (16), Lee R. (16), James W. (12), Jason M. (14), Lynwood O. (15), Tant D. (15) Educator: Sharon Ferranti

Lollapallango (Portuguese 5:48, Brazil) UN SDG Action Campaign – MY World 360° / Watch

A short documentary about Lollapallango, a culture, sports, and technology event hosted for children living in Santo Amaro, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro created by students at Colégio Estadual Souza Aguiar – CESA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Youth Producers: Beatriz P. (18), Bruna A. (17), Ana V. (17), Gean G. (18) Educator: Jussara Olinev

Pre-school for Nomads (6:03, Mongolia) UNICEF / Watch

The video depicts how access to education can be provided to children in rural areas, more specifically to those from nomadic communities in Mongolia.

Addressing inequalities and Leaving No One Behind at the European Development Days

Join the UN SDG Action Campaign at the European Development Days in Brussels on 18-19 June, 2019! Organized by the European Commission, the European Development Days (EDD) is Europe’s leading forum on development since 2006. The development community comes together every year to share ideas and experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. (See EDD highlights from 2018, 2017 & 2016)

The United Nations stand is a convening space dedicated to the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs. It is organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign, the UN in Brussels (24 UN entities), UNECE, and the World Bank.

The UN stand will focus on the EDD‘s theme: Addressing inequalities: Building a world which leaves no one behind and showcase the interlinkages between SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities, and the other Goals.

The UN SDG Hub will leverage data storytelling and invite visitors to share their SDG commitments via the #IamSDGs butterfly wings augmented reality installation and the inequalities graffiti wall, share their ideas or deep dive in meaningful discussion at the SDG studio, and understand what inequality means for different communities via 360 films created by students in all parts of the world.

Highlights

#IamSDGs Augmented Reality and the digital flying wall

A single action, no matter how small, can drive a positive wave of change in other parts of the world.! #IamSDGs is a campaign encouraging a wave of global action. Come and make your specific commitment to accelerate your chosen Goals, starting a global butterfly effect.

SDG Studio

A space to hear from young leaders and activists as well as high-level officials from the United Nations, the European Commission, national governments and a wide range of other institutions represented at the EDDs! This year, the SDG Studio will focus on SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities and what it takes to ensure we leave no-one behind and bring the Goals home.

Inequalities Graffiti Wall

Share your voice on how to reduce inequalities by writing/drawing onto the inequalities graffiti wall!

Virtual Reality

A selection of 11 Virtual Reality films from UN Agencies and the MY World 360º young media creators showcasing the challenges of inequality and the importance of leaving no one behind will be screened. The films take place around the world — in the Philippines, Albania, South Africa, Nepal, Iraq, Malawi, Nigeria, Lao PDR, Germany, USA, Brazil and Mongolia.

Inequalities Backdrop

Learn about the interlinkages between SDG 10 — Reduced inequalities and the rest of the Goals at the Inequalities infographics wall. These are a stark reminder of the wide range of inequalities faced by people and communities around the world.

UN Day 2018 in Bonn: Acting for sustainable development, leaving no one behind

Happy United Nations Day! Today marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN-Charter on 24 October 1945, which marks the creation of the United Nations.

This year’s UN Day celebration in the City of Bonn took place on 20 October. To celebrate the UN’s 73rd birthday, the UN SDG Action Campaign joined more than 20 UN and international entities from across Germany, numerous NGOs as well as Ministries came together with the City of Bonn last Saturday, to showcase their work towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, raise awareness for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and present various opportunities for visitors to be engaged to ensure a better future for everyone, everywhere.

Thousands of visitors were warmly welcomed by the current chair of the heads of UN agencies in Germany, Prof. Dr. Jakob Rhyner, and the Lord Mayor of Bonn, Ashok Sridharan, who encouraged Bonners to take this opportunity and learn more about the organizations’ work towards global sustainable development as well as the importance of SDG Action in Bonn, in Germany and across the world.

Tania Freiin von Uslar-Gleichen, Director for Human Rights, International Development and Social Affairs at the German Federal Foreign Office

 

Lord Mayor of Bonn, Ashok Sridharan, spreads the SDGs at the UN SDG Action Campaign stand

Like the wings? Get your own SDG wings and soar to new heights

The overall theme of the festivities was “Leaving no one behind”, which is one of the fundamental principles of the 2030 Agenda. What does this actually mean? How does the international community follow through? How does it affect us? – These were some of the question visitors asked UN Staff and other exhibitors while they visited the many information booths and displays in front of the city’s Old Town Hall and collected information material. The event was accompanied by a musical stage programme.

Marina Ponti, Head of the UN SDG Action Campaign’s Global Campaign Center, spreads the SDGs
Visitors at the UN SDG Action Campaign stand
Tania Freiin von Uslar-Gleichen, Director for Human Rights, International Development and Social Affairs at the German Federal Foreign Office

United Nations Bonn

UN Day in Bonn

SDGs take center stage at the NOS Alive Music Festival in Lisbon July 12-14, 2018

The Portuguese Desk of the UN Regional Information Center (UNRIC) partnered with the NOS Alive Festival, one of the main cultural events in Portugal, to promote the SDGs and raise awareness and visibility of the 2030 Agenda.

Pearl Jam, Artic Monkeys, The National, The Queens of the Stone Age, Franz Ferdinand were some of the bands that performed at the Festival which attracts more than 165,000 people over three days.

In the SDG Action Zone, Festival-goers could take a picture with a frame or a cube of their favourite SDG and post it on social media. The Secretary of State for Tourism and several digital influencers visited the stand!

The SDG video “We the people” was screened at all the stages, during all concert breaks, impacting thousands of people.

Ten thousand reusable bags with the SDGs were distributed to promote the #FightPlasticPollution Campaign.

The United Nations presence at the Festival was the subject of much interest in the media, and was covered on prime time national TV. The SDG Action Zone at NOS Alive was inspired by the UN SDG Action Campaign.

SDGs at NOS Alive
SDGs at NOS Alive
SDGs at NOS Alive
SDGs at NOS Alive
SDGs at NOS Alive
SDGs at NOS Alive
SDGs at NOS Alive

Photos & Videos: UNRIC Portugal

UN SDG Action Campaign joins the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to bring the SDGs closer to Bonn citizens

The Sustainable Development Goals took center stage at the BMZ Open Day in Bonn.

Over 14,000 visitors gathered at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) premises on June 24th, 2018 for a day of music, experiences and activities with the SDGs at its heart.  Participants had the opportunity to visit the Hammerschmidt Villa, the official residence of the German President in Bonn, and to learn about sustainability through the many German and international institutions presenting their work.

The UN SDG Action Campaign shared the stage with Mr. Martin Jägger, BMZ State Secretary, and the Lord Mayor of Bonn Ashok Sridharan, to discuss the importance of communicating the SDGs and inspiring collective action to support their implementation.

Mr. Martin Jägger, BMZ State Secretary, visits the UN SDG Action Campaign stand

An interactive space featured some of the Campaign’s flagship advocacy and citizen participation tools on the SDGs, as well as virtual reality screenings designed to build empathy on issues related to the Goals.

“This is great! What can I do? How can I contribute?” was the most shared response of the many visitors at the stand, when hearing about the 17 Goals and hearing people’s stories from around the world. The Campaign team had the honor of welcoming State Secretary Jägger, who recognized the importance of the Campaign’s work and committed to continuing to support  the Campaign going forward. “You’ve got a very difficult job to do, and a very important one,” he said to the Campaign team members.

 

Mr. Martin Jägger, BMZ State Secretary, retweets the UN SDG Action Campaign
Marta Rojas, Media and Communications Specialist at the UN SDG Action Campaign, and Journalist Katie Gallus

Read more:

(German) 14.000 Besucher beim Tag der offenen Tuer im Bonner BMZ

UN Bonn – Open House at Villa Hammerschmidt

Premis Blanquerna Impulsa – Els objectius per a un món millor

Els Premis Blanquerna Impulsa neixen amb la voluntat de sensibilitzar sobre els OBJECTIUS DE DESENVOLUPAMENT SOSTENIBLE promoguts per l’ONU (2015-2030), motivar-ne el coneixement i cercar la implicació dels membres de les comunitats educatives escolars en el projecte.

Aquests premis se celebraran anualment i la temàtica de cada edició se centrarà en dos dels disset objectius que desenvolupa l’ONU a l’Agenda 2030.

Vídeo projectat a l’entrega de premis de la primera edició dels premis Blanquerna Impulsa

Cristina Gallach, Ex subsecretaria general del Department d’Informació Pública de l’ONU
Xavier Longan, Responsable del Centre Mundial de Bonn de la Campanya dels ODS
Deborah Seward, Directora del Centre Regional d’Informació de l’ONU

Els objectius per a un món millor

La importància de la comunicació

A les mans dels joves

Felicitats! – Premis Blanquerna Impulsa

L’Escola Pia de Caldes de Montbui, l’Escola Thau de Sant Cugat i el Col•legi Sant Ramon Nonat de Collblanc són els guanyadors de la primera edició dels Premis Blanquerna Impulsa

L’acte d’entrega dels premis va tenir lloc dimecres 20 de juny, a les 18.30 h a l’auditori de la Facultat de Comunicació i Relacions Internacionals Blanquerna-URL.

Durant l’acte, que va presentar la periodista de TV3 i professora de Blanquerna-URL Mireia Prats, es van donar a conèixer els tres guanyadors de les tres categories dels Premis per impulsar els Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible, que han estat l’Escola Pia de Caldes de Montbui, l’Escola Thau de Sant Cugat del Vallès i el Col·legi Sant Ramon Nonat de Collblanc.

Els Premis Blanquerna Impulsa són uns guardons que tenen la voluntat de sensibilitzar sobre els Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible promoguts per l’ONU (2015-2030), motivar-ne el coneixement i cercar la implicació dels membres de les comunitats educatives escolars en el projecte. Podien presentar treballs i optar als premis els nois i noies que estudien 4t d’ESO, 1r o 2n de batxillerat, o un cicle formatiu, a qualsevol centre educatiu de Catalunya, Andorra o Balears.

En aquesta primera edició, hi ha hagut un total de nou projectes finalistes, tres per cadascuna de les tres categories – àmbit comunicatiu, àmbit educatiu i àmbit de la salut-. El centre educatiu guanyador en la categoria de l’àmbit comunicatiu ha estat l’Escola Thau de Sant Cugat del Vallès amb el curtmetratge “El penjat“. En la categoria de l’àmbit educatiu, el centre guanyador ha estat el Col·legi Sant Ramon Nonat de Collblanc amb el projecte “La revolució verda“. Finalment, en la categoria de l’àmbit de la salut, el centre guanyador ha estat l’Escola Pia de Caldes amb el projecte “Tu hi jugues?: Combat i mat“.

La resta de treballs finalistes han estat realitzats per alumnes de les següents escoles: Escola Pia de Sitges, Jesuïtes del Clot (Barcelona), Lestonnac-L’Ensenyança (Tarragona), Salesians de Sarrià (Barcelona), Santa Teresa-Ganduxer (Barcelona) i Vedruna St. Sadurní (Sant Sadurní d’Anoia). A part de conèixer els tres guanyadors, a l’acte de lliurament s’han pogut visionar els treballs finalistes.

L’acte de lliurament de premis ha congregat prop de cent-setanta persones, entre autoritats del món de l’educació i de la universitat, representants de l’ajuntament de Barcelona, representants d’escoles i instituts de Catalunya, estudiants i professorat dels nou centres finalistes, membres del jurat dels Premis, i les entitats col·laboradores Fundació Agbar, Canon, Abacus, Lavola, Fedefarma, Serafí, Unilever, Aramark, Junior Report, Ametller Origen, Càtedra UNESCO, Microgestió i Animaset.

L’obertura ha anat a càrrec del director general de Blanquerna, el Dr. Andreu Ibarz, i la cloenda a càrrec del rector de la Universitat Ramon Llull, Josep M. Garrell. Tots ells han remarcat la importància dels Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible per a la construcció d’un món millor.

Els ODS són una sèrie d’objectius promoguts per l’Organització de Nacions Unides (ONU) per donar resposta als grans reptes que afecten el nostre planeta. Es proposen acabar amb la fam al món, aconseguir que tots els nens i nenes tinguin accés a l’educació i fer del nostre món un lloc més sostenible, entre altres reptes. Els Premis Blanquerna Impulsa premien les millors accions per promoure els ideals dels ODS dutes a terme pels centres escolars.

En aquesta primera edició, la temática que ha centrat els treballs han estat els dos dels ODS: “Fi de la pobresa” i una “Energia assequible i no contaminant“. La segona edició dels Premis se centrarà en els objectius “Fam zero” i “Ciutats i comunitats sostenibles”.

Aquí podreu veure les fotografies.

We’ll be at the European Development Days 2018 this week!

Following on the successful involvement from the past 2 years (see recaps from 2017 and 2016), the UN SDG Action Campaign is excited to return to the European Development Days this year in Brussels on 5-6 June, 2018.

Organized by the European Commission, the European Development Days (EDD) is Europe’s leading forum on development since 2006. The development community comes together every year to share ideas and experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

The United Nations stand is organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign, the UN in Brussels (25 UN entities), UNECE, UNWTO and the World Bank.

The 2018 theme of the European Development Days is: Women and Girls at the Forefront of Sustainable Development: protect, empower, invest. In line with this important theme, the United Nations stand will focus on the the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls.

Come visit the United Nations at Stand 72 of the EDD village!

Stand highlights

  • Watch the Spotlight Studio dialogues: This stage will feature a series of dynamic discussions, cross-generational dialogues, and inspiring talks showcasing change-making initiatives and revolutionary solutions to key global challenges
  • Sign the Declaration of Humans Rights Graffiti Wall: Share your voice on what the Universal Declaration of Human Rights means for women and girls by writing/drawing onto our “graffiti wall”
  • Take a photo with our SDG wings backdrop, and also experience different SDG wings via augmented reality on your mobile phone
  • Watch United Nations Virtual Reality films focusing on women and girls
  • Meet the “Humans of MY World”: Through this photo exhibit, you will get the chance to “meet” individuals from around the world and learn why the SDGs are important to them. The stories will also feature infographics on the SDGs as well as excerpts from the Universal Declaration of Humans Rights. 
  • Have your say on the SDGs at myworld2030.org and explore the data.
  • Learn more about the work of the Spotlight Initiative and all of the United Nations agencies.

Come join us at the EDDs!

Follow all of the EDD activity at @SDGaction and @UNinBrussels

18 April: LET’S CEE Film Festival brings VR cinema to Vienna – and the UN SDG Action Campaign is aboard as one of its programme supporters.

From Let’s CEE Film Festival

Get faced with the human made threat of nature in the Arctic or in the rainforest; learn what it’s like to be homeless or to live in a refugee camp; make a trip back to your first year of life or to the old age – LET’S CEE Film Festival makes it possible. Under the motto “Let’s Open Your Mind”, the organisers are bringing virtual reality films from all over the world to Vienna for the first time. Thanks to the support of renowned partners such as United Nations, Greenpeace International, Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, USC Shoah Foundation, WIDE and The Guardian, a high-quality as well as visually strong offer of socio-politically engaged cinema will be shown. Sitting on a swivel chair with a VR headset and headphones, VR Cinema makes you, so to speak, the focal point and part of the film thanks to 360-degree images.

LET’S CEE will set up two VR lounges: one at 4GAMECHANGERS, a festival for influencers and visionaries (18-20 April) and the second at Village Cinema Wien Mitte (21-22 April) with support of the presenting partner Cineplexx International. Admission is free, as is the whole short film programme at LET’S CEE.

The hardly publicly funded Austrian festival, which tries to make a significant positive contribution to a modern and exemplary understanding of intercultural dialogue year by year, runs from 13 to 22 April in Vienna, Graz, Salzburg and Villach, the VR films can be seen from18 to 22 April in Vienna.

More about LET’S CEE: www.letsceefilmfestival.com

 

Films shown with the support of United Nations | UN SDG Action Campaign

Clouds Over Sidra | USA 2015 | 9 min. | English | Chris Milk, Gabo Arora / UN SDG Action Campaign

Twelve-year-old Sidra walks us through her “home”, the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. It houses 130,000 Syrian war refugees, half of them children.

Guardians of the Forest | BRA 2018 | 20 min. | English | Benjamin Ross, Brittany Neff / UN SDG Action Campaign

Activist Sônia takes the spectators to the Amazon’s rainforest, where their Guajajara people are fighting desperately against the destruction of their habitat.

Sea Prayer | UK 2017 | 7 min. | English | Khaled Hosseini / UN SDG Action Campaign On the second anniversary of the death of a three-year-old Syrian boy on the Greek coast, Khaled Hosseini wrote an imaginary letter of a Syrian father to his son.

Complete VR Programme:

Arctic 360 | UK 2016 | 3 min. | English | Francesca Panetta, Nicole Jackson / The Guardian A virtual reality trip to the Arctic, which was filmed under environmentally-friendly conditions, shows the terrible consequences of human behavior.

Becoming Homeless: A Human Experience | USA 2017 | 8 min. | English | Elise Ogle, Tobin Asher / Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab

You can experience what it’s like to be homeless, protect yourself and try to save your home while living on the street.

First Impressions | UK 2017 | 6 min. | English | Francesca Panetta, Nicole Jackson / The Guardian One experiences the first year of life from the viewpoint of a baby, interacting with the environment like a baby. A time span that none of us can remember.

Munduruku: The Fight to Defend the Heart of the Amazon | BRA/UK 2017 | 15 min. | English | James Manisty, Grace Boyle / Greenpeace International

An exceptional VR experience: We find ourselves amidst the indigenous Munduruku in Amazonia who, due to a dam project, have to struggle for existence.

 Notes to My Father | UK/USA 2017 | 12 min. | English | Javisha Patel / WIDE

Her father married her off when she was 13, but like many Indian girls, Ramadevi was then sold to a brothel. Now she fights against the sexual slave trade.

The Last Chair | NLD 2017 | 2 x 15 min. | Jessie van Vreden, Anke Teunissen / WIDE

A VR experience about the last phase of existence. You can immerse yourself in the lives of two old men preparing for their final days.

The Last Goodbye | USA 2017 | 20 min. | English | Gabo Arora, Ari Palitz / USC Shoah Foundation

In July 2016, Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter visits the Majdanek concentration camp. The Last Goodbye is a testimony of love, compassion and the human spirit.


Press Contact:

Magdalena Żelasko
Festival Director LET’S CEE Film Festival
management@letsceefilmfestival.com
Homepage: www.letsceefilmfestival.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/letscee
Twitter: www.twitter.com/letsceeff
Instagram: www.instagram.com/letscee

Multi-sector partnerships and concrete actions are needed to achieve the SDGs

“SDGs is about people, this is about leaving no one behind, about creating a world for our current generations, for our future generations.”It has to be about having a new vision, a new paradigm with implementation from all sectors. We want Europe to be leading from the front and Belgium is in a strong position to be a champion of change.” Barbara Pesce-Monteiro, United Nations Representative in Belgium urged to innovative thinking, stronger partnerships and more ambition in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Combating inequality matters and our lifestyles matter to meeting the sustainable development goals. We need a whole of society approach and the center of gravity for political innovation lies within cities and people. We have an impressive set of initiatives run by associations in Belgium that provide civic platforms between people and the government.” Olivier De Schutter, former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food,  highlighted that we must all start changing the way we live.

On 23 November, representatives from private sector, local governments, civil society organisations and  students took part in a one-day inter-ministerial conference to tackle how Belgium can implement the Agenda 2030 and oversee a truly transformative multi-stakeholder approach.

The UN SDG Action Campaign, along with the UN and UNDP in Brussels, organized an SDG Action Zone, occupying a central space to engage visitors on the Sustainable Development Goals, bring the voices of children, men a women from around the world and their needs to the center of the discussions.

Take a look!

SDG Event Belgium
View album

Want to know more? Keep reading

Sustainable Development Goals in Sweden: Humans of MY World, Exhibits, MY World & more!

By UNDP in Sweden

UNDP in Sweden launched a Swedish version of Humans of MY World in July 2017 – a photo series about people whose stories and actions contribute to the implementation of the Global Goals. The purpose of the exhibition is to raise awareness of the goals, and highlight how individuals work to achieve the goals in Sweden, thus inspiring others to act and engage.

Swedish Humans of MY World exhibit

The stories in the Swedish version of the exhibit were collected by UNDP partly through direct requests to individuals whose work can be linked to one of the Global goals, but also through a shout-out in social media. Several impressive stories were received, and it is heartwarming to see how many people spend their time and energy to contribute to the achievement of the goals.

The exhibition was first displayed during the political week in Sweden, Almedalen, and was seen by approximately 8.000 people. In connection to the exhibition the visitors had the opportunity to participate in the MY World survey. MY World is the UN survey that asks citizens if they are aware of the Global Goals, which six of the 17 goals are of immediate concern to them and if the situation has gotten better, stayed the same or gotten worse over the past 12 months. Together the exhibition and the survey gives the visitors an opportunity to raise their voice and get inspired to take action for the goals.

Jan Eliasson in front of his own Humans of MY World photo and story!

The exhibition was also displayed at The Stockholm Act in August – a festival that focuses on activating and connecting research, politics, industry and especially arts and culture together to accelerate the transition to more sustainable development.

The exhibition will go on a tour to festivals, cultural events, conferences and other happenings in Sweden throughout the year. The photo series Humans of MY World is an important tool to show how we all play a role in the implementation of the goals and in the work for a sustainable future. We are ALL needed if we are to succeed, including YOU!

UNDP Sweden has an established partnership with Sida and with the Swedish Postcode Foundation that further expands the office’s communications work. The projects focus on raising awareness and engagement for the Global Goals in Sweden. Currently a digital campaign about the Global Goals is being planned, and a short film will be developed and distributed aimed at inspiring youth to get involved in the 2030 Agenda. In the beginning of 2018, UNDP Sweden will organize a gala for leaders from different sectors in Sweden, in order to build further momentum for the implementation of the goals. Stay tuned!

Humans of MY World in Sweden

Click the photo to visit the photo page on the Humans of MY World Facebook page.

Click the arrows on the sides to navigate the series.

About UNDP in Sweden

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, reduce inequalities, and build peaceful and sustainable societies. We help countries to develop policies, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results. UNDP Sweden works to strengthen policies and frameworks for sustainable development, and support efforts to communicate and achieve the Global Goals.

undp.se
globalamalen.se
Twitter: @UNDP_Sweden