For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part: governments, institutions, organizations, civil society and people like you.
On September 25th we’ll mark the 3rd anniversary of the historic adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by joining forces and challenging national & local governments, institutions & organizations of all kinds, influencers & citizens in every corner of the world to take action for the SDGs; to end poverty & inequalities, protect the planet & ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Will you join us?
Together, we’ll celebrate those who are making a real difference in their work, home and public life taking concrete actions; and to expand these actions to others; to ensure the SDGs deliver on their promise of a more just and sustainable world in which no one is left behind.
You are invited to join, share, and inspire even more people to #act4SDGs! Start planning your action and building momentum! Register here to become an #act4SDGs partner.
Multiple voices and solidarity as the success ingredients for global action: this was the main takeaway from the last day of the Global Festival Action for Sustainable Development.
More than 1,500 participants from more than 100 countries convened at the Festival, hosted by the United Nations SDG Action Campaign.
After making new connections, exchanging innovative solutions and dancing to the sound of SDG-inspired beatboxing, our Festival-goers are now taking it all home, committed to keep acting for sustainable development!
Gathered at the closing ceremony, the amazing UN SDG Action Awards winners gave their main takeaways from the Festival. “I’m going to learn from these seven other people to create a movement and change the world”, said Foluke Michael, founder of Creative Youth Initiative Against Corruption in Nigeria.
“Never give up. Everyone wants to help their family, their community, their country. We need to bring out that desire of everyone and transform it into action”, summarized founder of Sri-Lankan initiative The Road to Rights, Ashan Perera.
More than 30,000 people watched the livestream from 158 countries and the Festival was a trending topic on Twitter in Germany.
#SDGglobalFest trending across the world
Thanks for joining us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! Those are the countries where people were tweeting & posting to Instagram with #SDGglobalFest
Closing out the Festival, a fully interactive rap filled with love fired up the crowd, bringing together acoustic drums, beatboxing and SDG inspired lyrics. “We’ve got all the love we need”, sang the participants in unison.
The Festival is over but the change-making doesn’t end here… let’s continue acting for SDGs!
Join us for the Global Day of Action on 25th of September with #ACT4SDGs.
Looking forward to seeing you next year for the third round of the Festival, from 2 to 4 May 2019!
Stay tuned to the Festival website for updates on the next edition and check the UN SDG Action Campaign page all year long to see how people are pushing for change in every single corner of the planet.
Given the high interest among Member States to include youth and citizens voices in their SDG implementation strategies, the UN SDG Action Campaign, the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and the Regional UN Issue Based Coalition on Adolescents and Youth joined hands to organise a side-event during the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development on the 1st to 2nd of March.
The program opened with a word of welcome by Jayathma Wickramanayake (UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth) who among others emphasised the crucial role young people have to play in implementing and reviewing the 2030 Agenda:
“I have one thing to say to all the young people in the room. We are the SDG
generation and we are critical in implementing and reviewing the Agenda. Demand to have a seat at the table, don’t wait for an invitation. Act now, speak up and believe in your power to change the world.”
Moreover, the event provided a platform for young advocates who have led their own SDG monitoring and accountability processes inside and outside of formal Government structures. Digital innovations offer new possibilities and a powerful example was shared by Richard Herts, Ukrainian U-Reporter, who on a weekly basis engages and consults over 15.000 young Ukrainians via text messages on issues such as water and sanitation, healthcare and democratic freedoms.
During the panel discussion government representatives shared the processes they have used to meaningfully engage young people in the SDGs, and within their Voluntary National Review (VNR) process. A powerful example was shared by Franc Matjaž Zupančič (Slovenian State Secretary) and Sabina Carl (Slovenian UN Youth Delegate) who drafted a special youth section in Slovenia’s 2017 report to the High-Level Political Forum (HLFP).
The side-event was moderated by the Swedish UN Youth Delegate Henrietta Flodell, who aimed at identifying good practices and developing replicable tools, so as to “move from the why to the how”. She wrapped up emphasising the importance ofensuring that youth involvement is institutionalised and that the consultation and follow-up mechanisms for youth are long-term, transparent and democratic.
We thank all participants and look forward to increased youth engagement in implementation and review processes and in specific at the High-Level Political Forum taking place in July 2018.
“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.
Join the conversation at the UNGA Side Event on “The SDGs in Action: Country-led, Country-owned” on 21 September 2017, hosted by UNDG. Speakers include Heads of State/Government and Ministers from the Gambia, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, and Colombia as well as the UN Deputy Secretary-General and the UNDG Chair. Find more information here
Colombia pioneers the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
In the early days of SDG implementation, the Goals have proven to be a powerful driver of Colombia’s National Development Plan, the Peace Agreement, and local development plans.
In the department of Nariño on the Pacific coast, young people are overcoming adversities and inequalities. Here is their story on how rural entrepreneurship contributes to peaceful communities.
Chocó and Guajira are among the poorest departments in Colombia, but also home to some of the most biodiverse regions. Here, the 2030 Agenda brings an opportunity to plan a future where the environment is the basis for sustainable and inclusive growth.
The City of Montería has become one of Latin America’s greenest cities, linking green urbanism, transportation and renewable energy to the SDGs. Read more about Montería’s journey.
SDG 6 is coming to life – Korean professor invents device for safer drinking water
For the SDGs to come to life, it is often said that we need new ways of working, new partnerships and everyone to participate – not only governments and UN agencies.
Professor Kyoung-Woong Kim has embraced this message. Together with his team at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, he has developed a water purification device with the potential to change the lives of millions of people.
So how does the device work? As a specialist in soil and underground water contamination, Professor Kim has developed a membrane allowing the purification device to selectively remove water pollutants including pathogenic bacteria. This means purifying contaminated water to 99.9% drinking water. What’s more, the device can be easily installed in disaster-affected areas since its design allows water to flow through the membrane by manual pedaling, without any need for electricity.
Today, 663 million people are still without access to safe drinking water. To achieve SDG 6 local communities, researchers and business need to come together.
Through project “Ongdalsam”, or “Small water spring” in Korean, Professor Kim aims to engage with developing countries where climate change, rising sea levels and water-borne diseases caused by polluted drinking water is a threat to development. The project was first known across Korea when it was discovered in 2009 that the device could purify two liters of water per minute, providing drinking water to about 200 people a day. Since then the device has traveled to Sudan, Fiji, and Kiribati and soon to Tuvalu, where climate change is a threat to water security.
Global sustainable development requires more researchers and entrepreneurs to follow in Professor Kim’s footsteps.
SDG10: Reducing inequalities – Early attention to the rights of girls and boys with disabilities in Mexico
In Mexico, an initiative on reduced inequalities focusing on children with disabilities has improved the lives of 12,000 boys and girls. So far, 350 caregivers in 9 states have been trained to improve the quality of care and to achieve the full development of children’s skills and abilities.
The Mexican Ministry of Social Development leads a Childcare Facilities Program for Working Mothers that includes 9,200 facilities and reaches 300,000 children in poverty-stricken homes; about 1.7% of whom have a disability. A while ago the UN carried out an analysis of the program, which showed that those in charge of caring for children with disabilities, mostly women, did not have the adequate training to detect developmental challenges, nor to provide caring that allowed the children to reach their maximum potential.
This is the background to a pilot initiative* that aims to increase the quality of care for children with disabilities. So far, 350 caregivers in 9 states have been trained, benefiting more than 12 000 girls and boys. Focus lies on early intervention. The idea is that attending to children with disabilities at an early age will foster the full development of their skills and abilities, give better opportunities to complete schooling and ultimately increase their prospects of leading a life as a fully empowered society member. Caregivers were also trained in human rights, diversity, inclusive planning of educational activities, accessibility and development of community support and networks.
All people may at some point in their life experience a disabling situation. It is a universal issue and is as such addressed throughout the SDGs. For these 12,000 boys and girls, the pilot initiative has meant real change and development. This is what the 2030 Agenda is about: implementing public policies that target the most vulnerable to ensure that no one is left behind.
*The pilot initiative “Model of care and inclusive care for children with disabilities in the framework of the Program of Childhood Stages to Support Working Mothers” is funded by the United Nations Fund to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) and brings together UNDP, UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization/WHO. The project seeks to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, signed by the Mexican government in 2007.
Country-led progress on the SDGs – the journey of The Gambia
Only nine months ago, the Gambia stood on the verge of conflict. Yet since then, the leadership has launched a reform agenda towards a progressive democracy that addresses the needs of all its citizens. A new chapter has begun.
After 22 years of authoritarian rule, The Gambia is facing a unique opportunity for transition. The African Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals can be powerful levers for change as the government stands committed to achieving the SDGs.
25 November 2011, Nyangen – Girl explaining the meaning of the photo she has taken for the Participatory Photo Exhibition at the Reastitution. Boys and girls were asked to describe their village, its problems and its achievements using a digital photo camera.
For the Millennium Development Goals, the precursors to the SDGs, Gambia indeed made significant progress in several areas. Gender equality was one. In 2015, the practice of female genital mutilation or cutting was criminalized, placing The Gambia among 26 other African countries that have banned this nefarious practice. The targets on water and sanitation were met with over 85% of the population having access to clean water and sanitation. Child mortality was significantly reduced.
But unfinished business remains. Many mothers still die while giving birth and The Gambia aims at a maternal mortality ratio of less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030 or sooner.
Almost one in three Gambians are vulnerable to food insecurity. To achieve SDG 2, the recently launched National Zero Hunger Strategic Review is identifying hunger gaps at all levels. This will be followed by regional consultative sessions throughout the country.
As a low-lying country, situated close to the sea, The Gambia is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to climate change. To adapt and mitigate the impacts, the government is implementing a series of actions. The Climate Change Early Warning Systems are being strengthened. Energy and environment concerns are being mainstreamed into national, regional, and local policies, strategies, programs, and plans. Disaster hotspots are being identified to enhance the resilience of coastal and vulnerable communities.
Key to all of these challenges is the younger generation. With a population of only 2 million, The Gambia accounts for a disproportionate number of people embarking upon the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in search for a better life. By August 2017, Gambians accounted for 5.6% (or 6 294 persons) of all arrivals in Europe from the Mediterranean, according to UNHCR.
The government is now developing a migration policy, through a participatory and inclusive approach, including youth organizations. But the Gambian youth must also see a peaceful, sustainable society with opportunities for decent work, access to education and healthcare to feel like they play are a role, are excited about and confident in the country’s future.
This is the moment for Gambia to scale up and gain momentum on what has been set in motion. If wholly-owned by the people, and led by the government, the SDGs can be a vital travel companion on their journey.
Join the conversation at the UNGA Side Event on “The SDGs in Action: Country-led, Country-owned” on 21 September 2017, hosted by UNDG. Speakers include Heads of State/Government and Ministers from the Gambia, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, and Colombia as well as the UN Deputy Secretary-General and the UNDG Chair. Find more information here
UN High-Level Event on Innovation and Technology, convened by the Executive Office of the Secretary-General’s Global Pulse and the SDG Action Campaign
Monday, 18 September 2017
10:30 – 13:00
UN Headquarters, Conference Room 2
Event registration is closed, but a livestream will be available at: http://webtv.un.org/ and social media coverage with hashtag: #SDGInnovation
SDG Innovation is convened by the Executive Office of the Secretary-General and the UN SDG Action Campaign, and supported by leaders in the technology sector. It will bring together Heads of State and Governments, CEOs of major technology companies, and innovation and thought leaders to strengthen cooperation and solve major challenges for the people and the planet. Participants will share cutting-edge ideas on frontier issues and new technologies, and explore concrete ways to replicate and scale innovations for SDG implementation.
Opening remarks by H.E. Miroslav Lajčák President of the United Nations General Assembly
Keynote Address by Reid Hoffman, Founder and Chair of LinkedIn
Marc Benioff, CEO and Founder of Salesforce in conversation with Ashish Thakkar, Founder of Mara Group and Chair of the UN Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council
11:00 – 11:30 PANEL DISCUSSION
How can governments and innovators effectively partner in solving pressing global challenges?
H.E. Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia
H.E. Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark
Mitchell Baker, Executive Chairwoman Mozilla (Firefox)
Aliko Dangote, Founder and Chair of Dangote Group
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chair of Bharti Enterprises
Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia and WikiTribune
Moderator: James Manyika, Chairman, McKinsey Global Institute
11.30 – 12.50 INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE
What needs to be done to co-create innovation hubs in diverse countries and transfer skills from current epicentres, such as Silicon Valley, to the rest of the world and vice versa?
Moderator: David Wallerstein, Chief Exploration Officer, Tencent
Overall, the Open Days attracted more than 120.000 visitors, including families and young people who all had the opportunity to interact with the German federal government and administration.
The Open Days also featured the Humans of My World exhibition, which showcases personal testimonies from around the world on why the SDGs matter to the people being quoted.
Read more about the Government’s Open Days 2017 on the website of the German Federal Government here (in German).
Stay up to date and catch the next SDG Action Campaign Hub by following us on Twitter and Facebook.
Have your Say on the SDGs taking the MYWorld2030 survey.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are committed to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Last year, both institutions signed a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation to reach the goals. To highlight the importance of this partnership and raise awareness about the SDGs with the EIB team, the European Investment Bank featured an SDG interactive exhibit on 28-30 June and EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolleinvited the EIB team to an SDG seminar with UNDP on 28 June. Together with the UNDP family and the UN SDG Action Campaign, the EIB team became more engaged with the Goals and were empowered to learn more about what needs to be done to make the Goals a reality by 2030.
A participant views UN virtual reality films
The SDG exhibit featured UN Virtual Reality, a photo booth and materials about the SDGs. Many EIB staff members watched virtual reality films and gathered further information about the goals. Visitors to the stand were surprised how real the experience of the virtual reality films were and which insights they could provide into the life of those most affected by current humanitarian crises. This sparked many conversations about the goals and the impact they have on a global scale and how private sector partners like EIB could support them.
UN colleagues with President of the EIB, Dr. Werner Hoyer / Secretary-General, Klaus Trömel / and the Director of Institutional Strategy, Guido Bichisao
Dr. Werner Hoyer, President of the EIB, emphasized Goal #11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, as one of his personal priorities.
Participant at the SDG seminar
The UN SDG Action Campaign looks forward to working together with the UNDP family and the European Investment Bank on promoting and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sarah Uphoff, UN SDG Action Campaign, at the exhibit How many SDG cubes can you sit on? Participants balance themselves on the cubes Participants take a photo with the SDG wheel and signs
Are you at the High-Level Political Forum #HLPF2017? Come to the SDG pop up exhibit in the UN Visitors Lobby on Thursday, July 20 and Friday, July 21 from 10am to 4:30pm
Check out:
Interactive data visualizations on the Sustainable Development Goals, in partnership with Tableau Public and featuring data from MY World 2030, u-Report, UNICEF and UNSDSN
The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) at the United Nations is a central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals This year’s meeting will be held from Monday, 10 July, to Wednesday, 19 July 2017; including the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from Monday, 17 July, to Wednesday, 19 July 2017.
The theme is “Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world“. The set of goals to be reviewed in depth will be the following, including Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, that will be considered each year:
Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
The UN SDG Action Campaign would like to highlight the following events taking place during High-level Political Forum, don’t miss them!
Perception Data as a Metric of Well-Being
When: Thursday, 13 July 2017, 1:15-2:30 pm EST Where: UNICEF House Lobby (Danny Kaye Visitors Center) Register here by 11 July 2017
See flyer
This side event will showcase the results of several pilots that have used quantitative and qualitative methodologies to collect perceptions on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to assist decision-makers in SDG review activities. Panelists will discuss how mobile tools like UNICEF’s U-Report and WFP’s mVAM, on-line surveys like MY World 2030 and qualitative methods like the Participatory Monitoring and Accountability Programme can inform SDG implementation and decision-making. The event is co-sponsored by the Government of Guatemala, UNICEF, WFP, and the UN SDG Action Campaign.
Keila Gramajo Vichez, Advisor/Sub-secretary of Public Policy with the President’s Planning and Programming Secretariat (SEGEPLAN), Government of Guatemala
Grasiano Nyaguse, Director of Economic Planning and Coordination, Ministry of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion, Government of Zimbabwe
Mobilizing Religious Communities to Act with Solidarity and Shared Responsibility to End Poverty and Promote Peace
When: Monday, 17 July 2017, 1:30 – 3:30 pm EST
Where: 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120, New York, NY 10017
Register: dsingh@rfp.org
While sustainable development requires the best of science, technology, and practical problem solving, it also requires a strong ethical foundation—and this foundation has its sources in the world’s religious traditions. Religious leaders have a tremendous capacity to affect change by mobilizing their communities to advocate with world leaders in the context of advancing the values needed to end poverty and advance peace. Therefore, Religions for Peace is holding a multi-religious discussion on the role of religious communities in accelerating the implementation of the SDGs.
Speakers:
Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General, Religions for Peace
Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Archbishop Bernardito Cleopas Auza, the Apostolic Nuncio, Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York
Dr. Azza Karam, Senior Advisor, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and Coordinator, UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Development
Mr. Mitchell Toomey, Director, United Nations SDG Action Campaign
Ms. Elena Cedillo, Regional Representative, Central America Program, Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and Co-Coordinator, Latin American and Caribbean Inter-Religious Alliance for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
The SDGs in Action: Eradicating poverty and promoting inclusive prosperity in a changing world
When: Monday, 17 July 2017, 6:15-7:30 pm EST Where: ECOSOC Chamber in the UN Conference Building and on UN Web TV Register here
See concept note
This event will focus on how countries at various stages of development, including those faced with complex situations such as violent conflict and fragility, are accelerating efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will illustrate the UN Development System’s support to Member States, including tools and solutions, to address the integrated nature of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the imperative to leave no one behind and risk-informed planning. The role of the UN in peacebuilding and prevention; connecting efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and human rights will also be highlighted in reference to the Sustaining Peace resolution.
When: Tuesday, 18 July 2017, 3 – 4:30 pm EST Where: UN Correspondents Association Room 0310 (3rd Floor of UN Secretariat Building)
See concept note Register here
The event will help strengthen the global community of SDG communicators. Participants will discuss how to measure progress in building public support for the SDGs and identify ways to continue collaborating and learning from one another. The event is co-organized by the Government of Canada & OECD Development Communication Network (DevCom)
Opening Remarks:Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada’s Minister of International Development
Moderator:Bathylle Missika, Head of Partnerships and Networks, OECD Development Centre
Panelists:
H.E. Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria
Davis Adieno, Senior Advisor on Sustainable Development, Civicus Alliance
Adolfo Ayuso, Director General of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Office of the Presidency, Mexico
Erik Ringborg, Agenda 2030 Coordinator, Swedish International Development Agency
