Why joining the #SDGActionFest is your best plan for 2020

The SDG Global Festival of Action is back in Bonn, Germany (1-3 April) and calling all SDG changemakers to become part of the program for 2020! Hosting sessions, workshops, organize partner meetings, strategic sit-downs or share expertise in panels and talks. The 4th edition of the Festival will be a milestone to raise the visibility and impact of the accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating the platform for changemakers to share ideas, strengthen partnerships across all sectors and lead transformative change.

2020will kick start the Decade of Action announced by the UN Secretary-General during the United Nations General Assembly in September, and also marks the UN75 Anniversary. For this super year of activism, more than 2,000 leaders and cutting edge thinkers from all sectors, from across the world, will unite at the SDG Global Festival of Action to transform local action into global impact For People and For Planet.

Do you or your organization…

👉 Excel in driving engagement for the SDGs?

👉Lead transformative change in your industry to tackle climate change or inequalities?

👉Aim to develop new partnerships to optimize your efforts for the SDGs?

Apply to help shape the most transformative and inclusive festival for the SDGs, or register to participate in this unique experience.

Don’t miss the chance to be there, in the company of leading SDG changemakers! Join us in 2020 to together find new ways to inspire individuals and organizations to take action For People and For Planet, while celebrating the diversity of incredible SDD action already taking place across the world.

Why should you be part of the next #SDGActionFest?

The SDG Global Festival of Action is designed by, and for the SDG Community – including anyone who transforms local action into global impact to advance the SDGs. Featuring a range of session, workshop and meeting formats, the festival provides a unique experience for each participant.

“The mobilization is done through knowledge, through understanding of this very complex Agenda, and through empowerment of everybody“

-Christina Gallach, High Commissioner for the Agenda 2030 Government Spain

Exchange your knowledge and perspectives with other experts, discover new ways to inspire SDG Action by building meaningful connections, and experience transformation taking place For People and For Planet.

We can’t continue business as usual if we want to make real progress towards the achievement of Agenda 2030! Let’s combine our expertise, find new partners from different disciplines and amplify joint actions for the SDGs.

Here are the top 5 reasons why YOU need to join the SDG Global Festival of Action.

1. Build Your Knowledge & Ideate New Solutions

How is your company excelling in combating climate change? Are you changing the narrative around Gender Inequalities? Is your organization’s mission to engage individuals in making clean water and energy accessible and affordable for all?

In the plenary hall speakers from all sectors share their expertise in panels on a wide range of different topics. Hear key lessons from experts, deepen your knowledge on policies related to the SDGs, and learn more about revolutionary ideas and actions changing the landscape of sustainable development

“Hold onto the vision, the vision that you have for communities, the vision that you have for the planet, and let’s get it done”

Eddie Ndopu, SDG Advocate

Are yo looking for deep dives and hands-on experiences to enhance your skills to advance the SDGs? In “how-to” sessions and a track if session dedicated to inspiring a new normal you can optimize your skills while meeting new people and strengthening partnerships with individuals and organizations who focus on the acceleration of the same goal — action on the SDGs won’t be completed by one institution or sector alone.

2. Discover & Share

The #SDGActionFest 2020 will boost creative thinking as you get the chance to meet, listen and present your ideas to like-minded people and experts of all industries, sectors and to a global audience, live-streamed on UN TV.

Join us at this dynamic to stage to learn more about the influencer behind the insights, or tell your own 10-min story to your peers, potential partner and our global audience. Apply and make the stage yours!

The 2020 edition will also provide the opportunity for you to boost your engagement at the dedicated Media Zone and, why not deliver your own pop-up presentation at one of the demo spaces?

3. Meet & Connect

Become part of the global SDG community that unites at the SDG Global Festival of Action. Coming together and collaborating with other creatives, activists, government and business leaders expands collective and individual impact.

“Disruptive change does not happen in meetings, but these meetings we can use to be inspired to raise the ambition and to connect with others knowing that we are not alone. Let’s not forget that there is so much more we all need to do.”

Marina Ponti, Director of UN SDG Action Campaign

The Festival hosts plenty of networking opportunities, and a platform to host your own network for a closed door strategy sit-down. Individuals hold private strategy meetings. Individuals, institutions, international and local NGOs, creatives, media, businesses and local and national governments representatives can leverage existing alliances while you are all in town, and build new meaningful connections.

4. Immerse Yourself in Tech and Arts for the SDGs

The Festival is a space, and moment created for far more than talking, listening, and networking. It’s the convening place where the SDGs come to life with immersive live performances, experiential content creation, original film screenings and the latest emerging technologies taking SDG Action to the next level.

The Exhibition Zone is where you can explore hands-on experiences related to transforming local action into global impact. Featuring art showcases, live performances and demonstrations, installations, Virtual and Augmented Reality journeys, this dedicated space will provide a feast for the eyes, the ears, and the mind to delve into the Decade of Action!

To give you a taste of the VR and AR Zone at the Festival, experience immersive media from MY World 360° young content creators. Applications are open for the next MY World 360° selection that will be premiered at the Festival.

5. Celebrate with the SDG Community

This festival would not be a festival without celebration! After full days of sessions, experiences and media moments, connect with old and new festival friends for two dedicated evenings of social and cultural experiences. Harness the energy and passion of this incredible community with art, music, performances and where we celebrate what has brought us all together — a passion for achieving the SDGs.

We can’t wait to meet all the creative and innovative minds that we share our commitment to this agenda with, and experience the transformation taking place in situ at the SDG Global Festival of Action.

Join the community 1–3 April 2020 in Bonn, Germany, and let’s celebrate each other’s achievements and get energized for the next 10 years — a Decade of Action.

You have until 1st March to register!

For more information follow #SDGActionFest or visit 👉https://globalfestivalofaction.org/

Finally… the SDG Global Festival of Action program is out!

We are only 6 weeks ahead of one of the most inspiring and energising SDG moments of the year! And thanks to the SDG community we’ve got a packed program full of workshops and interactive sessions with everything needed from learning new skills to connecting with partners and build the much-needed coalitions to advance action on the SDGs. Here’s a sample of the diversity of interactive sessions that awaits you each day…

DAY 1

Sound Impact: How music can lead in the delivery of the SDGs
UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony ABC for SDGs-preneurship Campaigns
Youth Movement 4 the SDGs
Harnessing Artistic Expression to Spur SDG Action and Awareness through Creativity, Empowering and Connecting people

DAY 2

The Power of Sport for Advancing on the Sustainable Development GoalsCommunicating the SDGs: The Food Forever StoryMulti-stakeholder Partnerships and Coalition BuildingYoga
Adaptive Intelligence of the Barefoot Solar MamasMunicipalities for Global Sustainability: Implementation of the 2030 Agenda at a Local Level

DAY 2

Social Entrepreneur Contest
SDG Campaign in Japan
Drumming workshop
Teaching SDGs around the world
Closing High-Level Plenary

See the daily program!

And this list is still growing! More sessions, innovations and exhibits, the SDG Action Studio program, the official Film selection and other exciting Festival experiences to come… stay tuned!

Plan your Festival experience

Download the Festival app, fill your profile and connect with the SDG community! Create your own agenda to map the experience that is right for your needs and stay up-to-date with the latest programme news!

Find all the information you need to know about public transport, accommodation and currency exchange in the city on the logistics page. and get ready to arrive in Bonn!

21 – 23 March: Global Festival of Action – Register now!

Join us for the second Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development on 21-23 March 2018 in Bonn, Germany!

The Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development will be 2018’s meeting place for SDG Actors – from across the globe – to meet, network, build partnerships, share best practices, practical tools and ideas to further action towards the 2030 Agenda!

Do you have a story to tell? An initiative to share? A network to showcase? Then, we want to hear from you!

In order to create a diverse, dynamic and inclusive event for the international SDG community, we are calling for sessions, innovations, SDG Studio guests, participants and… we want to recognize and celebrate some of your greatest achievements through the inaugural UN SDG Action Challenge Awards!

The Festival will feature tracks on innovation & disruptive change, citizen engagement and communicating the SDGs in sessions ranging from high-levels panels to interactive deep-dive workshops.

JOIN US!

For more information on ways in which you can get involved and register your interest to attend, please visit http://globalfestivalofaction.org. Follow us on Twitter & Facebook with @SDGglobalFest.

*Interested in helping to co-design the Festival this year? Check out our Partnership opportunities – we want to hear from you!