Tag: SDGs

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!

A million people in every corner of the world mobilizing to #act4SDGs at the UN General Assembly

On 25 September 2018, a million people in over 1300 cities in 165 countries in actions led by 1800 individuals and organizations took part in a worldwide mass mobilization for the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Mangrove restoration in Brazil, top chefs competing to re-discover forgotten foods in New York, or beach clean ups in the Maldives are some of the SDG actions organisations and individuals organized, encouraging a global movement for the achievement of the SDGs.

View highlights



The Global Day to #act4SDGs coincided with the opening of the UN General Assembly, which presented a unique opportunity to amplify the actions being taken across the world and bring them to the attention of world leaders. See the Global Action Hour which was broadcast live at the SDG Action Zone.http://act4sdgs.org 

Speakers: 

  • Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations via video message
  • HE Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, via video message
  • Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the EU Commission via video message
  • Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC
  • Mitchell Toomey, Director, UN SDG Action Campaign
  • Cristina Gallach, High Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda of Spain
  • Oli Henman, Global Coordinator, Action for Sustainable Development

Introducing:

PROGRAMME:

  • Welcome and Introduction to the Global Day to Act4SDGs
    Mitchell Toomey, Director, United Nations SDG Action Campaign
  • Taking Engagement Forward
    Video message from Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy & Vice President of the EU Commission
  • Global Day as it happens
    Moderator – Yusuf Omar, Founder of Hashtag Our Stories
  • Cleaning up polluted beaches and building cultural bridges in the Maldives
    Where: Malé, Maldives,
    By: Peace Boat, JCI Kaafu
    Presented by Yoskihoka Tatsuya, Co-Founder and Director, Peace Boat
  • 450 SDG Changemakers turn ideas into daily practice in Amsterdam
    Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
    By: SDG Charter, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, Municipality of Amsterdam and NCDO
    Presented by Jilt Van Schayik, UN SDG Action Campaign and former Dutch Youth Delegate
  • Climate question from Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary
  • 200 organisations in Italy join forces to viralize sustainable development
    Where: Italy
    By Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS)
    Video
  • Empowering Youth to tackle Health and Peace through Creativity
    Where: Nigeria
    By: Creative Youth, Covenant University
    Presented by Foluke Michael from Creative Youth Development Initiative and UN SDG Action Award Winner
  • World’s Largest Photo Book to capture youth stories from Nigeria’s Informal Settlements
    Where: Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
    Canon, Slum- Art Project
    Video
  • Reducing Carbon Emissions through Mangrove Restoration in Rio
    Where: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
    By: Instituto Mar Urbano, UNDP RIO+Centre
    Video
  • Top chefs compete to highlight forgotten foods
    Where: New York City, United States
    By: Food Forever Experience NYC, Crop Trust
    Presented by Erik Oberholtzer, Chef and Founder of Tender Greens
  • Government, civil society and local fisherfolk join forces to tackling ocean pollution
    Where: Philippines
    By: GCAP Philippines
    Presented by Becky Malay, GCAP Philippines on Video
  • 26 youth advocates capture citizens views on the SDGs in Asia
    Where: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam
    By: ASEAN MY World 2030 Initiative, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub and UNV Asia-Pacific
    Video
  • Building spaces for Orphans to Play
    Where: Morocco
    By: Bloom Charity
    Video
  • Hashtag Our Stories
    Yusuf Omar, Founder
  • Guatemalan students from indigenous communities show that big SDG changes can come in small sizes
    Where: Guatemala city
    By: Education for Sharing
    Video
  • Week of Action for SDGs Brings people together across Mexico
    Where: México
    By: MY World México
    Presented by Karol Arambula, Founder, MYWorld Mexico
  • 200 Youth Discuss citizen engagement and open democracies in Peru
    Where: Lima, Perú
    By: Millennials Movement
    Video
  • Young people share their SDG 360° videos from Brazil, Kenya, Germany & the United States
    By: Digital Promise, Oculus, MY World 360
    Presented by Dimitri Moore, Digital Promise and Christina Jackson, Oculus
  • Promoting fair food and fashion in Bonn
    Where: Bonn, Germany
    By: City of Bonn
    Video
  • Good Life Goals find sustainable development actions for everyone to take
    Where: Worldwide
    By: Futerra
    Presented by Solitaire Townsend, Co-Founder, Futerra
  • From Local to Global Action
    Oli Henman, Global Coordinator, Action for Sustainable Development
  • Young Leaders for the SDGs: powered by the Office of the Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Youth
    Ezequiel Vedana Da Rosa (Brazil)
    Amelie Jezabel Mariage (Spain)
  • Video message from HE Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria
  • The Way Ahead
    Cristina Gallach
    High Commissioner for Agenda 2030, Government of Spain
  • Thank you for taking action
    Video message from Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary General

Every year on the September 25th anniversary of the SDGs, the UN SDG Action Campaign joins forces with Action for Sustainable Development, GCAP and thousands of partners to mobilize the UN, national and local governments, youth groups, civil-society organizations, the media, and institutions from every corner of the world with a global call to Act for the SDGs.

Learn about this and other thousands of actions taking place across the world on 25 September and join the movement.

The event can be watched LIVE at http://act4sdgs.org 

Or follow the SDG Action live on #Act4SDGS,

Follow us and #Act4SDGs on:

Twitter: @SDGAction Facebook: @SDGAction Instagram: @SDGAction 

 

Young Southeast Asians Unite in Singapore to Create Solutions to the SDGs

Designed to empower Southeast Asian youth to tackle regional sustainability issues, Young Sustainable Impact Southeast Asia (YSI SEA)’s 14 week-long Innovation Programme 2018 came to an end on 30 July 2018. The programme brought forward 24 participants from across 8 Southeast Asian countries to kickstart solutions for select United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) faced in their local communities.

 

YSI SEA team, YSI Global team and participants of the Innovation Programme 2018 at University Town, National University of Singapore

After a three-round selection process with 800 applicants, the Innovation Programme 2018 nurtured the 24 most promising participants to build 6 social impact startup teams focusing on the UN SDGs. The Innovation Programme 2018 consisted of two main components: the Online Innovation Programme and the Singapore Innovation Programme. The Online Innovation Programme was conducted on various virtual collaboration platforms. Over three months, participant teams were guided by expert mentors and YSI SEA’s curated course modules, from problem identification to developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for market validation.

YSI SEA then flew its participants down to Singapore on 19 July 2018 for the Singapore Innovation Programme. Over the next ten days, teams were able to accelerate their innovation process in each other’s physical presence. Five courses were conducted to prepare teams for pitching day and beyond. The participants also attended a workshop on the UN SDGs, the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the platforms available to them to take actions for the UN SDGs.   

Pitching took place during the Singapore Sustainability Conference on 29 July 2018, to an invited group of angel and corporate investors, venture capitalists, accelerators and rotary members at the CDL Singapore Sustainability Academy.

The participants of the Singapore Innovation Week 2018 with Danat Tekie, Chief External Relations Officer, YSI Global during the Cultural Night

Leveraging on their diverse geographical and technical backgrounds, all six teams displayed their creative prowess in fashioning innovative solutions to the SDGS in the ASEAN region.

While Agrireach created the Reach Cube to tackle poor irrigation and drainage systems in agricultural fields in Philippines’, Allyasia developed an e-commerce platform to empower indigenous communities in Southeast Asia by reimagining their cultural heritage and to provide them with sustainable livelihoods. Gatewaste pitched a mobile application to optimise the recycling system in in Jakarta, by mobilising and empowering scavengers.

When asked about her thoughts on the Innovation Programme 2018, Sophia Enage, a participant of the Innovation Programme 2018 and co-founder of Mushroomable, said, “YSI SEA opened so many opportunities for learning and sharing wisdom as well as actualizing passions in life. In this whirlpool of experiences, learning and realizations, I want and will create sustainable and positive waves that the world will enjoy just like how YSI SEA made it possible for me.” Her startup idea aims to empower farmers to manage agricultural waste effectively, by utilizing rice by-products to grow mushrooms.

Sophia Enage, a participant of the Innovation Programme 2018 and co-founder of Mushroomable, pitching her idea during the Singapore Sustainable Conference 2018

The use of technology was apparent in the ideas generated by all the startups. With the goal of empowering healthcare providers in Philippines, Nutri-Alliance proposed an application that educates and supports healthcare providers, through access to digital information, education, and communication materials for healthcare and nutrition. Even Kembalikash, with the mission of educating Indonesian migrant workers f and their families in financial literacy, is working with industry leaders to provide an online payment and financial management platform.

Innovation Programme 2018 was a huge success, and the longevity of participants’ startup ideas for sustainable development will be seen to. These are made possible by a YSI SEA team which has worked tireless behind the scenes. “The whole YSI SEA team holds the SDGs closely to their hearts and their actions. We believe in the fundamental concept of leaving no one behind (and that includes mother nature) and the SDGs embody this concept perfectly”, said Sai Surya, the Managing Director of YSI SEA. “YSI SEA aims to empower these youth regardless of socio-economic backgrounds to solve the sustainable issues they are passionate about with a measurable impact. By creating impact-driven startups and impact-driven young leaders, we hope to push the SDGs and society forward,” he added.

YSI SEA team, YSI Global team and participants of the Innovation Programme 2018 at CDL Singapore Sustainability Academy

YSI SEA is one of the regional chapters of Young Sustainable Impact (YSI Global). YSI Global was started in Oslo, Norway by a group of youths passionate about bringing young people around the world together to tackle sustainability problems. They saw a lack of startups in the field of sustainable development aimed at alleviating bigger world problems, and decided to bridge the gap between idea generation and impact, as well as engage youth in sustainability and entrepreneurship.

When asked why YSI Global chose Singapore and Southeast Asia to work in the field of sustainable development, Marcus Bruns, Co-founder and CEO of YSI Global commented, “When YSI Global expanded to new regions, we based our decision on the people who applied to start locally. Not only were we lucky to have a great team in Singapore, we also have a youth population of 213 million in the ASEAN region, which makes it a great arena for sustainable innovation and community engagement.”

In addition to the Singapore Sustainability Conference, YSI SEA also organized the Singapore Sustainability Showcase on the same day. Graced by the Guest of Honour, Minister of Social and Family Development and Second Minister of National Development Desmond Lee, the showcase brought different NGOs, social entrepreneurs and corporations together to share on various sustainability initiatives and innovation in Singapore and the region. 

Minister Desmond Lee, the Minister of Social and Family Development and 2nd Minister of National Development in Singapore and Sai Surya, Managing Director of YSI SEA during the Singapore Sustainability Showcase

“Ultimately when you talk about sustainability, it is how do we endear into each and every one of us that we are nothing more than mere custodians and stewards – that we take what we need today to meet the needs of ourselves, our families, our communities and our societies,” said the minister when delivering the opening address.

The 400 registered attendees of the Showcase were given electronic goodie bags. Among others, the goodie bags featured the ASEAN MY World Survey, which made it convenient for the attendees to take the Survey both during and after the Showcase. 

Since its inception in 2017, YSI SEA has received widespread support from organizations such as the Prime Minister’s Office Singapore, Temasek Foundation Ecosperity, World Vision Singapore and National Youth Council of Singapore. YSI Global has the network of 14,000 entrepreneurs and innovators worldwide united with the common goal of reaching the UN SDGs. By bringing together the energy of the youth around the world and by connecting them to private, national and global stakeholders, YSI Global and YSI SEA could create an ecosystem to solve some of the most crucial issues of the 21st century.

Young photographers bring their SDG stories to life at the German Federal Government Open Day

Last weekend, young german photographers brought the Sustainable Development Goals to life to the over 20,000 visitors at the German Federal Government Open Day in Berlin.

Sustainable Consumption, mental health, unequal opportunities or renewal energy were some of the issues selected by young photographers to portray the need for action on the SDGs in their communities. The photo stories were selected among the imagery created by participants of the Young People Program. This initiative is run by CANON in collaboration with the UN SDG Action Campaign to train students in visual storytelling and photography to have impact on the issues that matter to them and to their communities whilst putting their views on the SDGs on the spotlight. World Press Photographers such as Daniel Etter, Pulitzer Prize in 2016, contributed to both  the trainings and the selection processes. The exhibition is both compelling and beautiful and it conveys young people’s priorities within the SDGs.

“The SDGs will only be achieved if we all contribute our part. Through this program, the UN SDG Action Campaign gives young people a voice and an opportunity to get involved in their communities and contribute to create a better world for all.” says Marina Ponti, Head of the Global Campaign Center of the UN SDG Action Campaign

The Young People Program exhibit was part of a number of SDG related activities at the open doors day, bringing the SDGs at the center of the German Chancellery and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) open spaces.

The Open Days of the German government in Berlin this year celebrated the 25th anniversary of German unification. And in regard to the German strive for Sustainability, there was a strong focus on the SDGs. Visitors had the opportunity to look behind the scenes and meet high-profile leaders such as the Federal Chancellor, Angela Merkel, or Helge Braun, Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks, participate in workshops  and activities, and gain an insight into how the German Government operates.

_MG_8403
SDG Stories at the German Federal Government Open doors day
Visitors explore the CANON Young People Program SDG Stories at the German Federal Government Open doors day
SDG Stories at the German Federal Government open doors day

The Young People Program photo exhibition can be seen in the Berlin and Cologne Central Stations in September as part of the program of IFA and Photokina, international photography gatherings.

Know more about the Young People Program

 

 

Countries embrace efforts to achieve SDGs amid mounting global challenges: 2018 SDGs Report

New York, 20 June – A fast-changing climate, conflict, inequality, persistent pockets of poverty and hunger and rapid urbanization are challenging countries’ efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a UN report launched in New York today.

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2018 found that conflict and climate change were major contributing factors leading to growing numbers of people facing hunger and forced displacement, as well as curtailing progress towards universal access to basic water and sanitation services.

For the first time in more than a decade, there are now approximately 38 million more hungry people in the world, rising from 777 million in 2015 to 815 million in 2016. According to the report, conflict is now one of the main drivers of food insecurity in 18 countries. In 2017, the world experienced the costliest North Atlantic hurricane season on record, driving the global economic losses attributed to the disasters to over $300 billion.

At the same time, the Report found that more people are leading better lives than they were just a decade ago. The proportion of the world’s workers living with their families on less than 1.90 per person a day declined significantly over the past two decades, falling from 26.9 per cent in 2000 to 9.2 per cent in 2017.

The under-five mortality rate dropped by almost 50 per cent and in the least developed countries, the proportion of population with access to electricity has more than doubled between 2000 and 2016. However, in 2015, 2.3 billion people still lacked even a basic level of sanitation service and 892 million people continued to practice open defecation. In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria compared to 210 million cases in 2013 and close to 4 billion people were left without social protection in 2016.

The SDG Report presents an overview of progress toward achieving the Goals, which were unanimously adopted by countries in 2015.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin said “Transitioning towards more sustainable and resilient societies also requires an integrated approach that recognizes that these challenges—and their solutions—are interrelated.

As the global community moves forward to achieve the SDGs and address existing challenges, reliable, timely, accessible and disaggregated data is critically needed. This requires technology and innovation, increased resources and political commitment to build strong data and statistical systems in all countries.

Other findings of the Report include:

  • Rates of child marriage have continued to decline around the world. In Southern Asia, a girl’s risk of marrying in childhood has dropped by over 40 per cent between 2000 and 2017.
  • Nine out of 10 people living in cities breathe polluted air.
  • In 2016, the absolute number of people living without electricity dropped below the symbolic threshold of one billion.
  • Land degradation threatens the livelihoods of over one billion people.

See report overview.

More information on the Report may be found at https://unstats.un.org/sdgs

Spread your Goals and flap your wings for the #SDGs! A campaign launched in Germany invites citizens to have a say on the #SDGs

One small flap of your wings can make a huge difference for a better world!  #SpreadYourGoals2030

The UN SDG Action Campaign and media company Weischer Media have launched today the Spread Your Goals campaign, combining Augmented Reality, outdoors, cinema, mobile, and social media. By using the mobile app Shazam’s new AR feature, everybody can learn about the SDGs and spread their wings to advocate for sustainable development.

It’s simple to participate:

1) Download the app Shazam

2) Click on the camera icon

3) Scan the orange code in the image below

4) Take your photo and start sharing with the hashtag #SpreadYourGoals2030!

The wings are shown in the app as moving stickers and the photos can be shared directly from the app to social media. For a special WOW effect, you can also make the wings flap!

Curious about what each wing portraits? Click on each of the goals and read more about the SDGs, and tell the world which SDGs you are most passionate about via  MY World 2030 . MY World is a global citizen survey to bring people’s voices into official debates about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Almost 10 million people from 194 countries have shared their views on MY World.

Additionally, billboards have been placed in six German cities, showing wings with elements from all 17 Goals and carrying the Shazam Code to enter the Augmented Reality experience. One of these billboards will be on display at the Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development.

Which goals do you want to spread? Let people know and start soaring to new heights!

 

Shaping a sustainable future with the UN in Bonn

The United Nations SDG Action Campaign is proud to be part of the growing United Nations family in Bonn, Germany.

The UN is currently represented in Bonn with about 20 organizations. UN Bonn supports targeted efforts by governments for a sustainable future in the fields of climate change, land degradation, biodiversity and ecosystem services, wildlife conservation, volunteerism, health, human security, disaster risk reduction, tourism, as well as education and training.

This not only includes the sustainable use of natural resources and their precautionary preservation for future generations, but also the global fight against poverty.

Learn more about the UN in Bonn here:

Brochure in English

Brochure in German

The United Nations has had offices in Bonn since 1951. In 2006, the UN Campus was officially inaugurated by the former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, with the “Langer Eugen” as the main building.

The UN presence in Bonn has grown steadily, from a handful of staff in 1996 to what has become a UN family with an international staff of almost 1,000 colleagues. Furthermore, the United Nations are represented in Germany with institutions and liaison offices in Dresden, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt and Nuremberg.

For more, visit the UN Bonn website.

The United Nations launches hacking challenge to bring Nigerian voices to decision-makers

Hackathon to be held from 5-7 February 2018 will award 1 million naira to winner team

BONN, Germany, January 31st, 2018 – The United Nations SDG Action Campaign, in collaboration with Civic Innovation Lab, is calling on Nigeria’s best software skills to contribute to citizens’ engagement with the SDGs and bring the voices of Nigerians to the Government and the United Nations.

 “The SDGs are a new way of thinking and doing. They provide guidelines for how we can, and need, to do things more creatively, more effectively, and more inclusively. Nigerian developers and the innovation community have invested in helping their communities thrive and we want to provide the opportunity to transfer this innovative thinking into action for good, to solve the most important problems that we are facing right now. It is very exciting to bring this program to Nigeria for the first time, and we are convinced the results will have a tremendous impact locally and globally,” said Mitchell Toomey, Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign.

A hackathon to be held from 5-7 February 2018 in Abuja will bring together top innovative minds to design a tool, app or system to enable a more efficient roll out of the MY World survey across the country.

MY World is the UN survey that educates and mobilizes citizens on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and allows them to share their perception of progress made in their countries and regions on those goals of most immediate concern to them in the past 12 months. Through this data collection, the UN aims to create space for every citizen in the world to participate in the discussions and send strong messages to world leaders on what needs to be done to solve today’s most pressing challenges.

“Nigeria is fully committed to faithfully implementing the SDGs and ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind. In spite of the current economic realities, Nigeria has continued to commit funds to the SDGs to devise effective means of ensuring the SDGs are promoted and owned by peoples of the world”, affirmed Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Presidential Adviser on the SDGs, Government of Nigeria.

The winner of the hackathon will receive One Million Naira and a 3 months’ Community membership at the Civic Innovation Lab to develop the tool that will be used in the roll out of the survey across Nigeria and around the world. Participants can apply through the online application, open until February 1st, 2018.

“Engaging social innovators in tech to take action for the SDGs is key to achieving these Goals. Our collaboration with the UN SDG Action Campaign will enable the Nigerian community of designers, social innovators and entrepreneurs to collaborate effectively in addressing the country’s needs and join the global community of change-makers who are tackling the world’s biggest challenges”, said Adaeze Sokan, Director, Civic Innovation Lab.

ABOUT THE UN SDG ACTION CAMPAIGN

The UN SDG Action Campaign is a special initiative of the UN-Secretary General, administered by the UNDP to create awareness about the 2030 Agenda, empower and inspire people across the world to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while generating political will, and help make the Goals attainable by 2030.

https://www2.sdgactioncampaign.org/

ABOUT MY WORLD 2030

MY World is the UN survey that asks citizens if they are aware of the Sustainable Development Goals, which six of the 17 Global Goals are of immediate concern to them and if the situation of these has got better, stayed the same or got worse over the past 12 months.

https://myworld2030.org/

ABOUT OSSAP-SDGS

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the SDGs (OSSAP-SDGs) was established by the President of Nigeria with a mandate to coordinate national mobilisation, integration, implementation and reporting of the SDGs across levels of government. It also has the mandate to promote partnership and mobilise resources for the SDGs, working with multi-stakeholders including the private sector, civil society and international development partners. In 2017, the OSSAP-SDGs entered into a multi-year partnership agreement with the United Nations SDG Action Campaign.

http://sdgs.gov.ng/

ABOUT CIVIC INNOVATION LAB

Civic Innovation Lab is a social innovation hub focused on harnessing Creativity, Innovation, and Technology to solve our most pressing civic and government issues. We support technology solutions that enhance efficiency and effectiveness in public sector institutions as well as quality of life.

http://civicilab.com/

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Marta Rojas| UN SDG Action Campaign | marta.rojas@undp.org

Priscila Jordão| UN SDG Action Campaign  priscila@sdgactioncampaign.org

A new discovery tool for cutting-edge research on SDGs: the Sustainable Development Explorer

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are interconnected, and so is the work of United Nations University (UNU), which spans the full breadth of the SDGs.

About 400 UNU researchers are engaged in more than 180 projects to address complex global challenges, especially where different goals meet. To highlight which of those projects address each of the SDGs, UNU just launched a new tool that allows one to search its database of research, commentary, and multimedia: the Sustainable Development Explorer.

Available in English and in Japanese, the SD Explorer currently features 51 projects, 34 experts, 34 publications, and 50 expert articles, organised by SDG.

It offers visitors the opportunity to explore the “who” and “what” of UNU’s work, engage directly with UNU’s experts, and learn about how their ideas can play a significant role in promoting and supporting the SDGs.

To learn more about the SD Explorer, please visit: http://bit.ly/2FQrRwy.