UN SDG Action Campaign

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.

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

SDGs clearly present at World Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha, Qatar

Doha, Qatar: 14-16 November, 2017

The SDGs were a key focus for global education actors when they gathered at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser, Chairperson of the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation and one of seventeen United Nations Secretary-General SDG Advocates, hosted and attended the Summit where world leaders called for urgent action to help young refugees and internally displaced youths. With more than 260 million children and young people out of school today, and only one per cent of young refugees able to access higher education, there were warnings that the SDGs will not be achieved if young people are denied quality education.

The EAA Foundation signed several new partnerships at the event, part of its commitment to address the global education crisis and enroll 10 million out-of-school children.

© WISE/ NigelDownes –
HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana

During the high-level plenary (watch here), the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is Co-Chair of SDG Advocates, told the WISE audience: “The spectre of tens and tens of millions of young refugees growing up without the needed skills to create a meaningful life for themselves is a dangerous one. What do we expect them to do? What opportunities are available to them? How competitive can they be in this global economy? These are questions that must elicit a concerted and calculated response from the world’s leaders.”

Mr. Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management said: “Tens of millions of children are deprived of education. We cannot afford lost generations. No single child should be left behind. It is our moral duty to do more.”

The SDGs were also visible at the UN SDG Action Campaign booth, located in the EAA Foundation exhibition space. Visitors could learn more about the Campaign’s work and could show their commitment to the SDGs by obtaining stickers and taking selfies with the goals. By taking the MY World 2030 survey, which polls top SDG priorities and citizen perceptions on implementation progress, they could consider the SDGs in relation to their own lives. Through the use of virtual reality, attendees of the Summit were also able to step into the shoes of children affected by emergencies, seeing first-hand the ways an interruption to education can stymie young people’s progress. The Campaign showed the 360’ films, Ground Beneath Her and Clouds Over Sidra, which showcase young girls affected by the earthquake in Nepal, and the Syrian Crisis respectively.

“MY World and UNVR are not only tools to use with young people in education settings to capture the realities of young people though data and storytelling, but also amazing tools for use in the classroom,” said Ms. Kristin Gutekunst, who represented the UN SDG Action Campaign at the forum. “MY World helps young people learn the language of the SDGs and understand how they manifest in their own lives. UNVR helps them understand the complex interaction of the SDGs in different settings, and also inspires a connection to people across the world, sponsoring a sense of global connection.”

Innovation and People’s Actions at the heart of the 72nd UN General Assembly

High-Level events, interactive discussions, data showcases, the latest immersive experiences, UNVR screenings and specially thousands of people and over 500 organisations around the world mobilising action to #ACT4SDGs… we are looking back on a successful UN General Assembly and first Global mobilisation to celebrate the SDGs Anniversary.

At the 72 UN General Assembly the UN SDG Action Campaign provided forums to experience cutting-edge technologies and to explore new ways to scale those innovations, to transfer skills and provide the necessary tools for individuals to be able to own and take action for the SDGs from across the globe, and to celebrate the actions and innovations that are already happening. Here are some of the highlights:

SDG Interactive Exhibition

Hundreds of visitors came by the SDG Interactive Exhibition, curated by the UN SDG Action Campaign, to take part in a multitude of immersive experiences and participatory activations that support the UN system in communicating and advocating for the advancement of the SDGs. The experiences provided a voice to people around the world and a peek into how the SDGs manifest in their daily lives, giving delegates at the 72nd General Assembly the chance to understand their realities at this important annual political forum.

Visitors experienced how today’s available and low cost technology can address tomorrows constraints on industry and life through today’s available, through the SIMTAINER. Light, a first-of-its-kind live-synced VR experience created by Mae allowed visitors to reveal the underlying fabric of our shared humanity and invite a posture of humility in the face of the radical collaboration required by all of us to accomplish the SDGs.

Moving from empathy to action, visitors could also discover and share citizen perceptions on the SDGs with real time SDG data visualizations, sharing their views on SDG progress through the MY World 2030 survey, and the social media commitment capsules at the #Act4SDGs corner.

High-Level Event on Innovation and Technology: SDG Innovation

On Monday 18 September, the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (UN Global Pulse) and the SDG Action Campaign convened governments, CEOs of major technology leading companies and innovators at the High-Level Event on SDG Innovation during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly.

This unique event exposed governments to breakthrough ideas and innovations available, and leading tech innovators to the concrete problematics and challenges of countries in advancing the Agenda 2030. H.E. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72nd General Assembly opened the event. Among the group of participants were: H.E. Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia and H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of United Arab Emirates, Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder of LinkedIn, Marc Benioff, Founder and CEO of Salesforce, Ashish Thakkar, Founder of Mara Group and Chair of the UN Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council.

“To achieve the SDGs, governments, NGOs and the private sector must all work together to unleash a massive wave of entrepreneurship that generates the breakthrough companies at a record pace. That is how we will create greener power, distribute more food and create hundreds thousands of new jobs for the growing middleclass”
Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn

SDG Action Campaign at the SDG Media Zone

The SDG Media Zone aims to engage people all over the world in the important conversations happening during this high-level week of the UN General Assembly and to strengthen the commitment of the international community in support of the 2030 Agenda.

The Campaign programmed and participated in 2 sessions:

Data tells the story on the SDGs

Mitchell Toomey, Director SDG Action Campaign with Robert Kirkpatrick, Director, UN Global Pulse Moderated by Emily Courey Pryor, Executive Director Data2X

The Future We Want in Virtual Reality

Moderated by Kristin Gutekunst,Executive Producer, UN SDG Action Campaign, featuring Monique Marian, BU Architect, Grimshaw Architects
and Marina Gorbis, Executive Director, Institute for the Future.

The UN SDG Action Campaign also participated in the Media for Social Impact Summit, our Global Director, Mitchell Toomey gave a keynote address regarding Action for the SDGs, and Kristin Gutekunst, Executive Producer of the UNVR project, moderated the exciting panel: Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Virtually Reporting the Realities of the SDGs. Find out more

Data Playground: Celebrating data, innovation and technology for the SDGs

The UN SDG Action Campaign, UN Global Pulse, and Microsoft organised the fourth annual Data Playground, an interactive event showcasing data and technological innovations for the SDGs. Innovators across the UN and private and public sector joined for an evening to discuss and explore opportunities for accelerating sustainable development solutions. Read full post

The Global People’s Summit

The UN SDG Action Campaign participated in the first ever Global People’s Summit for Sustainable Development to facilitate a series of activations and calls to action. 84 MILLION people were reached in 160 COUNTRIES

Launch of the ASEAN MY World 2030 survey

The ASEAN MY World survey was officially launched by the UNDP Administrator and all Foreign Ministers from the ASEAN region.

“Multi-stakeholder participation and inclusion are recognized as key drivers of success; however there is still a need to increase public awareness and ownership. The ASEAN MY World survey will increase public awareness and capture priorities and perceptions of progress on the agendas.”
Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UNDP

The ASEAN MY World survey will increase public awareness and capture priorities and perceptions of progress on the agendas, interpret peoples’ aspirations towards the ASEAN Community Vision and the SDGs at the national and regional level, and subsequently help shape policy recommendations and plans of action for ASEAN Member States to achieve the agenda/vision in a timely manner.

Read the complete speech or go to the ASEAN My World 2030 Survey: asean.myworld2030.org

Global Day of Action for SDGs – We the People #Act4SDGs

On 25 September, 2017 – the second anniversary of the ratification of the SDGs. The UN SDG Action Campaign, together with the World We Want 2030, local chapters of the Global Campaign Against Poverty (GCAP), and Action for Sustainable Development, joined forces to invite people around the world to take action and send a strong signal to leaders about the importance of the SDGs.

The result? Thousands of volunteers and citizens around the world, celebrities, journalists and thought leaders joined to inspire people to collectively achieve the SDGs:

500 organisations
1000 actions
116 countries and 380 cities
11,000 tweets
84 million people reached globally

Explore the actions and join us: www.Act4SDGs.org

Support UNICEF Innovations new call for support for VR/AR

REPOST: Our friends at the UNICEF Innovation Fund have released a call for proposals. Deadline is 17 September. Brief summary below, and full posting here: http://unicefstories.org/vr/.

The Innovation Fund allows UNICEF to quickly assess, fund and grow open-source solutions that can improve children’s lives. Financial and technological support is available for companies that can show a strong founding team and a clear path to improving the lives of children.

The UNICEF Innovation Fund is looking for start-ups that are developing and piloting new open source VR/AR solutions. We are looking to make investments in 1) software for authoring or consuming these new realities, 2) platforms and ways providing wider access to that software, 3) platforms and ways providing better tools for content creation (such as a template, workflow, or format), and 4) particular applications of content.

For our next VR/AR cohort of investees we are particularly interested in the following applications of content:

Learning
Teaching people to perform simple tasks, in many languages, with higher retention rates and better motivational levels (examples: how to install a water pump; how to recognize malnutrition in under 5-year-olds; how to teach seamstresses to perform simple procedures). VR/AR also presents new ways of increasing access to experiential learning, including for people with disabilities.
Understanding complex environments
Accessing large amounts of data and deciphering them in a better way. Getting a simple picture from a complex collection of data points (examples: converting history of GIS data points from refugee camps into a VR environment for better planning; improving situational awareness for emergency responders).
New ways of storytelling
Undiscovered ways of using VR/AR to tell a story, especially by bridging cross-cultural gaps and creating a dialogue.

Be daring: Applications to the Fund are accepted on a rolling basis. However, to be considered for the VR/AR-focused cohort, we ask you to submit your application by September 17, 11:59pm EDT.

Are you up to the challenge? Call for proposals: UNVR App

SUMMARY

We believe that virtual reality has the ability to unlock real potential for change. We have already witnessed the positive effects that early UNVR content has had on small groups via targeted screenings, and are now seeking to move our project to scale. That’s why we’re calling for the support of the international creative & tech community!

The UNVR project is seeking the services of an experienced team for the creation of an application that will host 360 video, and eventually room scale virtual reality content from across the UN system. This app will also be an environment to suggest ways to make impact, such as educational curricula, fundraising links, advocacy initiatives, etc.

To apply, please send a proposal to support@sdgactioncampaign.org by 31 August 2017. Extra consideration will be paid to those applications with reduced or pro bono suggestions. Please see the full terms of reference for more details below!

BACKGROUND

About Sustainable Development Goals https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

In September 2015, countries ratified the new Global Sustainable Development Agenda, with the target of creating a better world for people and planet and leaving no one behind. Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent an unprecedented leap forward in the fight against poverty and inequalities, as well as in the struggle for environmental sustainability. The SDGs embody a universal, inclusive and transformative vision of development, which calls upon all Member States to ensure a life of dignity for all, leaving no-one behind. The realization of this agenda will require the existence of sufficient political will and the generation of an enabling environment for citizens to actively engage in the implementation, monitoring and review efforts.

This presents the opportunity for renewed energy for global action to build a more equal and peaceful world. In effort to build global awareness and people’s’ participation in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals between now and 2030, the United Nations SDG Action Campaign is working with innovative partners to capture the attention and imagination of people who might not otherwise be aware of major development issues in their countries or locally.

About the UN SDG Action Campaign http://un.org/sdgaction

The UN SDG Action Campaign is a special initiative of UN Secretary-General, administered by the UN Development Programme and mandated to support the UN system-wide and the Member States on advocacy and public engagement in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. With a proven track record since 2002, it empowers and inspires people across the world to take action in supporting their governments, building multi-stakeholder partnerships and leveraging cutting-edge communication technologies to bridge the gap and ensure a transparent dialogue between world leaders and their constituencies, especially the most marginalized and vulnerable populations. Through virtual reality (UNVR), new and traditional media, and other immersive experiences, the UN SDG Action Campaign leverages new technology and creative storytelling to empower individuals to share personal anecdotes of the SDGs. These initiatives create a bridge of understanding, empathy and collective accountability for building a better world and achieving the SDGs by 2030.

About UNVR http://unvr.org

Since 2015, the United Nations SDG Action Campaign has coordinated the United Nations Virtual Reality Project, using the power of immersive storytelling to inspire viewers towards increased empathy, action and positive social change. The project unites the UN system’s immersive content under one brand and distribution system, allowing the system to mutually leverage each other’s expertise and to collaborate. The films provide a deeper understanding for those living in the most complex development challenges, catalyzing urgency for those most in danger of being left behind if the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not met. It highlights those already creating solutions to inspire a sense of shared responsibility and collective action, however small. It will seek to capture the common human experiences that individuals face and showcase UN solutions and results that are both uplifting and enduring. It will illustrate partnerships with government especially at the local level, and show how the UN helps meet national priorities through sustainable development. By sharing these VR experiences the SDG Action Campaign is hoping to inspire change that improves peoples’ lives and creates the world we all want.

Building upon its mandate to amplify the voices of those who are often unheard, particularly the world’s most vulnerable, the project will also work to build partnerships that empower storytellers with sharing their talents by connecting people from the diplomatic, tech and creative world to innovate upon how VR stories are created, shared, and used for impact. Through such partnerships, UNVR aims to ensure a diversity of voices are heard and empowered with the right technology and mentoring. It will also allow people with the power to make a difference have a deeper understanding of their world, and hopefully to act to make a difference.

The Campaign created its first 360’ film in January, 2015. The project targeted decision makers primarily in the first phase of the Virtual Reality Project to spread awareness and create empathy; coordinating a series of exhibitions, workshops, panel discussions, and media moments to further elevate the critical issues it addressed. The films were screened at the most important diplomatic forums to use in high level advocacy and policy impact, shown to decision makers as encouragement for them step into the shoes of their constituencies & take bold actions, creating media attention and momentum.

The films have helped position the UN brand positively, showcasing the organization’s ability to lead in both innovative technologies and storytelling. It has spearheaded a shift in storytelling, amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable people who are in danger of being left behind, while allowing these individuals to tell their own story with dignity. Finally it has allowed the UN system to unite under one platform to share resources and address cross-cutting issues.

Initial findings from testing VR for fundraising have shown the ability to inspire large increases in face-to-face fundraising across a variety of different variables, including: increased propensity to stop and engage; increased inclination to donate after engagement; increased average donation value. Apart from this, it was also found that the VR experience enables access to better locations and venues so that more individuals can witness the content.

The Campaign has ambitious plans to package each of the films in different ways so that they may be used by a variety of stakeholders to continue to raise awareness and for the complex global issues highlighted, especially for young people around the world. In addition to showcasing the VR experience at high-level UN meetings, the SDG Action Campaign is working with partners to create advocacy platforms, awareness and fundraising campaigns. Films will be distributed widely to raise the profile of individual issues with the purpose of helping raise resources and to promote awareness, as we have seen with previous VR documentaries from the UN SDG Action Campaign.

By partnering with leaders in the field of new technologies for education and communication, the Campaign wishes to develop kits and curricula so that the films may be used in classrooms across the world to promote understanding, empathy and critical thinking for young people – connecting them across the globe. Initial testing has shown that VR is an effective tool to build context, awareness and interest for understanding and discussing real world situations. Through an open sourced app and accompanying curriculum, teachers can use it as a guided learning tool, inspiring brainstorming on ways to create real change.

UNVR APP

The UNVR app will allow the UNVR project to move to scale, creating an tool for advocacy, fundraising, and education. The UNVR app will serve as a home for some of this select content and encourage people to take actions related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UN produced films have traditionally lived on third party VR apps. The UNVR app will centralize the content being made into one platform, solving the critical need for a distribution method for the UN System. The app will include action-oriented messaging and links to complimentary campaigns so viewers can directly have an outlet for responding to the content.

In the future we foresee the project working as a distribution platform, and also a catalyzing agent to host educational information and curriculum, and to provide ways to take action on the issues contained within. It will serve as another critical open source tool for citizens around the world to easily contribute and campaign for the SDGs.

Criteria for first phase release

Display 360 VR video
Integrate audio formats for current content and Integrate dynamic audio formats such as .Mp3 and .tbe
Intro screen with multiple tour option, where user can select content/Scene by sliding the screen.
White labeled custom branding
Content to be categorised using a given taxonomy by UN Agency, region, SDG, topic and custom tags.
Keyword search for contents using the taxonomy and tags above.
In-app push notification functions.
‘Sticky’ functionality for preferred placement in list for certain contents.
Click on title, thumbnail or short description brings audience to title page with more info with credits.
Hotspot option to display more info on the scene.
Click, GYRO and accelometer sensors based on app capabilities. When user gazes/clicks a link icon it should directly navigate to the content.
Users can navigate initially from device without HMD or while in HMD.
Universal access through WebVR or similar service.
Available on App stores for Google and Apple.
Action buttons after each video.
App will be dynamic for input from the UN which can be updated with new content from the UN side using specific style guides.
VR Analytics: Integrate with a 3rd party app provided by the UN that has normal analytics plus 360′ heat maps; advanced tech for emotional tracking to use head movements to decipher head movements and behavioral insights of users.
Supports branching narratives in 360 video.
Supports room-scale experiences.
Linked to SteamVR, Oculus and other non app or HMD specific storefronts.
Live streaming capabilities.
Multilingual capability for content and the app.

Criteria for next phase development (wishlist)

Supports branching narratives in 360 video
Supports room-scale experiences
Linked to SteamVR, Oculus and other non app or HMD specific storefronts

Format, branding

United Nations Logo
UNVR, a project by the UN SDG Action Campaign.
Sharing includes link to app download with #UNVR @SDGAction
More information on VR films: http://unvr.sdgactioncampaign.org/vr-films/

Appealing apps to model off of:

NY Times App
- Positive: playlist capabilities, clean layout,
- Negative: lacks an overarching search matrix of playlists, not easy to find new content in this layout
Within
- Positive: new release notification on thumbnail. Download/stream buttons easy. Not easy to find content in this layout.
- Negative: no further contextualized information listed
UNICEF 360
- Positive: Donate button. Introductory video about the project, links to About Us Canada to drive towards further info.
- Negative: lack of overarching info about the project and how it integrates into unicef – fragments UN messaging.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

At least 3 years of demonstrated experience (sample work available on app stores) in developing apps for hosting content (preferably VR).
Ability to design interactive user experiences that span across multiple app stores.
Previous experience in working with the UN is highly desirable but not required.

DELIVERABLES:

A VR app that will be supported for 1 year for maintenance after sign off on delivery by the UN.
The application to be available on Apple, Android, VIVE, Oculus, Daydream and webVR.
All source code and completed documentation handed over to the UN at the sign off off the project.
All 3rd party servers and SAAS apps used to be purchased (should be included in the financial proposal) for 1 year and credentials handed over to the UN at sign off.
A detailed cost projection for 2nd year based on 3rd party servers and subscriptions used.
Knowledge transfer of how to add new content and make minor UI updates such as adding new logos.

TO APPLY

Please send a detailed proposal to support@sdgactioncampaign.org with the subject: UNVR App Proposal by 31 August 2017. Proposals should address the listed qualifications and include a methodology, timeline, and supporting documentation that will help our consideration in choosing the best content proposal. Extra consideration will be paid to those applications with reduced or pro bono suggestions. During launch, a PR strategy will acknowledge the firm that produces the content, and proper accreditation will be paid as agreed.

How the United Nations is using Virtual Reality

On the 20 April, Kristin Gutekunst, Executive Producer of the UN SDG Action Campaign and project lead on UNVR, and David Cravinho, Global Fundraising Specialist for UNICEF presented at the Virtual Reality Show in London. Joining top brands from creative, technology, hardware agencies, as well as government institutions and NGOS, the show provided an opportunity to present the UNVR system’s achievements, future strategy and establish the UNVR brand as an industry leader in using interactive experiences for social impact.

In this video, Kristin Gutekunst gives an overview on the various ways the United Nations system has been using VR to allow people to step into the shoes of people around the world – creating deep human connections and fighting preconceptions. She discusses the many ways the UN system has been testing these films; potential impact on fundraising, high level advocacy, and educational programs. She also give hints about some of the big plans in store.

David Cravinho provides best practices and lessons learned on the initial findings from UNICEF’s global project to incorporate VR into their fundraising strategy, and showcases some of the innovative ways UNICEF National Committees are using it in the field through face-to-face-fundraising.

The show was an arena for Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality professionals and enthusiasts to explore experiences, witness panels and meet the top brands and innovators working in the fields of social impact, education, automotive, gaming, medicine, amusement parks, space, etc.

For more information about the UNVR program, please visit www.UNVR.org

“Refugee Realities”– Bringing individual refugee stories to the OECD

By OECD

What if policy discussions on refugees didn’t take place inside boardrooms or official chambers, but rather in a forum where refugees themselves could intervene and argue for programmes that made sense to them? What if policymakers could personally interact with displaced populations? Would our policies be different, and better? Would our responses to forced displacement change?

While we are a long way away from a fully consultative and inclusive decision-making process, we know that policy making does not occur in a vacuum but rather that discussions are often held in official and unofficial spaces. As such, the Secretariat of the OECD’s Temporary Working Group on Refugees and Migration invited its delegates to go beyond normative discussions and to experience the individual stories, personal interests and lived experiences of refugees at the “Refugee Realities Exhibition” on May 15.

With the support of the UN SDG Action Campaign, delegates and OECD staff were able to immerse themselves in the world of Sidra, a 12-year-old Syrian Refugee living in Za’tari refugee camp in Jordan.

Using headsets (provided by the UN SDG Action Campaign) to watch the movie Cloud over Sidra, participants noted that the authenticity of the experience deeply moved them. For many, this virtual experience was their first ‘visit’ to a refugee camp. Some noted that listening to Sidra’s voice was an important reminder of the hopes and desires of refugees, which are often lost in public narratives and may not always be present in policy spaces.

The exhibition also included photographs by Paris-based organization Action Emploi Réfugiés and Refugee Economics, a Canadian-based photography project. Alongside the virtual experience, the photographs also highlighted the strength of refugees in rebuilding their lives and showcased their creativity when working towards self-reliance. Co-sponsored by the Canadian Mission to the OECD, the exhibition also underscored the importance of facilitating access to productive opportunities for forcibly displaced populations by safeguarding individual rights and recognising refugee needs and aspirations.

“Forced displacement is a development challenge that requires new forms of assistance and responses that go beyond current approaches” explained Jorge Moreira da Silva, Director of the Development Cooperation Directorate at the OECD, during the opening of the exhibition. “By engaging in a thoughtful discussion on refugee realities, we hope to encourage programming that is human-centred”

View more event photos

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The Temporary Working on Refugees and Migration was established by the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) to support the capacity of DAC members to deliver whole-of-government solutions in developing countries of origin, transit and destination, with a particular focus on delivering better quality results on the ground. The DAC is a unique international forum of many of the largest funders of aid and an important stakeholder in shaping standards and conditions of aid. As such, the group will deliver on its aim by August 2017 with the development of a “Guidance on Development Assistance in Situations of Forced Displacement.”

UN Virtual Reality at European Commission Open Doors Day

In May each year, the European Institutions celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the European Union. Entertaining, informative activities are organised throughout Europe and beyond. This is an opportunity for citizens to learn about the day-to-day work of the institutions, as well as the broader issues, challenges and benefits of the European Union for its 508 million citizens. This year the European institutions opened to the public on Saturday May 6th in Brussels and Sunday May 14th in Strasbourg.

The EU Humanitarian Aid stand welcomed visitors to immerse themselves in the world of humanitarian aid and civil protection. The stand was a replica of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre, a state of the art hub where duty officers follow potentially emerging crises 24/7 with satellite images. Visitors got a chance to talk to a real duty officer. Over 12.000 visitors came to the Berlaymont building and many of them came to the stand.

The stand featured a virtual reality classroom, featuring some United Nations Virtual Reality films showing the warzone in Gaza in 2014 (My Mother’s Wing), or the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan where Sidra, a 12-year-old girl, will be your guide (Clouds Over Sidra). Children took part in a giant world map game, where they found out about where in the world EU Humanitarian Aid operates.

People were watching the films in their entirety, from beginning to end. “Awesome”, “Impressive”, “Powerful” were the adjectives used by visitors to describe the experience. Some of them, after having watched one movie came back to view the others films. The response was so high that a queue started to snake around the stand.

Images: European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

World Map

Visitors come to the EU Humanitarian Aid Stand

EU Humanitarian Aid Stand

Kids at the EU Humanitarian Aid Stand

Visitors line up outside the Berlaymont Building

Visitors wait for virtual reality

How can new technologies ensure we leave no one behind

Professionals developing world class innovation discuss the real potential of virtual reality and new media and the challenges that lay ahead: How do we make sure it brings a positive impact to global issues.? How can we bring it to everyone and really use it to help the people who need it the most?

Friedrich Kurz, General Manager Social Innovation, Deutsche Telekom, Marisol Grandon, CEO of Untold Stories, Kristin Gutekunst, Executive Producer of UNVR, UN SDG Action Campaign, Wilfried Runde, Head of Innovation Projects at Deutsche Welle join the discussion at the SDG Live Stage of the Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development.

To convey the stories of the most vulnerable people in the world and bring them home to the decision makers and global citizens around the world, pushing the bounds of empathy, the UN SDG Action Campaign has coordinated the United Nations Virtual Reality Series since 2015.

This discussion happened during the first Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development. Watch more: http://globalfestivalofideas.org/