Welcome to the United Nations
With 1,500 participants, this year’s Global Festival of Action made the case for multiple voices and solidarity as the key factors for global action. Representatives of civil society, the private sector, academia, youth, media, international organizations and many more, made their way to Bonn from more than 100 countries for the event, which was hosted by the United Nations SDG Action Campaign.
“The movement for the Global Goals is growing and it is led by people like you. This incredible network is getting bigger and bigger by the day,” Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told participants in a video message.
The first day ended with the first-ever SDG Action Awards Ceremony. Eight winners were chosen from finalists engaged in the implementation of the SDGs as innovators, mobilizers, connectors, storytellers, communicators, visualizers or includers.
The next day was all about connecting the dots and building cross-sectoral, intergenerational bridges to bring about change. LGBTQ representatives, indigenous people, Pacific voices, and youth movements reinforced their commitment to ensure no one is left behind.
Throughout the event, held from 21-23 March, sessions guided participants to a better understanding of the complex issues that come with SDG implementation. Topics included networking and promotional skills, the importance of youth-led accountability, innovative partnerships, and virtual reality.
In line with the Festival’s inclusive and interactive character, the Department of Public Information coordinated a full-day programme in the SDG studio with a mix of Ted Talks, elevator pitches, dialogues, launches and Facebook Live sessions in the space.
At the innovation fair, organizations operating in the field of sustainable development presented their latest initiatives and innovations. The UN Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC) in Brussels presented its newly created board game Go Goals, a playful way of making children aware of the challenges of sustainable development.
Beyond the Festival site, interest in the unconventional conference was impressive. More than 30,000 people from 158 countries watched the Festival’s Livestream and #SDGglobalFest was a trending topic on Twitter in Germany.
More from the Global Festival of Action:
Source: UNDPI