July 2024 Newsletter

UN SDG Action Awards, Art Open Call, Podcast & Summit of the Future
(4 minute read)

UN SDG Action Awards: Over 5.5K applications received from 190 countries and territories

We are excited to announce that over 5,500 applications from 190 countries and territories were received for the 2024 UN SDG Action Awards in three categories – Creativity, Impact and Changemaker Awards. Stay tuned as we announce the finalists in the upcoming months! 

Mark your calendars for 29 October 2024 for the 2024 UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony which will be livestreamed globally. Get a glimpse of the excitement and inspiration from last year’s ceremony by watching the 2023 highlights video. 

In the meantime, don't miss the incredible stories of our UN SDG Action Awards Alumni who are making a remarkable impact around the world from Ecuador to Kenya, Estonia, Syria, the Philippines and more. 

Open Call:
Exhibit your art with the UN SDG Action Campaign  

What do YOU unite for? It’s time to see how art can bring people together for a more sustainable future. The UN SDG Action Campaign and HUG are inviting artists to submit their artwork that reimagine and recalibrate political, economic, social, and environmental systems for a peaceful, just, and inclusive present and a hopeful future. This is a unique chance to be part of a powerful movement using art to inspire change and promote SDGs.  

The selected artworks will be showcased in the coming months at key milestone events including the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York and the UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony in Rome.  

Submissions are open through 15 August 2024. 

Open Call: Hope in Action: Transforming Tomorrow | Apply here 
Seeking artwork on current issues such as Climate Action, Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment, Food Security, Peace, Youth, and Digital Technologies.   
 
Open Call: Economic Justice - Building a Just Future | Apply here 
Seeking artworks on the theme of Economic Justice 

UN Trade and Development Podcast features Marina Ponti, Global Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign

Are we on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030? As part of their 60th anniversary, UN Trade and Development recently featured a special episode with Marina Ponti, Global Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign, on their podcast The Weekly Tradecast. Marina Ponti explores why we need urgent action now to save the Sustainable Development Goals, including the challenges and opportunities facing global efforts to end poverty, address climate change, and build a more equitable world. 

Discover why transformative change is both necessary and possible, how the international financial system can be reformed, and why a shift in how we measure progress could reshape our future. Marina Ponti shares her optimistic vision for a world where hope drives action and where everyone has the chance to thrive. Don’t miss this enlightening discussion on how we can get back on track towards the SDGs. 

Road to the Summit of the Future:
Second Revision of the Pact for the Future is released

The Summit of the Future in September is a crucial opportunity to forge a new global consensus on what our future should look like and take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities. The action-oriented outcome document of the Summit, the Pact for the Future, is still being negotiated and revised. The second revision of the Pact for the Future has just been released, read here. 

Sign up for the Virtual Consultation on 31 July 2024 from 10:00-13:00 (EST) to engage with Member States and civil society representatives on the draft outcome document. More information