The 2024 UN SDG Action Awards winners were announced in a memorable live Ceremony in Rome, Italy, on Tuesday, 29 October 2024, that celebrated the theme, Hope in Action.
The Ceremony featured keynote speeches from distinguished thought leaders and changemakers, such as Canon Ambassador and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Muhammed Muheisen, Paralympian and disability advocate Jessica Smith, and award-winning film director and producer Farhoud Meybodi. They underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration and community engagement in addressing complex global issues. The ceremony also included performances by Italian singer-songwriter Noemi, who performed a beautiful rendition of John Lennon’s song 'Imagine', and poet-activist Alhanislam, who performed the spoken word piece 'Break the Old Patterns'.
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🏆 Impact Winner:
Two initiatives drew a tie for the first time:
Plant-for-the-Planet (Global) were honoured for restoring forests and fighting climate change, empowering youth worldwide and restoring 90 million trees through education and digital transparency tools; and
Gjenge Makers (Kenya) were recognized for tackling Nairobi’s waste crisis, transforming plastic waste into building materials, recycling over 200 tons of plastic and creating 600 jobs while promoting recycling culture.
🏆 Creativity Winner:
The Italian campaign 'Assume That I Can' by CoorDown took home the Award by shattering stereotypes about people with Down Syndrome, reaching over 150 million views globally and sparking a powerful conversation on inclusion, earning 7 awards at Cannes Lions.
🏆 Changemaker Winner:
Suvarna Raj from India, a para-athlete and disability rights advocate were awarded for influencing policies like the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act and raising awareness of accessible elections.
🏆 Honourable Mention:
‘Weather Kids’ campaign, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiative aimed to inspire public conversation and mobilize action on climate change. Susan Brown, Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director, Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy of the UNDP with Isabella Santini, one of the children who participated in the campaign, accepted the award.
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The Ceremony also featured the HOPE IN ACTION art exhibition, a collaboration with HUG, a global community for artists, showcasing 25 powerful artworks on urgent issues such as climate action, gender equality, and peace.
This year, the call for submissions drew an astounding 5,500 responses from 190 countries representing new solutions and approaches to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each was evaluated by a high-level Panel of Judges and a technical review team who assessed them for impact, scalability, and innovation across three categories: Creativity, Impact, and Changemaker. Nine finalists were chosen, most of whom gathered in-person in Rome to learn firsthand who would receive the Award.
Supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and in partnership with the Italian broadcast network RAI, the Ceremony brought together a diverse community of UN principals, visionaries, artists, policymakers, and youth, all working to drive meaningful change.
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