The Global Goals at UNGA – What Happened

Every year, world leaders attend the UN General Assembly in New York to focus on the biggest challenges the world faces. This year we wanted to remind world leaders that we have to get the World’s To-Do List- the Global Goals- done. Here are a few ways we showed up.

1. SDG Moment

The annual SDG Moment puts a spotlight on the gaps and solutions we need to advance the Goals. Holding an SDG ‘board’, Prime Minister of Barbados and co-chair of the SDG Advocates Mia Mottley called on leaders to get the World’s To-Do List done and to hold leaders’ feet to the ‘fire’ whilst the UN Secretary-General called for greater financing. UN goodwill ambassadors including BlackPink, Amanda Gorman, and Priyanka Chopra Jones added their voices to the need for urgent action. Our new film premiered to a live performance from singer-songwriter Judith Blake. Read more here.

2. The Transforming Education Summit

Transforming Education: the SDG Moment led to a big opportunity for change -the Transforming Education summit. It resulted in more than 130 countries committing to rebooting efforts towards Goal 4- Quality education but some civil society activists and campaigners felt it fell short, especially when it came to girls’ education. We helped make sure young people’s voices were heard by bringing a young Ukrainian student, Yelyzaveta Posivnych to speak at the TES opening, showcasing student ideas and innovations to transform education at Goals House and inviting all children, everywhere to share their views on education via our Transforming Education survey. This survey is for any child aged 10+ and is open for them to play until January 2023, when a full report will be published and shared with education leaders.

3. Cities And The World’s To-Do List

Cities and the Global Goals: the theme of this year’s Global Goals week was local action or Global Goals. Cities hold the keys to achieving the Goals – they are home to more than half of the world’s population and every day many city leaders are working hard to advance the Goals. That’s why it was brilliant to celebrate and highlight cities’ contribution to the Goals through our World’s To-Do List campaign. From Freetown to Bogota, lots of cities showed their commitment to getting the Goals done and made a plea for the finance they need to power that action.

4. Goalkeepers 2030

Goalkeepers: we’re proud to partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on the Goalkeepers event which returned in person to New York after the Covid pandemic. The event brought together changemakers from across the world to explore the data, celebrate the activists, and share ideas on how to advance progress. The Goalkeepers awards honoured young activists and leaders from around the world including Afghan Journalist Zahra Joya and President of the European Commission -Ursula von der Leyen. Read more here.

5. Goals House

After popping up in Davos, SXSW, the Cannes Lions, and London Climate Action Week earlier in the year, we brought Goals House back to New York City for UNGA. In collaboration with Freuds, we held almost 50 events over 5 days, bringing together our growing community of Global Goals advocates – from Presidents, Prime Ministers and Mayors to innovators, activists, businesses, NGO leaders, creatives, policy experts, and many more. It was a packed programme, but no matter the theme – biodiversity, gender equality, circular design or clean water – the message across the whole week was clear: we must urgently get to work if we are to get the World’s To-Do list done.

But now UNGA is over, it’s vital that we keep up the pressure on leaders to act. 2023 will mark halfway to go until the 2030 deadline. There’s all to play for and lots to do. One of the first tests will be at the COP climate summit in November in Egypt where we need to see serious climate action. So keep following us and get involved in our campaign to get the World’s To-Do List done.