The Curtain goes up on the world stage today as UN Week and The Social Good Summit begin. During the week of September 17, world leaders will gather in New York for the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly to foster dialogue and action on the world’s most pressing challenges. Poverty, gender equality, global education, climate change, universal health coverage and data for sustainable development, to name a few.
This year’s UN General Assembly will mark plenty of historic firsts. It will be the first for UN Secretary-General António Guterres and an opportunity to reinforce his vision for a strong, modernized UN that is focused on prevention and advancing peace. It will also be the first UN General Assembly for the new U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as many other new world leaders.
Starting things off today is The 2017 Social Good Summit, which unites a community of activists, innovators, celebrities and world leaders to explore how we can make the world a better place using technology and new media. The one-day Summit is put on by Mashable and The UN Foundation and takes place at NYC’s 92nd St. Y.
Held each year in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly Week (UN Week, a/k/a Global Goals Week), Sunday’s Social Good Summit will kick off a week of various activities—from concerts to conferences—all with one common goal in mind — The 17 Global Goals (SDGs).
The Sustainable Development Goals, also known as Global Goals, is a 17 item agenda adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to find solutions for the most pressing issues of our time. With the intention of achieving the SDGs by the year 2030, Global Goals Week was created to raise awareness and accelerate action.
Sustainable development calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet. For this to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize three core elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. These elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the well-being of individuals and societies.
The 17 Global Goals
The Global Goals came about In 2015, when countries adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. In 2016, the Paris Agreement on climate change entered into force, addressing the need to limit the rise of global temperatures.
1. Poverty
2. Hunger and Food Security
3. Health
4. Education
5. Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
6. Water and Sanitation
7. Energy
8. Economic Growth
9. Infrastructure, Industrialization
10. Inequality
11. Cities
12. Sustainable Consumption and Production
13. Climate Change
14. Oceans
15. Biodiversity, Forests, Desertification
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships
It will be an exciting and inspiring week in New York City and around the world. Stay tuned as we bring you updates on the happenings from the world stage in NYC. — Abbe is SOCIALLY SPARKED! Tweet @sosparkednews & @asparks01
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