Global Actions for a Better Future
Global Actions for a Better Future
The topic of sustainability has become an immense subject with many directions that can be covered and approached. As it has become clear from the previous publications this is a worldwide concern with many measures, some European, some humanitarian. But one thing is known for certain - in the coming decades, climate change will hit the threshold of 1.5 C with much severe environmental, economic and social consequences.
In these challenging times we are currently facing, it is evidently important to shine a spotlight of hope and unity, especially on people choosing to make a difference in the world. Recently we tackled the subject of what the Sustainable Development Goals are and how they are vital step for a better future. However, this article will dive into two action campaigns based on the SDGs – the #Act4SDGs initiative and SGD Action Awards.
The Global Week to #Act4SDGs is a world-wide mobilization taking place during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly in September. The goal of the initiative is to show world leaders that people all around the world are committed, dedicated, and inspired to act upon the Global Sustainable Development Goals.
This year’s mobilization will focus on the key elements of Climate, Justice and Peace and will take place from the 16th until the 25th of September. The initiative strives to shine light of hope that resonates across borders by presenting new solutions, new approaches and #FlipTheSwitch scripts on how they are applying change.
Organizations and individuals can register their SGD actions on the Global Map of SDG Actions and receive a unique profile page to share with their networks and make sure their actions are counted. Here you will find some incredible stories that accelerate action. Change is
On the other hand, the UN SDG Action Awards are another signature program of the SDGs Action Campaign. It first started back in 2018 and has since been identifying and celebrating changemakers across the world. Last year, the Awards received over 2000 applications, for over three different categories and were all gathered from more than 140 countries.
The ultimate goal of the Awards is to seek individuals and initiatives that inspire and empower others through their actions. Like the SDG Voices campaign, led by the city of Ghent. The initiative challenged the cities in Belgium to implement the SDGs in their daily lives. The campaign itself involved 23 different Ghent city services and departments and nearly 6,000 citizens in six cities participated physically. The whole program was planned around different challenges, which included shifting to biking as carbon neutral transportation mechanism, showcasing theatre performances on gender equality, and conducting school debates on sustainability.
Psychology research from Simon Fraser University, La Trobe University and London School of Economics and Political Sciences says that “Working on sustainability, which is one form of working on solutions to make things better, is extremely motivating. And the motivation is also linked to hope!”
