Over 140 world leaders to gather in New York as UN marks first year anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals
19-23 September, UN Headquarters in New York
Since the unanimous adoption of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015, governments, the private sector and civil society are quickly moving to take the action that we need to end poverty, address inequalities and tackle climate change by 2030. To mark the first year anniversary, a number of high-level events and side events are taking place from 19 to 23 September.
Who: Heads of State and Government, joined by leaders from the private sector, civil society organizations, academia and senior UN officials
What: Key intergovernmental events plus dozens of other meetings and side events by governments, UN agencies and leaders from civil society, foundations and the private sector will raise awareness around many issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals. Please note all events listed below are subject to change.
When: 19-23 September 2016, with more events occurring before and after
Where: United Nations Headquarters (and surrounding venues)
High-level events will be webcast live at http://webtv.un.org/
KEY HIGH-LEVEL EVENTS
SDG Moment – First Year Anniversary of the Adoption of the SDGs
20 September, 8.30am – 9.00am (General Assembly Hall)
To mark the first anniversary of the adoption of the SDGs, there will be a high-level event before the start of the General Debate. This event will present an opportunity to highlight the actions that all stakeholders are taking to achieve the SDGs and help strengthen political resolve for implementation. The event will be webcast live. Contacts: harriganf@un.org, birchs@un.org
High-Level Event for the Entry into Force of the Paris Agreement
21 September, 8.00am – 9.00am (General Assembly Hall)
Following the Paris Agreement signing ceremony on 22 April, the Secretary-General has invited world leaders to a high-level event to accelerate the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on climate change. The event will provide an opportunity for countries to deposit instruments to join the Paris Agreement and to recognize countries that have joined the agreement already. The event will be webcast live. Contacts: shepard@un.org, matsueda@un.org
OTHER KEY EVENTS
18-19 September (92nd Street Y, New York)
At this event where big ideas meet new media to create innovative solutions, a diverse and high-profile roster of speakers will interact with hundreds of bloggers and digital media. Organized by the UN Foundation and UNDP with Mashable, the 92nd Street Y and Ericsson, on the theme “2030 Now”. Contact: tmusoke@unfoundation.org
UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants
19 September, 8.30am – 8.00pm (General Assembly Hall and Conference Rooms)
For the first time, the UN General Assembly will host a summit at the Heads of State and Government level to address large movements of refugees and migrants, with the aim of bringing countries together behind a more humane and coordinated approach. It is a watershed moment to strengthen governance of international migration, and a unique opportunity for creating a more responsible, predictable system for responding to large movements of refugees and migrants. Contact: narulas@un.org
19-23 September, 8.00am – 5.00pm (Visitor Centre, UN Headquarters)
The SDG Media Zone, a collaboration between the Office of the President of the General Assembly, the office of the Special Adviser on 2030 Agenda, the Department of Public Information and Pvblic Foundation represents an opportunity for communicators and media influencers to get involved in the discussions around the SDGs. Participants will be able to follow high-level meetings taking place live and do real-time reporting. Throughout the week, the Zone will feature dialogues and one-on-one interviews with celebrities and senior UN officials on specific themes relevant to the SDGs. All events will be webcast live. Contact: harriganf@un.org
20 September, 11.00am – 1.00pm (Conference Room 3, UN Headquarters)
The high-level event organized by Every Woman Every Child, SUN Movement, Zero Hunger Challenge, Global Partnership for Education, Sanitation and Water For All, will showcase the potential for people-centred and planet-sensitive multistakeholder partnerships that help women, children and adolescents to thrive and contribute to a sustainable future for all. The event will be webcast live. Contacts: prudhommem@un.org, palanivelu@un.org
United Nations High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance
21 September, 10.00am – 6.00pm (Trusteeship Council / ECOSOC chamber)
The President of the UN General Assembly has convened a one-day high-level meeting on “Antimicrobial Resistance,” with the participation of Member States, NGOs, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions. During the meeting, Heads of State and Heads of Delegations are expected to address the seriousness and scope of the situation and to agree on sustainable, multisectorial approaches to addressing antimicrobial resistance. The event will be webcast live. Contacts: palanivelu@un.org, prudhommem@un.org
Meeting of the High-Level Panel on Water
21 September, 3.30pm (Conference Room 8, UN Headquarters)
The Secretary-General and World Bank President will convene their High-Level Panel on Water during the General Assembly. The panel, co-chaired by the presidents of Mauritius and Mexico, was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2016 and aims to mobilize effective action to accelerate the implementation of Goal 6 that focuses on water and sanitation for all. Contacts: shepard@un.org, alexovich@un.org
Second Annual Solutions Summit
21 September, 6.30pm – 10.00pm (United Nations Headquarters)
The Solutions Summit is led by the UN Foundation, the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS) and the Global Innovation Exchange, in collaboration with the SDG Philanthropy Platform, the Global Entrepreneurs Council, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, with an open invitation for governments and other partners to join. During the Solutions Summit, a select group of global innovators will be invited to give a ‘lightning talk’ outlining their breakthrough efforts to a juxtaposed audience of senior policymakers who have the means to pave solid regulatory foundations, investors who care deeply about long-term change and impact, and industry leaders who are able to deploy quickly and at scale. The gathering will serve as a catalyst to convene resources and talent around solution-makers. Contact: shepard@un.org
Pathways to Zero Hunger High-Level Event
22 September, 1.15pm – 2.30pm (ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters)
The theme of the third annual high-level event on Zero Hunger is “Pathways to Zero Hunger”. Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) together with the Executive Office of UN Secretary-General and the UN Global Compact, the event will showcase concrete transformations in food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture within the context of the Zero Hunger Challenge that are contributing to the delivery of the 2030 Agenda. The event will be webcast live. Contacts: birchs@un.org, prudhommem@un.org
UN Secretary-General’s Climate Resilience Initiative A2R
23 September, 3.30pm – 4.00pm (UN Headquarters)
The UN Climate Resilience Initiative: Anticipate, Absorb, Reshape, known as A2R, is a global, UN led, multi-stakeholder initiative that seeks to strengthen climate resilience for vulnerable countries and people. It will bring together governments, international agencies, regional initiatives, the private sector, civil society and academia. Contacts: shepard@un.org, matsueda@un.org
PRESS CONFERENCES & LAUNCHES
Launch of App “SDGs in Action”
18 September, 4.00pm (Social Good Summit at 92nd Street Y: 1395 Lexington Ave, New York)
A new app for the SDGs has been developed by Groupe Special Mobile Association (GSMA) and Project Everyone. The app will provide news on the Goals that the user has specified they are interested in, as well as suggest actions that users can take on each of the goals, allowing users to create their own actions and join other people’s actions. The app will be available for free download on iTunes and the Google Play store. Contacts: sotonino@un.org, alexovich@un.org
Launch of UN Young Leaders for the SDGs
19 September, 12.00pm (Social Good Summit at 92nd Street Y: 1395 Lexington Ave, New York)
The first class of UN Young Leaders for the SDGs will be announced at the Social Good Summit in New York on 19 September. The Young Leaders are 17 global citizens who were selected from over 18,000 nominations and have been recognized for their outstanding leadership in the efforts to achieve the SDGs. The 17 Young Leaders will work with the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth on efforts to engage young people in the achievement of the SDGs, both through strategic opportunities and through their existing initiatives, platforms and networks. Contacts: palanivelu@un.org, birchs@un.org
HeForShe IMPACT10X10X10 Inaugural University Parity Report Launch
20 September, 11.00am – 11.45am (S-237, UN Headquarters)
The HeForShe IMPACT University Champions will launch the first-ever University Parity report on gender equality in academia. As part of the HeForShe IMPACT10x10x10 initiative, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO and Emma Watson, British Actor and UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador will join Presidents from some of the world’s leading universities to unveil the first-ever University Parity Report at a press conference. The report will reveal the concrete commitments and progress by ten global universities to increase participation of women in academia by 2020. The event will be webcast live. Contacts: prudhommem@un.org, palanivelu@un.org
Media Stakeout on the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
21 September, approximately 9.00am (2nd floor Security Council stakeout, UN Headquarters)
The Secretary-General will speak to the press on the High-level Event for the Entry into Force of the Paris Agreement. Contact: shepard@un.org
Media Stakeout on the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance
21 September, approximately 9.30am (3rd floor General Assembly stakeout, UN Headquarters)
The President of the General Assembly, Peter Thomson, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), José Graziano da Silva, and the Director-General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Monique Eloit, will speak to the press on the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance. Contacts: palanivelu@un.org, prudhommem@un.org
Making Every Woman and Girl Count
21 September, 1.15pm – 2.30pm (ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters)
A newly established public-private partnership to support UN Women’s “Making Every Woman and Girl Count” programme will be launched on 21 September at an event jointly organized by UN Women, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Data2X (United Nations Foundation) and the Government of Australia. The high-level launch event will provide an opportunity for world leaders to discuss how the global community’s efforts, including through specific new investments in support of this initiative, will help to close gender data gaps and contribute to sustainable development and better results for all. Contacts: prudhommem@un.org, palanivelu@un.org
Press Conference on the SDGs and Mobile Industry
21 September, 3.15pm (S-237, UN Headquarters)
There will be a press conference by the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information (DPI), Cristina Gallach, the Special Adviser on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, David Nabarro, and the Director General of Groupe Special Mobile Association (GSMA), Mats Granryd, on the launch of a new mobile app on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and other initiatives. Contact: palanivelu@un.org
Presentation of First High-Level Panel for Women’s Economic Empowerment
22 September, 9.00am – 12.00pm (ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters)
The High-Level Panel (HLP) for Women’s Economic Empowerment will present its first report to the Secretary-General. The HLP, created by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in January 2016, aims at placing women’s economic empowerment at the top of the global agenda to accelerate progress under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report will highlight key areas for accelerating women’s economic empowerment and make recommendations enabling governments, businesses, civil society and development partners to work together to improve economic outcomes for women and girls. The event will be webcast live. Contacts: prudhommem@un.org, palanivelu@un.org
OTHER EVENTS:
For more event information during the General Assembly, please visit the website:
Media contacts
UN Department of Public Information
Francyne Harrigan, M: +1 (917) 428-7505 | E: harriganf@un.org
Dan Shepard, M: +1 (646) 675-3286 | E: shepard@un.org
Devi Palanivelu, T: +1 (212) 963-1104 | E: palanivelu@un.org
Melanie Prud’homme, T: +1 (917) 367-3541 | E: prudhommem@un.org
Sharon Birch, T: +1 (212) 963-0564 | E: birchs@un.org
Ken Matsueda, T: +1 (917) 367-5418 | E: matsueda@un.org
For more information on the Sustainable Development Goals, please visit website: www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment or follow us on Twitter at @GlobalGoalsUN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/globalgoalsUN.