Okinawa, one of Japan’s largest islands, was filled with joy and laughter as 330,000 people scrambled over to join the 9th Okinawa International Movie Festival.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) permeated the scene, with colourful SDG placards being raised and SDG banners strung above the festival’s various booths.
For four days, from 20 to 23 April, the island became a platform for raising awareness of the 17 Goals. UN Information Centre (UNIC) Tokyo took the unique approach of promoting the SDGs at the film festival hosted by Yoshimoto Kogyo, a Japanese entertainment and talent company.
The partnership between UNIC Tokyo and Yoshimoto Kogyo brought many SDG-themed activities to the festival. There was a screening of a short video on the SDGs narrated by comedians prior to the main films.
One could view an exhibition of prize-winning works from the photo contest, “My View on SDGs” with other SDGs-inspired photos taken by Yoshimoto comedians who had been dispatched to various regions in Japan and other Asian countries.
Children could collect SDG stamps through the “comedian stamp rally”, motivating them to make stops at each booth and learn about the SDGs.
Showing off the SDG placards, the UNIC Tokyo Director promoted the goals alongside comedian and former member of the House of Councillors, Kiyoshi Nishikawa. The colourful placards instantly caught the attention of reporters, who ran up to ask questions about the 2030 Agenda.
The pull of comedy and entertainment was clear as visitors, ranging from youths to the elderly, focused their attention on how the SDGs are closely linked to their daily lives.
While a seeming departure from conventional techniques of promoting the SDGs, it may bring forth a new era of cooperation with the entertainment sector and encourage further involvement of the general public.
UN Agencies such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, World Food Programme, and UN Children’s Fund joined to help in the SDGs campaign.