The Crystal Award celebrates the achievements of leading artists who have worked to improve the world in cross-cultural understanding, peacemaking, social inclusion, the environment, health, education or food security.
"Leadership is not about epic decisions," Forest Whitaker writes. "It is about choices we make in our daily lives.'
Whitaker spoke to delegates and world leaders about the holistic, interconnected nature of the 17 SDGs and told them that none of the goals could be accomplished if the others were not also achieved.
With speakers of parliament meeting at United Nations Headquarters at a moment when the world is gripped by multiple crises – displacement has soared to all-time highs and the threat of climate change grows by the day – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the legislators to help drive forward the new UN sustainable development agenda and ensure that civil society are equal partners in “building the future we want.”
