TEN THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
At the midpoint of Agenda 2030, the SDGs face serious headwinds due to the climate crisis, economic shifts, conflicts and post-pandemic challenges. The upcoming SDG Summit on September 18-19, hosted by the United Nations General Assembly, will ignite renewed efforts to expedite SDG progress. UN Headquarters in New York will welcome Heads of State, Governments, thought leaders, civil society, and other stakeholders. In an effort to raise ambition and drive transformative action to ensure the targets set in 2015 are met. Prior to the Summit, the UN is hosting an SDG Action Weekend on September 16-17. This includes an SDG Mobilization Day for sector-wide engagement and an SDG Acceleration Day focused on UN High-Impact Initiatives.
All events will be streamed on UN Web TV live or pre-recorded. For a cheat sheet of the week, please visit the UN General Assembly High-level Week page.
1. THE SDG SUMMIT | 18-19 September
Heads of State and Government will convene at UN Headquarters in New York on September 18-19, 2023, to assess progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals at the SDG Summit. The outcome will be a negotiated political declaration aiming to achieve the Goals by 2030 and followed by the Summit of the Future in 2024, which will build upon the outcomes of the SDG Summit and turbocharge the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Read our new Explainers on the SDGs.
2. SDG ACTION WEEKEND | 16-17 September
To maximize the SDG Summit’s impact, the Secretary-General is convening an SDG Action Weekend on 16-17 September to generate opportunities for the engagement of all stakeholders, The two days will center on an SDG Mobilization Day on Saturday, 16 September, and an SDG Acceleration Day on Sunday, 17 September, at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Please click here for the full programme.
3. SDG MEDIA ZONE | 18-22 September
The SDG Media Zone is a key feature of UN General Assembly’s High-level Week, bringing together world leaders, influencers, activists, experts, content creators and media partners to highlight actions and solutions in support of the SDGs. Organized by the UN Department of Global Communications, in collaboration with the PVBLIC Foundation, the Zone takes the conversation on advancing the 2030 Agenda out of the policy sphere and into the public discourse through impactful in-depth interviews and conversations on global issues that matter to people everywhere.
All events are live streamed on UN WebTV.
4. ACTNOW
Ahead of the SDG Summit, UN Department of Global Communications has launched an #ActNow challenge to mobilize 200K actions for the SDGS. The challenge will run in the lead up to the SDG Summit, ending on 17 September. Each week will focus on one of the four ActNow action areas: Actions for a healthy planet, Actions for a world working together, Actions for a better economy, Actions for a just society. Download the app.
5. HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT | 20 September
The High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development, taking place on the heels of the SDG Summit, will provide political leadership and guidance on the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda – a UN framework for mobilizing resources to achieve the SDGs – as well as identify progress and emerging challenges and mobilize further action.
6. CLIMATE AMBITION SUMMIT | 20 September
UN Secretary-General António Guterres will convene the Climate Ambition Summit, asking governments, business, finance, local authorities and civil society to present credible, bold, new and ambitious steps that will accelerate action and respond to the urgency of the climate crisis.
7. GSDR Report launch | 12 September
The 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report will be launched as the world struggles to rebuild in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 Report will focus on accelerating transformation through important entry points and enabling science to support this acceleration. The launch takes place on 12 September at UN Headquarters in New York and will be livestreamed on UN WebTV.
8. SDG PAVILION | 16-22 September
The UN Office for Partnerships, supported by Project Everyone, presents the SDG Pavilion, a unique convening space and art installation on the United Nations North Lawn, and the home of a full week of talks and performances, in support of their SDG Halftime Campaign to accelerate action for people for planet. All events are live streamed on UN WebTV.
9. HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS ON PANDEMIC PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE; UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE; AND THE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS | 20, 21, 22 September
On 20 September, the President of the General Assembly, in collaboration with WHO, will lead a one-day meeting of Heads of State and Government. The goal is to adopt a political declaration, fostering political will worldwide for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. On 21 September, Universal Health Coverage offers a chance for countries and stakeholders to accelerate progress towards comprehensive health. Then, on 22 September, the UN General Assembly will host its second high-level meeting on the Fight against Tuberculosis focusing on advancing science, finance, and innovation for equitable global access to prevention, testing, treatment, and care.
10. PREPARATORY MINISTERIAL MEETING FOR THE SUMMIT OF THE FUTURE | 21 September
A ministerial meeting will precede the 2024 Summit of the Future, a rare chance to boost worldwide cooperation, address key issues, bridge governance gaps, reaffirm commitments like the SDGs and UN Charter, and improve the multilateral system’s impact on people’s well-being.
OTHER EVENTS
The Permanent Mission of Qatar and Education Above All Foundation, together with UNICEF, and the Department of Global Communications, are holding a commemorative event to mark the fourth observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. Speakers include UN Secretary-General, the President of Sierra Leone, the President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, as well as UN SDG Advocate Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Ms. Sofia Carson.
Young leaders, activists and UN Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas set to headline Youth Event for the International Day of Peace, demanding urgent action for the SDGs. The event will feature a musical performance by the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus; the debut of Mariama Camara’s Peace Collection fashion show, and the official global unveiling of INFINITE – a digital artwork created by artist, architect, and photographer Marco Conti Sikic. View the event live on UN Web TV.
Global Goals Week features a week of action, awareness, and accountability for the SDGs. Every year, partners from civil society, business, academia, and the UN System come together to share opportunities to speak out as one voice, share ideas and transformative solutions in the fight to recover better from global challenges.
The Global Week to #Act4SDGs is an annual mobilization convening stakeholders from all sectors and regions for collective action on the SDGs. This year’s key themes focus on Climate, Peace, Gender Equality, Inclusion, and Sustainable Food Systems.