TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016
For our 70th anniversary we’re reflected on 70 years of being, fostering and bringing together global citizens, particularly in support of the UN. So during the month of August, we challenged people around the world to do acts of global citizenship!
We provided a list of suggestions, organized according to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here are some of our favorite posts! Just because this challenge is over, we're still encouraging everyone to continue doing acts of global citizenship:
Step 1: Pick an action
Choose an issue from the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda that you are passionate about, choose from our list of suggested actions, or come up with your own!
Step 2: Capture the moment
Take a picture, selfie, or video of your global citizenship act
Step 3: Share
Post your global citizenship act on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using #people4theUN
Join the people’s movement for the UN!
Suggested acts of global citizenship, organized by SDG [Graphics here]:
Goal 1: No Poverty
- Fact: About one in five persons in developing regions lives on less than $1.25 per day
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Donate clothes, books and furniture you don’t use to local charities who can give them a second life.
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
- Fact: Globally, one in nine people in the world today (795 million) are undernourished
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Practice smart buying by planning out your meals so nothing gets wasted.
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Fact: Children born into poverty are almost twice as likely to die before the age of five as those from wealthier families.
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Pair up with a friend or group to be each other’s wellness and workout buddies.
Goal 4: Quality Education
- Fact: 103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 per cent of them are women
- Your suggested acts of global citizenship:
- Learn about something new in your favourite learning environment.
- Volunteer to teach someone a particular skill you have mastered.
Goal 5: Gender Equality
- Fact: In 46 countries, women now hold more than 30 per cent of seats in national parliament in at least one chamber.
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Learn about and support UN Women’s #HeforShe campaign.
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Fact: Water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise. Over 1.7 billion people are currently living in river basins where water use exceeds recharge
- Your suggested acts of global citizenship:
- Turn the faucet off when you brush your teeth.
- Get a group together to pick up trash in your neighbourhood so it doesn’t pollute storm drains.
- Work with your local municipality to spray paint “Do not dump, goes to river” signs so waste doesn’t pollute fresh water sources.
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- Fact: One in five people still lacks access to modern electricity
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: When lightbulbs burn out, replace them with energy efficient bulbs.
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Fact: Nearly 2.2 billion people live below the US$2 poverty line and that poverty eradication is only possible through stable and well-paid jobs.
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Buy from local businesses to keep people employed (BONUS: this prevents carbon emissions from long distance product deliveries!)
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Fact: Inadequate infrastructure leads to a lack of access to markets, jobs, information and training, creating a major barrier to doing business
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Participate in or host an hour of code with friends through www.hourofcode.com.
Goal 10: Reduce Inequality
- Fact: Income inequality cannot be effectively tackled unless the underlying inequality of opportunities is addressed
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Host a discussion with friends about the inequalities you’ve noticed in your neighbourhood, and find ways to help.
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Fact: The world’s cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions.
- Your suggested acts of global citizenship:
- Plug air leaks in windows and doors to increase energy efficiency.
- Plant a community garden.
- House and building roofs absorb heat from the sun. Cover them with light reflecting paint.
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Fact: 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year while almost 1 billion people go undernourished and another 1 billion hungry.
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Stores throw away a lot of produce. Prevent food waste by buying “Funny Fruits” or fruits and vegetables whose size, shape, and colour are off but are still perfectly healthy.
Goal 13: Climate Action
- Fact: Emissions grew more quickly between 2000 and 2010 than in each of the three previous decades
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Calculate your footprint through the Global Footprint Network and research ways to reduce it.
Goal 14: Life Below Water
- Fact: Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Organize to spend a few hours cleaning up a lake, river, or beach with friends.
Goal 15: Life on Land
- Fact: Around 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihood. This includes some 70 million indigenous people
- Your suggested acts of global citizenship:
- Recycle newspaper and use it as wrapping paper
- Stop paper bank statements and pay bills online or via mobile
Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- Fact: The rule of law and development have a significant interrelation and are mutually reinforcing, making it essential for sustainable development at the national and international level
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Write a letter to your local law maker or newspaper with a suggestion for how to improve an issue of concern in your community.
Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
- Fact: A successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society.
- Your suggested act of global citizenship: Reach out to your local organizations, businesses, friends and family members to tell them about the SDGs!
