This late September we put the spotlight on the 2030 Sustainable Agenda and the actions being taken to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in light of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) which took place the week of September 17th.Accelerating the progress towards the SDGs was a key priority for UNGA 78, especially in the context of the backtracking that took place during the COVID-19 and the devastating impacts of climate change. To achieve the SDGs by 2030, we need to scale our actions and investments, as well as foster innovation and collaboration among all stakeholders. There is an urgent need to mobilize the political will and the financial resources to implement the 2030 agenda in a coherent and integrated manner to ensure that no one is left behind and that everyone benefits from sustainable development. We also need to monitor and review progress and hold ourselves accountable for commitments and responsibilities. Learning from our successes and failures will help us adapt to the changing realities and needs of our world.We are excited to share more about PVBLIC Foundation's convenings, activities, and announcements during the UNGA High-level week.
The SDG Media Zone returns to UNGA in New York City
The SDG Media Zone made its triumphant in-person return to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City during UNGA for the first time since 2019.
Organized by the UN Department of Global Communications, in collaboration with PVBLIC Foundation, the SDG Media Zone: UNGA 78 took place from September 17 - 22, 2023 and welcomed world leaders, influencers, activists, experts, content creators and media to discuss actions and solutions in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. Media partners of the SDG Media Zone included ABC News, Al Jazeera English, China Daily, CNN Digital, DEVEX, Phoenix TV, Scientific America, Sky News and Univision.
Convening 65 sessions over 6 days, the SDG Media Zone hosted 175 speakers including Academy Award-Winning actress and activist, Natalie Portman, who spoke about achieving gender equality; Grammy-winning singer, Ciara, who discussed gender discrimination and how it undermines access to life-saving resources such as proper, adequate healthcare; Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, who touched on the need to effectively communicate climate change information in order to combat fear and misinformation; Nyle DiMarco, actor, author, and advocate, who discussed the need to ensure that the SDGs do not leave anyone behind, especially those with disabilities seen and unseen; and representatives from the World Food Programme, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN Women, UN OHCHR, UNICEF and the UN Environment Programme.
All together, the SDG Media Zone: UNGA 78 spotlighted impactful and diverse conversations on solutions and actions for the Sustainable Development Goals. This momentous week showed we can achieve great strides towards a sustainable and equitable future if we commit to work together and urge governments to act now.
You can view images from the event here and watch the full SDG Media Zone: UNGA 78 program on UN Web TV here. We are grateful for some amazing event partners that included Boston Consulting Group, Open Society Foundations, the Health Equity Forum, CTA, Made Trade, Mission Mom's, Vestergaard and Wild Earth Oceania.
The Family Offices for Sustainable Development (FOSD) Summit and Reception united global leaders and prominent Family Offices for the first time at UNGA
PVBLIC Foundation and the Family Offices for Sustainable Development (FOSD) initiative hosted the inaugural FOSD Summit and Reception at the United Nations during UNGA 78, bringing together Heads of State, Heads of UN agencies, UN Ambassadors, and impact-focused family offices from over 30 countries to chart a new course to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
FOSD offers a trusted and effective platform for multi-generational and multi-regional family offices to engage with networks and expertise of the United Nations System to advance the achievement of the SDGs. Launched by PVBLIC Foundation in partnership with the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office and UN Office for Partnerships, FOSD optimizes the capacity of family offices to have an impact through philanthropy, investments, and public-private partnerships and was launched in order to accelerate achievement of the SDGs. We are grateful to the many partners and supporters who helped make the FOSD Summit and our other family office events during the UN General Assembly a tremendous success.
Moving forward, we are excited to channel this tremendous momentum into other high-level events later this year. Next, PVBLIC Foundation and FOSD will bring global family offices together at the UN Day Concert on October 24 in NYC, and the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) on December 7 in Dubai, UAE. FOSD’s goal will be to foster collaborations and create “Partnerships for the Goals.” You can take a deeper look at the FOSD LinkedIn account here, as well as their webpage to keep track of their following activities.
Leaders and social actors from diverse sectors convened at the Cumbre de Impacto Iberoamericano to advance Sustainable Development throughout Iberoamerica
On September 22nd, the Cumbre de Impacto Iberoamericano 2023 was organized by PVBLIC Foundation at UN headquarters. During this long-awaited convening, multiple United Nations agency heads, as well as influential figures from social, political, corporate, climate, technological and cultural sectors met to discuss key areas of action and implementation to accelerate progress, mobilize means, data and technologies across the Iberoamerican region.
The Cumbre de Impacto Iberoamericano 2023 counted on the notable presence of high-level guest speakers such as José W. Fernandez, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment of the United States Department of State; José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL); Maria Noel Vaeza, UN Women Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean; Michelle Muschett, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and many more.
The remarkable summit closed its agenda on a high during a reception on the terrace of the UN Dining Room, in which Spanish artist Domingo Zapata was awarded with the inaugural Premio de Impacto Iberoamericano for his outstanding commitment to promoting social and environmental causes through art as a motor for the transformation of future generations.
You can dive deeper into more details about our flagship event for the Iberoamerican region here and see the pictures of the summit and reception here.
Partnership for the Establishment of a SIDS Global Data Hub: PVBLIC Foundation, Antigua and Barbuda, and AOSIS Sign Historic Tripartite Agreement at UNGA 78
During the Family Offices for Sustainable Development (FOSD) events at UNGA last week, a tripartite MOU signing ceremony took place between PVBLIC Foundation, Antigua and Barbuda and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) to collaborate on the creation of a SIDS Global Data Hub. An inter-regional platform, the SIDS Global Data Hub will help AOSIS Member States establish or improve national data centers and create SDG Data Hubs to enhance decision-making, build capacity, track progress, and strengthen the amount and quality of public, private and international development finance.
AOSIS, representing 39 small island and low-lying coastal states, has long been at the forefront of advocating for climate action and sustainability on the international stage. PVBLIC Foundation now has the mandate to mobilize family offices via FOSD to help finance the development of a SIDS Global Data Hub through the SDG Data Alliance, while creating innovative new partnerships to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in island nations.
Learn more about this historical tripartite agreement here.
The SDG Data Alliance presents its progress at the SDG Action Weekend
As part of SDG Acceleration Day, on the SDG Action Weekend, the side event ‘Geospatial Information: Accelerating Implementation of the SDGs (2023)’ was held in the United Nations headquarters on September 17th. This event aimed to demonstrate the immense value and utility of geospatial information as a critical component of a national infrastructure and knowledge economy, providing a blueprint of what happens where, and providing the means to integrate a wide variety of government services that contribute to economic growth, national security, sustainable social development, environmental sustainability, peace, national prosperity and the development agendas and priorities of the United Nations.
During this meeting, PVBLIC Foundation had the opportunity to present the progress of the SDG Data Alliance and highlight its mission to bring geographic information systems technology and capabilities to developing nations in order to accelerate achievement of the SDGs. With presentations from Sergio Fernandez de Cordova, PVBLIC’s Executive Chairman; Alix Cantave, Program Officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and videos from other partners and participant countries, the Alliance showed the progress and impact of the SDG Data Alliance globally, while sending a message about the importance of partnerships between the public and private sectors to build capacity and expand the reach of this important project and thus, support in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
The SDG Data Alliance was present at the UN throughout UNGA 78. PVBLIC President Stephen Keppel highlighted the SDG Data Alliance, its 20 country participants, and the role that geospatial information can play in achieving the sustainable development goals with partners at the United Nations Statistics Division and W.K. Kellogg Foundation during SDG Action Weekend and the FOSD Summit.
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