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Generation17

Frequently asked questions

    Generation17 is an initiative from Samsung and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that elevates the voices of young leaders who are changing the world and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or ‘Global Goals.’ Samsung and UNDP are providing mentorship, technology, and networking opportunities for the young leaders as they advance their work.

    In 2019, Samsung Mobile and UNDP partnered to create the Samsung Global Goals App, a platform for Galaxy smartphone users to gain a deeper understanding of the Global Goals and work together through small acts of change to achieve the Global Goals by 2030. Installed on over 100 million Galaxy smartphones worldwide, the app empowers people to learn about the 17 Goals while unlocking a donation mechanism to fund UNDP initiatives that help advance the Global Goals. Generation17 builds on this innovative partnership by better connecting inspiring advocates to their peers, so they can enable their generation to take bold action on the Goals and make their voices heard loud and clear. Together, this collaborative effort, leveraging UNDP’s global knowledge of youth empowerment and Samsung’s latest Galaxy technology and commitment to the Global Goals, will help spark meaningful change.

    Billions of young people worldwide want and need to have a say in their present and future, and many are already mobilizing to demand bold change, protect their collective future, and engage in global development agenda setting and policymaking. Every day, young people demonstrate that they bring a wealth of ideas, solutions, and initiatives to achieve the Goals. They often utilize technology to connect with each other and the world and mobilize for social good. As the events of the next decade will greatly impact this generation, this initiative seeks to further support young people, working specifically with cohorts of young leaders, with the Global Goals as their guiding set of principles. Generation17 is also aligned with the broader United Nations Youth2030 strategy, which recognizes young people’s agency, resilience, and their positive contributions as agents of change.

    The young leaders will collaborate with each other for peer networking and with UNDP issue experts, as well as use Samsung technology to share their personal stories with a wider audience, motivating their peers to join them in driving change for the Global Goals in their daily lives. The young leaders are not spokespersons for either organization and are a group of changemakers who will leverage the collective resources of the Samsung-UNDP global partnership to focus on their challenges, aspirations, and work. Generation17 is not driven by product promotion, but rather, has the mission to bolster young SDG advocates and their agenda of driving meaningful change.

    Generation17 Young Leaders are a diverse group of individuals who have already delivered impactful solutions for the Global Goals yet may not have had the means to amplify their voices to a wider audience. These young leaders were identified by UNDP and selected in partnership with Samsung based on their outstanding existing initiatives and impressive advocacy work. Additional candidates are expected to be nominated to grow the initiative and include young people from across the world.