Dear Global Goals Week partner,

As we kick off Global Goals Week 2021, we want to reach out to you to say thank you for all the work you are doing to help the world reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year, our shared vision and our collective action has never been more important. Humanity is on red alert.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, wavering trust, and the rise of nationalism, it is crucial that we come together and make a choice, as the Secretary-General said: breakdown or breakthrough. We choose breakthrough, creating a sustainable peaceful world for every single one of us.

We need the Global Goals for Sustainable Development more than ever - the only collective plan we have, agreed to by 193 countries at the United Nations, to end poverty, defeat inequality and tackle the climate crisis. It is the vision for people and planet, and the roadmap to get there.

Our first Global Goals Week was held five years ago during the UN General Assembly in 2016. The United Nations Development Programme, Project Everyone, and the UN Foundation and you came together as a global community to drive action, awareness, and accountability towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

We’re almost at the halfway mark towards 2030, but every moment – every action – counts.

This year, the General Assembly is putting the pandemic and climate crisis in the spotlight with leaders convening to discuss COVID-19, energy and climate, food systems, and racial justice. But outside the walls of the UN Secretariat, we see the global community – all of you – pushing forward and taking actions.

The beauty of Global Goals Week comes from all of you – our partners – and the diversity and breadth you represent in your actions. Here are a few things we hope you might take part in during Global Goals Week:

1. Join leaders at the SDG Moment: taking place on Monday September 20  and convened by the UN Secretary-General, the second SDG moment of the Decade of Action will bring leaders and decision makers together to focus on the individual and collective action we need. Global band BTS will join – putting their star power behind the Goals.
2. Raise awareness with the World’s To-Do List: Project Everyone launches its new campaign today turning the Global Goals into ‘sticky notes’ to bring them to life. Launched by some of the world’s biggest brands the aim is to raise awareness and ask people to commit to their own to do list. Take part here
3. Tune in to Global Citizen live: a 24-hour global concert, across 6 continents, starting on September 25 to unite the world to defend the planet and defeat poverty. New films created by Project Everyone, will bring the Goals to life alongside compelling performances as well as important commitments to advance progress. Find out how to watch here
4. Take part in the Act4SDGs campaign – led by the SDG Action Campaign, the campaign aims to mobilise 1 billion actions, from the grassroots to the global, by 2030 to turn things around for people and for planet. Get involved
5. Join an event at the SDG Action Zone: people all around the world can share their thoughts and ideas for action.  The 3-day programme of events will convene leaders, thinkers, activists and creators to drive progress, inspire action and generate change towards the SDGs

We are in this together to create a healthy world that provides opportunity and prosperity for all, and leaves no one behind. We look forward to continue working with all of you as we ramp up ambition to secure a better future for us all in this decade of action and keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Amb. Elizabeth Cousens, President & Chief Executive Officer, United Nations Foundation

Mr. Richard Curtis, screenwriter, UN SDG Advocate and co-founder of Project Everyone