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United Nations Honors ‘Global Citizens SDGs Challenge 2020’ Africa Winners
From:
Carnegie Ventures Carnegie Ventures
Washington, DC
Wednesday, December 30, 2020


Basotho Youth SDGs Award Winners
 

U.N. Lesotho, Southern African Parliamentary Trust and Fako Foundation Sponsors the Middle East founded 'SDGs Challenge' Award Ceremony for Local Youth Teams

Washington, DC: December 30, 2020 — This month in Southern Africa, 65 students from Machabeng College and the National University of Lesotho International School (NULIS) were invited by the host of the event, his Excellency Salvator Niyonzima, UN Resident Coordinator of the nation of Lesotho, to celebrate this year's accomplishments supporting action around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The event was held at one of Lesotho's most pristine venues, the Avani Hotel, and was attended by Members of Parliament, including keynote speaker Honorable Moshoeshoe Fako, Chairperson of the Social Cluster.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Challenge is a dynamic free annual competition created by UAE's Arab Youth Venture Foundation with the United Nations Association UAE serving as SDGs Knowledge Partner. The 100 day rolling Challenge encourages citizens from all walks of life to come together to arrive at imaginative and viable solutions to the 17 SDGs adopted by all 193 UN Member States in 2015.

In 2020, the inaugural open-innovation contest gained 610 participants from 53 nations with the nation of Lesotho finishing with the most participants from any one country and earning two spots among the 17 team winners. The teenage team's submissions were evaluated by a global judging panel of esteemed business, government and sustainability experts.

The awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of the 65 fearless, dynamic Basotho youth who collectively showed the world the capabilities of determined minds. With limited resources the students from the two schools were able to use the Challenge as a launch pad and megaphone for their ideas and solutions for their country's most pressing sustainable development issues.

Grace Makwaza, SDGs Ambassador to Lesotho, stated, "The teams became part of the reason the United Nations in Lesotho accelerated youth involvement in implementing the SDGs in the country."

The 2021 Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGs Challenge will begin April 22, 2021. Learn more at www.SDGsChallenge.org

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About the Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGs Challenge “SDGs Challenge”

Part ideation exercise, part solutions hackathon, part start-up competition the Challenge created by AYVF seeks to engage citizens of any nationality, ethnicity, age, or gender and encourages diverse teams to commit, or “resolve to solve” any one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) representing the world's most vexing issues.

Teams of up to six (families, students, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or strangers meeting virtually) are encouraged to brainstorm, devise and present their innovative solutions by video  during a time frame of their choosing within a 100 day rolling period that starts on Earth Day and ends July 31, annually for 10 years until 2030. Winners gain membership in the world’s first SDG Percolator, a pre-incubator program that provides access and polish to winning plans for community implementation or readies them for incubators and commercial success.

Founded in Dubai in 2019, the SDG Challenge has grown globally to engage, connect and educate ‘citizens of the world’ about SDGs and supporting economic development on a local level with goal of 5,000 tangible solutions implemented by 2030. www.SDGsChallenge.org

About the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

SDG #1: No poverty; SDG #2: Zero hunger; SDG #3: Health and well-being; SDG #4: Quality Education; SDG #5: Gender equality; SDG #6: Clean water and sanitation; SDG #7: Affordable and clean energy; SDG #8: Decent work and economic growth; SDG #9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG #10: Reduced inequalities; SDG #11: Sustainable cities and communities; SDG #12: Responsible production and consumption; SDG #13: Climate action; SDG #14: Life below water; SDG #15: Life on land; SDG #16: Peace, justice and strong institutions; SDG #17: Partnership for the Goals www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org
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News Media Interview Contact
Name: Andrew Abell
Group: Global Citizens SDGs Challenge (AYVF)
Dateline: Annapolis, MD United States
Direct Phone: 571-888-5588
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