The Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGs Challenge
By Neha Varadharajan
What is better than saving the world? Saving the world in the midst of a global pandemic and unfurling uncertainty, ready to face any obstacles or hurdles.
The UN describes 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, which are crucial to brainstorm and implement solutions for. These solutions must be viable and quickly implemented considering that the initial target to reach these goals is by 2030, or in simpler language, we are in the Decade of Action. From global hunger to mental health, from country partnerships to peace and justice, these goals address a majority of our world’s most pressing problems.
The UN describes 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, which are crucial to brainstorm and implement solutions for. These solutions must be viable and quickly implemented considering that the initial target to reach these goals is by 2030, or in simpler language, we are in the Decade of Action. From global hunger to mental health, from country partnerships to peace and justice, these goals address a majority of our world’s most pressing problems.
The Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGs Challenge is an initiative to engage global citizens in implementing potentially practical solutions. This challenge focuses on solutions for these goals and their sub targets and invites people of any age, nationality, ethnicity, background, religion, caste or creed to pitch these solutions.
Being an envoy of India for the challenge, I feel honored and ecstatic to educate people about the SDGs and deliver to them what it means to be a true global citizen.
Being an envoy of India for the challenge, I feel honored and ecstatic to educate people about the SDGs and deliver to them what it means to be a true global citizen.
This challenge, starting 2020, will occur every year for the next 10 years until we reach our target of realizing these SDGs. This year’s competition is in the stage of selecting winners, and it was a big one over 700 people in groups of upto six members submitted solutions they propose in the form of an 8-minute maximum interactive video.
These videos were open to public for voting for the semi finalists selection, and the jury of highly experienced solvers have gotten together to select winners who will be entitled to receive certificates [that’s for ALL the participants], special perks and designations and potential entry to bootcamps and incubators.
This challenge was the brainchild of the founder of AVYF, Ms.Lisa La Bonte, and Ambassador Eric Robson. They have been incredible mentors along with a great team with them, and participating in the challenge is a great experience in itself.
For the next 10 years, we as envoys of our countries will be hosting SDG awareness and brainstorming events and workshops online wherein everyone will be invited, starting November in preparation for the challenge in 2021. Here’s to being active participants to solve the SDGs!
These videos were open to public for voting for the semi finalists selection, and the jury of highly experienced solvers have gotten together to select winners who will be entitled to receive certificates [that’s for ALL the participants], special perks and designations and potential entry to bootcamps and incubators.
This challenge was the brainchild of the founder of AVYF, Ms.Lisa La Bonte, and Ambassador Eric Robson. They have been incredible mentors along with a great team with them, and participating in the challenge is a great experience in itself.
For the next 10 years, we as envoys of our countries will be hosting SDG awareness and brainstorming events and workshops online wherein everyone will be invited, starting November in preparation for the challenge in 2021. Here’s to being active participants to solve the SDGs!
Podcast episode can be found here.
Neha Varadharajan is a thirteen year old envoy of India for the Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGs Challenge, and has been a participant in the global Model UN community for many years.
Neha Varadharajan is a thirteen year old envoy of India for the Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGs Challenge, and has been a participant in the global Model UN community for many years.