In 2015, the world agreed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for the people and the planet”. The 17 Goals, to be achieved by 2030, set out a vision for the world we want to see – from protecting the environment to ending poverty and hunger, and from ensuring everyone has access to health and education services to promoting gender equality.
But we are a long way off track, and unless there is a big increase in political will to deliver these changes, the Goals will remain just a dream. This means that the public need to know about the Goals now and encourage their elected representatives to do all they can to achieve them. Campaigners for global justice therefore need to promote the Goals in communities around the UK between now and 2030, to put pressure on the Government to do all it can to make the Goals a reality.
Image: IFAD / Santiago Billy / Factstory
When Juana Morales first opened her fabric workshop, she was working with outdated technology. But thanks to IFAD’s Rural Poor Stimulus Facility, she’s now connected to the big cities and she’s been able to expand her business. And as the leader of her local credit union group, she’s been able to help others move into the digital space, too: her group received a tablet, which they now use to do all their accounting online.
See here for more examples of how lives are changing where action is taken to achieve the SDGs!
This festive season, why not give people in your community something meaningful to do to help build a fairer and more sustainable world?
here’s how you can help
find your local opportunity to promote the Goals
Find a local Winter Fair or Christmas Market where stallholders from local groups can share their campaigns with the public. No opportunity to run a stall? You can discuss the Goals with your family and friends instead!
get ready to explain the Goals
Check out our October action for more information about the Goals. There are lots of resources to explain why they are important, and you can focus on the ones that matter to you or the people you talk to the most. It is worth having some of these at your stall, to back up your conversations with impactful facts and figures.
move from conversation to political impact
We’ve produced cards which you can ask people to sign and send to their local MP. Many politicians simply won’t have heard of the Goals or thought of them as important, and this will act as an important wake-up call. You can order cards and other resources with our Campaigns Coordinator, Aurora, at [email protected].
take photos
After your event, share these with your MP or the media to make your event even more influential. You could offer to meet your MP to hand over some of the cards, to give them a photo-opportunity and the chance of a personal stake in the Goals.
resources for your SDG stall
- Check out this campaigners’ guide on how to have effective conversations and organise street stalls. It’s always good to ask the person you are talking to what they think.
- We have put together a pack of resources which you can use at your stall. Either print them out at home, at your local printer (and claim back expenses) or order them with us and we will send them to you per post.
- Check out these SDG graphics & fact sheets for a visual way to start conversations about the Goals and why they matter.
- Use these action Christmas cards as a way for local people to think about which Goals they care about and influence politicians to do something about it! Ask them to write something on the back like “For Christmas I want…[an end to poverty/ quality education for all/ sustainable cities]”
- Use these children’s activities as info cards for them to learn about the SDGs and colouring in sheets and christmas cards – A way for children to get involved and show why they care too – and to keep them busy while you talk to the parents!!
- Have a QR code page printed out on your stall to enable people to donate and subscribe to Results!
we are here to support you!
If you have any questions about promoting the SDGs in your community, or need any support with organising your event, get in touch with the Campaigns Team at Results and we will be happy to help. We are able to contribute to the costs of stall hire and printing – if this is something that might help, contact us sooner rather than later!
Let us know what you have done! Contact Aurora Basso, Campaigns Coordinator, [email protected]. We would love to see photos of your event!