Future in Focus: Georgia Celebrates the Global Goals Festival

Hundreds of Georgians gathered in the city of Rustavi on September 24, to celebrate the first national Festival of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Future in Focus. The event was organized by the United Nations in Georgia in partnership with Rustavi City Hall and in cooperation with the UN’s national and international partners in Georgia.

“The Sustainable Development Goals are our last chance to save this planet and create a lasting future for ourselves and our children,” said Niels Scott, Head of the United Nations in Georgia.

“To send this message far and wide, we join hands with the people of Georgia and our partners in the government, civil society, private sector and international organizations. The Global Goals Festival is a call for immediate action to make the Sustainable Development Goals a priority for all”.

The Global Goals Festival saw a series of activities in Rustavi City Park, initiated by UN agencies to highlight some key areas of sustainable development: reduction of poverty, human rights, education, health, peace and protection of the environment.

The Festival opened with a Street Art live event, with well-known Georgian street artists creating SDG-related murals on the walls of the park’s Summer Theater.

The day continued with campaigns for the rights of children with disabilities, gender equality, tobacco control and the rights of migrants and IDPs. Youth groups arranged dance battles and contests in skateboarding and roller-skating.

At the end of the day, Niels Scott appointed UN Goodwill Ambassadors for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Gela Charkviani, Georgian writer and educator; Nino Sukhishvili, art manager and executive producer for the Georgian National Ballet; and Irma Khetsuriani, Georgian wheelchair fencer, champion of the Wheelchair Fencing World Cup.

The Festival brought together a wide range of supporters, including the UN agencies in Georgia, Rustavi City Hall, Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), Government of Sweden, and international organizations Edgeriders and Futuremakers.

The event kicked off a national campaign for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Georgia, aiming to enhance the country’s image as one of the SDG pioneers and encourage the engagement of Georgian society in the achievement of the national SDGs.

The Global Goals Festival in Georgia is part of the international Global Goals Week which brings together individuals, governments, businesses, civil societies, international organizations and other partners during the UN General Assembly in New York.