UN SDG Action Awards recognizes individuals, civil society organizations, subnational governments, foundations, networks, private sector leaders who are advancing the global movement for the Sustainable Development Goals in the most transformative, impactful and innovative way. It acknowledges people from across the globe for the most innovative, impactful and transformative initiatives building a global movement of action for the SDGs.

It is calling for the top mobilizers, storytellers, campaigners, connectors, visualizers, includers and creatives across the world who are making this happen! Winners are presented at a breathtaking Awards Ceremony on the first night of the Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development and their initiatives and projects highlighted throughout the year as an inspiration and role model to the growing global community of SDG leaders, decision-makers and influencers.

Covering seven categories, and a People’s Choice Award, the UN SDG Action Awards aim to identify the top SDG advocacy changemakers in every corner of the earth: 

• Mobilizers- This category is for initiatives that engage people in actions with a deeper investment of time than simple awareness raising actions. Examples of mobilisation include: collective or coordinated actions across cities/countries, series of SDG workshops, engaging communities in joint programmes or activities, large public demonstrations, and more.
• Storytellers- This category is focused on powerfully communicating about the interconnectivity of the issues underpinning the goals – with bonus points for explicit references to the SDGs.  Different mediums for storytelling could include new media such as virtual or augmented reality, films, photo stories, cartoons, illustrations, performance.
• Campaigners- This award targets campaigns where messaging appeals to broader or different audiences, who are not already aware of SDGs or supportive of the goals.
• Connectors- This category may include events that connect stakeholders and it is also seeking projects that creatively harness commitments or actions from different community members or stakeholders – for instance apps to trade skills/time or provide information for sustainable actions.
• Visualizers- This award focusses on projects where complex concepts become readily understandable by visually presenting information in a compelling way. These may be animations or infographics which have reached a large or different audience, or form powerful reporting tools to governments
• Includers- The focus of this category is on civic empowerment more than on SDG implementation. For instance an initiative that engages marginalized populations in SDG decision making is more aligned with this category one that delivers services to them as beneficiaries.
• Creatives- Artist expression such as performance (song, theatre, dance, spoken word), art installations, paintings, poetry, animation and more. While creativity will be an element in many categories, this category focuses more on the process of engaging and empowering people in the SDGs through creative arts- rather than on the resulting story or message itself.

The winners are announced at a special Awards Ceremony held at the Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development in Bonn, Germany (2-4 May 2019), and their initiatives and projects are highlighted throughout the year as an inspiration and role model to the growing global community of SDG leaders, decision-makers and influencers.

The UN SDG Action Awards are organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign, a special inter-agency initiative of the UN Secretary General mandated to scale up, broaden and sustain the global movement of action for the SDGs.