Words: Clive Maluleka
Global Goal Flags raised from the North Pole to North Korea to support the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development and to ‘Tell Everyone’ about the Global Goals. Africa will be raising the flags for Goal 8 and Goal 16 tomorrow (24 September 2015). On 25 September 2015, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, 193 world leaders will commit to a series of ambitious targets to achieve 3 extraordinary things in the next 15 years. End poverty, fight inequality & injustice, fix climate change.
To highlight this historic event, 17 flags representing the 17 global goals are being raised in iconic locations across the globe from Moscow’s Red Square to Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and in communities that stand to benefit the most from the implementation of the Global Goals from the Za’tatari Refugee Camp in Jordan to Lira Town in Northern Uganda.
Africa will be raising two of the 17 flags. On Thursday afternoon (Heritage Day) in Johannesburg, Afropop duo Mafikizolo will raise the flag for Goal 8, Good Jobs and Economic Growth. This will take place at Constitution Square, Constitutional Hill at an event organised by action/2015. Action/2015 is a coalition made up of environmental, human rights, development organisations and faith networks.
Mafikizolo are two of the performers on the collaborative track, “Tell Everybody”, written, recorded, produced and released by Africans for Africans. Tell Everybody is Africa’s contribution to the ambitious global initiative to get the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to everyone on the planet within 7 days of being adopted by all the world’s leaders on 25 September. It features verses in English, French, Swahili, Pidgin and Zulu. The song attempts to ignite the political passions of young people to hold their leaders to account in meeting the Global Goals. To view the video, visit https://youtu.be/5t-27UiGdTs
Theo Kgosinkwe of Mafikizolo said "We are Mafikizolo and we want to live in a world where economies prosper and there are decent jobs for everyone. Which Global Goal matters to you? South Africa, your voice matters.”
Also on Thursday, Victor Ochen, youngest African ever to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, will raise the flag for Goal 16 in Northern Uganda. Victor chose Barlonyo Massacre Memorial site outside Lira as the most poignant and iconic place to raise the flag for Peace and Justice, the goal closest to his heart. Thousands are expected to attend both events in Johannesburg and Lira tomorrow.
Flags have been and will be raised in historic and iconic locations across the world including:
Flag 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Location: Australia (Bangaroo Reserve overlooking the Harbour Bridge)
Date: 24th September
Flag Raised by: Deborah Mailman
Partner: Global Poverty Project
Flag 15: Life on Land
Location: The Philippines (Marikina Watershed, Manilla)
Date: 26th September
Flag Raised by: The local indigenous tribe and Fr. Benigno P. Beltran SVD
Flag 16: Peace and Justice and Strong Institutions
Location: Uganda (VO will lead a march through Lira Town in Northern Uganda culminating at the Barlonyo Massacre Burial Site)
Date: 24th September
Flag Raised by: Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Victor Ochen
Flags already raised include:
Flag 2: Zero Hunger
Location: Nepal (a Mountain Village below the Larke Pass, NW Nepal)
Date: 16th September
Flag Raised by: Nepalese Sherpa TBC
Partner: The World Food Programme, Zoie Jones
Flag 5: Gender Equality
Location: Denmark (The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen)
Date: 1st September
Flag Raised by: Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
Flag 13: Climate Action
Location: The North Pole (the last community en route to the pole and the Pole itself)
Date: 1st September
Flag Raised by: Explorer Inge Solheim
Flag 14: Life Below Water
Location: Formentera (Under Water)
Date: 12th September
Flag Raised by: Dr Enric Sala, National Geographic explorer- in-residence
Flag 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Location: ussia (Red Square)
Date: w/c 21st September
Flag Raised by: TBC
Flag 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Location: Jordan (Za’tatari Refugee Camp)
Date: 20th September
Flag Raised by: 17 Children living in the Camp
Partner: UNICEF
Other flags are set to be raised in locations including India, China, Kenya, Sao Paolo in Brazil, Costa Rica and London, UK, details for each will be released at a later date. To find out more about The Global Goals visit www.globalgoals.org.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL GOALS CAMPAIGN
The ambition of The Global Goals campaign is to share the goals with 7 billion people in the 7 days after the goals are signed on 25 September 2015. The campaign is the biggest ever collaboration of NGOs, global brands, public figures, educators, sports clubs, faith leaders, TV and Radio broadcasters, cinema advertisers, telecoms operators, digital and social media platforms, creative and media agencies, publishers, space organisations, artists and grassroots organisations. For information about The Global Goals follow #globalgoals @theglobalgoals and visit www.globalgoals.org.
