On February 14, people exchange cards, candies, gifts, and flowers with their special “valentine.” But this year, let’s make the holiday about more than gifts; let’s use it to celebrate our common humanity. In 2015, world leaders gathered at the United Nations to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals and commit to a world where no one is left behind. The global goals provide a common to-do list to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient […]

Risk takers, disruptors, change makers. Entrepreneurs can be described as many things, but in the end they are essential job creators. The United Nations has estimated that over the next decade more than 425 million new jobs will be needed to fully employ the world’s eligible workforce. Entrepreneurship is a critical driving force in generating employment opportunities as young people begin to shift their thinking from job-seeker to job-creator. As the UN and citizens from

Editor’s Note: The text below was delivered as a speech on February 10, 2016 at a summit in Dubai on how innovation can help governments better deliver for their citizens. No discussion about shaping future governments would be complete without talking about two things: the Sustainable Development Goals and young people. In 2015, 193 governments embraced the vision of world without poverty and with opportunity for all when they adopted the Sustainable Development Goals. And

In 2015, world leaders adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which provide a shared global development agenda from now until 2030. These goals build on the eight Millennium Development Goals that were adopted in 2000 and created dedicated targets to achieve by 2015, such as reducing poverty. The global goals for sustainable development are unique in that they were developed with youth, keeping their interests in mind. Young people had a say and made sure the

UNICEF recently shared this photo of a young girl raising her hand in a tent classroom at a UNICEF-supported camp near Baghdad, Iraq. This young girl is one of nearly 250 million children affected by conflicts around the world. Children who are forced to flee their homes often end up without access to education and other necessities. UNICEF and UN agencies work on the ground to provide life-saving aid to families in need, including helping

During my pregnancy a few years ago, I had a lot of worries – but none of them included mosquitos. For countless expecting mothers, especially in Latin America, the fear of the Zika virus impacting the health and welfare of their babies is all too real. Yesterday, more than 40 journalists from around the world joined the United Nations Foundation team to hear from United Nations experts on the front lines of the Zika response.

Bill and Melinda Gates’ must-read “annual letter” came out today, and once again it provides an insightful look at the global development issues that must be tackled in order to end poverty. This year, it’s great to see them focus on two challenges that need more attention: the absence of time and energy from the lives of more than 1 billion people around the world. This year’s letter is addressed to students, whose innovation and

The Gates annual letter is always inspirational, and this year is no exception. In their 2016 message, Bill and Melinda Gates lay out their case for why having “more time” and “more energy” would be their chosen superpowers. Their message is clear:  “Poverty is not just about a lack of money. It’s about the absence of the resources the poor need to realize their potential. Two critical ones are time and energy.” As the leader of an

The United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign is celebrating five years of Shot@Life Champions from February 29-March 2 in our nation’s capital. The Champion Summit is an opportunity for our volunteers to deepen their knowledge of global childhood immunizations as well as learn about the importance of engaging in U.S. advocacy to increase funding for global immunization programs. We welcomed 50 volunteers to our first summit and this year we are expecting more than 160. These