Today is a moment that will be etched in history. Representatives from 193 countries have come together around a shared vision for the future: a world where no one lives in poverty, everyone lives with dignity, and we have stopped the threat of climate change.
The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals provides a ripe opportunity to turn the page on poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation so every child grows up in a world where her basic needs are met, her rights are respected, and her opportunities are limitless.
The global goals were created for the world and by the world in the most inclusive process in UN history, which included input from businesses, civil society groups, and millions of individuals. They reflect the priorities of people from across the globe, the complexity of today’s world, and the underlying causes of the crises that grip us. Our social, economic, environmental, and climate problems are connected and must be dealt with in an integrated, comprehensive way as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals.
We can achieve the global goals. In recent decades, the international community mobilized under the Millennium Development Goals to make incredible progress saving and improving lives. Now we need to finish the job while going further to promote development that safeguards the planet and provides opportunity for all.
The adoption of the global goals is not the end of our efforts; now the hard work of implementation begins. Everyone has a role to play, and the United Nations Foundation will continue to support the UN and its partners to help achieve the global goals. Together, let’s seize this opportunity and realize the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals for people and planet.