An SDG for Five Major Quotes of the Weekend

The Social Good Summit this past weekend was chock full of engaging speakers and fantastic new ideas on the union of social good and technology. As expected this bred tons of noteworthy quotes on big ideas and major commitments all supporting at least one Sustainable Development Goal. Let’s dive in and point out some of the best groupings we heard:

“If you ask me why I’m in politics, my answer would be simple – children. I genuinely believe our success as politicians should be based on the status of children.” – Jacinda Ardern – Prime Minister of New Zealand

Although this quote draws on many SDGs the main one Prime Minister Ardern appealed to with her call for equal opportunities, quality education, decent work-life balance, just institutions were SDGs 4, 8, 11 and 16.

“We should all have access to the same education, the same opportunities, and the same resources and protection to succeed and help the next generation.” – Padma Lakshmi, Author, Chef, and Advocate for UNDP

Padma Lakshmi’s quote draws on the fact that everyone has the right to a good education and equal access to the resources needed to succeed.

“If you move from coal to solar energy, [it is] better for the environment, better for your health, and [leads to] more jobs even five times as more.” – Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the UN Environment, Under Secretary General of the UN

Erik Solheim draws upon the fact that clean energy has many benefits which include better health for affected citizens and more jobs in clean energy based economies.

“Cities and city leaders are stepping up when nation states fail.” – Jan Vapaavuori, Mayor of Helsinki, Finland

Although a very simple quote Jan Vapaavuori’s statement is a direct reference to how cities have stepped up to initiate climate action when states such as the US, who withdrew from the Paris Climate Accords, fail to act. He spoke about the increased effectiveness of city-based action and how it is the way forward.

“If anyone’s human rights [are] denied, everyone’s human rights are denied” – Amber Heard, Actress, Advocate, and Human Rights Champion

To close Amber Heard brings up the fact that at the end of the day a single person’s rights aren’t exclusive to them alone and should concern us all. An attack on one person’s rights is an attack on all our rights regardless of gender, race or orientation.

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