Introduction

Since the initial launch of the campaign in 2019, yearly campaigns have proved to be a resounding success, as included in the Voices SDG16+ Alumni Booklet. Over the years, selected videos have been showcased during the High-level Political Forum in New York, both during in-person meetings and through official online side events. Through this, the campaign provided an opportunity to showcase best practices and insert localised experiences into policy discussions directly at the HLPF. 

Building on the success of previous campaigns, we are now pleased to announce the 2025 Voices of SDG16+ Campaign! In the context of the 2025 United Nations High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which will take place in July in New-York, this seventh edition of the Voices of SDG16+ campaign will be centred around the theme “Resilience, Adaptation & Transformation :  Local Voices reclaiming SDG16+”. This year’s campaign will provide space to showcase the crucial work done by local actors in implementing SDG16 – entries are also called for that shed light on the interlinkages with the SDGs under review at HLPF2025 (SDG 3 on Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being, SDG 5 on Gender Equality, SDG 8 on Decent work and economic growth, SDG14 on preservation of the oceans and SDG 17 on Global Partnerships for the Goals). 

Voices of SDG16+: Stories for Global Action – 2025 Campaign

In face of the current geopolitical turmoil, it is increasingly urgent to act in favor of achieving the Goals set under the auspices of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

As civil society faces existential threats—and grapples with declining interest and investment in peacebuilding and conflict prevention—it is more critical than ever to shine a light on the achievements of local actors working to foster more peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

Moreover, the cross-cutting nature of SDG 16 calls for particular attention to the review of SDGs 3, 5, 8, 14, and 17 (in order: Ensuring healthy lives, Gender Equality, Oceans sustainability, Global Partnerships). The review of these goals will take place during the 2025 HLPF in July. Meanwhile, this year’s forum will focus on “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind.”

It is within these interconnected contexts that we launch the 2025 Voices campaign, aiming to highlight the innovative actions undertaken by local actors to build resilience in the face of systemic crises. As part of the Voices of SDG16+ initiative, we are calling for video submissions that showcase creative, evidence-based, and locally driven solutions to the challenges encountered in implementing SDG16 in today’s global landscape. We also strongly encourage entries that explore the interlinkages between SDG16 and the other Sustainable Development Goals under review at the 2025 HLPF– namely SDGs 3, 5, 8, 14, and 17.

Deadline for submissions: June 12, 2025

Please read through the guidelines and selection criteria thoroughly below before submitting your video.

The more creative the better!

Individuals and partners from around the world are invited to submit short videos (maximum 3 minutes) sharing their stories of best practices and extraordinary efforts to advance SDG16+ at the national and local levels. In the face of increasingly interlinked challenges, this campaign seeks to spotlight the resilience, creativity, innovation, and determination of civil society actors working to uphold peace, justice, and inclusion. We welcome all types of video formats, recognizing that technical or resource limitations should not be a barrier to participation. Whether captured on a phone, in a community setting, or through a creative medium, what matters most is the story you tell.

The submitted stories should reflect how local actors are responding to the complex realities of today: growing conflict and polarization, funding cuts, shifting political priorities, the impacts of climate change, restricted access to justice, and the erosion of civic space. These lived experiences and grassroots solutions will help to reaffirm the centrality of SDG16 as a foundational and cross-cutting enabler of the 2030 Agenda—and as a vital compass for navigating the storms of our time.

The 2025 Voices campaign builds on the successes of previous years. Selected videos will be featured on a dedicated website and shared in the context of key side events throughout the 2025 HLPF and beyond.

The Voices of SDG16+ Campaign will also feature updates on the work of finalists showcased during the previous editions of the campaign from 2019 onwards. 

Successful stories can be told in English, French, Arabic or Spanish, and should ideally feature both challenges and successes in pursuing advancement of SDG16+ in context of the #2030Agenda.