{"id":116909,"date":"2025-10-31T16:33:59","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T20:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/?p=116909"},"modified":"2025-10-31T16:34:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T20:34:46","slug":"press-release-sdgactionawards2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/blog\/2025\/10\/press-release-sdgactionawards2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Release | SDG Action Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

Turning Vision into Action: Winners of the 2025 UN SDG Action Awards Announced<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rome, Italy<\/strong> \u2014 Changemakers and initiatives transforming inequalities into opportunities for millions of people across Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Turkiye were honored at the\u00a0eighth annual<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony<\/strong><\/a> in Rome.<\/p>\n

The Ceremony featured live performances from award-winning Italian singer-songwriter Diodato <\/strong>and Nigerian artivist Cill<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Selected from over 5,500 entries from 190 countries, <\/strong>winners were chosen from nine finalists<\/a> in three categories Creativity<\/strong>, Resilience <\/strong>and Changemaker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc6\u00a0Changemaker Award \u2014 Celebrating Those Who Shape a More Equitable and Peaceful World<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a rare tie, this year\u2019s\u00a0Changemaker Award<\/strong>\u00a0honors two exceptional individuals whose courage and commitment have redefined what it means to drive lasting change.<\/p>\n

[WINNER]<\/strong> Human rights advocate, Julienne Lusenge<\/strong><\/a> has spent decades championing women, confronting violence, and building peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo\u2014turning adversity into transformation and courage into collective power.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thank the UN SDG Action Campaign on behalf of all Congolese women, girls, men and boys who fight every day for peace, justice and their dignity\u201d said Sandrine Lusamba, <\/strong>on behalf of Julienne Lusenge.<\/p>\n

[WINNER]<\/strong> Forced to flee the war in Syria, J\u00een Dawod<\/strong><\/a> founded a mental health platform that provides psychological support to thousands of displaced people, proving that healing can cross every border.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could have told my younger self that she would stand in light and turn that pain into purpose. Everyone who is in their weakest and darkest point in their life, I am your message from the future. This Award is not the end, it\u2019s the beginning\u201d said J\u00een Dawod<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc6\u00a0Creativity Award \u2014 Celebrating Imagination, Innovation, and the Power of Storytelling<\/strong><\/p>\n

[WINNER]<\/strong> In Nigeria, where\u00a033 million people face acute food insecurity, <\/strong>Smartel<\/strong><\/a> through hydroponic systems – a soil-free farming method \u2013 creates new livelihoods for women, youth, and smallholder farmers.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo every young dreamer, listening to me today, always remember that we are the bridge between the failures of the past and blessings of the future.\u00a0 Now is the best time for you to act. Wake up, build with compassion, innovate with love and take up the world biggest challenges because you can\u201d said Smart Israel<\/strong>, Founder, Smartel Agri-Tech.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc6\u00a0Resilience Award \u2014 Honouring Courage, Solidarity, and the Strength to Rebuild<\/strong><\/p>\n

[WINNER]<\/strong> Born in Brazil, CUFA<\/strong><\/a> transforms favelas into vibrant hubs of talent, creativity, and innovation, engaging millions worldwide and redefining what development looks like\u2014by the community, for the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cCUFA means Unified Central of Favelas. It is about giving support and opportunities to communities, kids, women and men, we want everyone to live without poverty and inequality\u201d said Marcus Vin\u00edcius Athayde<\/strong>, President, CUFA.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc6\u00a0The UNHCR #IBelong Campaign<\/strong><\/a> received the Honourable Mention<\/strong> for its decade-long global movement ending statelessness for millions of people. The #IBelong Campaign representative, Maha Mamo shared:<\/p>\n

\u201cI was stateless for 30 years of my life. Statelessness is an invisible cage. You have dreams, potential, and so much to give yet you\u2019re deprived of basic rights: education, healthcare, the freedom to move. UNCHR\u2019s #IBelong Campaign gave me identity, nationality, and a home\u201d.<\/p>\n

In recognition of <\/strong>the winners, Marina Ponti, Global Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign, <\/strong>said,<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>We can all be heroes of tomorrow. Let\u2019s not be frozen by the weight of inequality. Let\u2019s be moved by the power of possibility<\/strong>. Because the future is not something we inherit\u2014it\u2019s something we shape together<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Award-winning Italian artist Diodato <\/strong>performed two songs to open and close the ceremony, a version on Pink Floyd’s \u2018Us and Them\u2019 and his original composition \u2018L\u2019atto di Rivoluzione\u2019, both on the theme of the evening of changemakers building bridges between parallel realities.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone can change the world with actions. Tonight we are with people who are changing the world, working for the planet and people \u2013 thank you very much\u201d said Diodato<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Now in its 8th<\/sup> year, the UN SDG Action Awards, a signature programme of the UN SDG Action Campaign<\/strong><\/a>, is made possible in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).<\/p>\n

Media Contact<\/strong><\/p>\n

Olcay Patrycja Tetik, Policy and Partnerships Specialist, UN SDG Action Campaign
\n<\/a>Email: olcay.tetik@undp.org
\n<\/a>Website: https:\/\/sdgactionawards.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Please find the <\/strong>high-resolution photos and winner<\/strong><\/a> profiles. B-roll footage is available upon request.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Notes to editors<\/strong><\/p>\n