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Applications are now open for the UN SDG Action Awards: Creativity & Resilience 2025
The UN SDG Action Awards 2025 are now open for applications, honoring bold, innovative, and resilient initiatives that champion the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These awards recognize visionaries, creatives, and activists whose actions ignite hope, change perceptions, and advance global sustainability.
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If your organization, campaign, or creative project has made a transformative impact, this is your opportunity to be celebrated on a global stage—and join the ranks of heroes reshaping the world.
About the UN SDG Action Campaign
Hosted by the Executive Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and based in Bonn, Germany, the UN SDG Action Campaign is a dynamic initiative of the UN Secretary-General. It aims to mobilize, campaign, and catalyze action around the SDGs, with a special focus on transforming systems and inspiring hope.
Through the UN SDG Action Awards, the campaign elevates stories of courage, creativity, and resilience, showing that a better world is not just possible but already in progress.
Award Ceremony Details
📍 Location: Rome, Italy
📅 Date: Wednesday, 29 October 2025
🌍 Global Reach: Over 5 million viewers via UN WebTV, Deutsche Welle, and RAI
Award Categories for 2025
The 2025 edition focuses on two impactful categories:
1. Creativity Award
This category honors exceptional creative campaigns or initiatives that:
- Leverage art, music, film, theatre, poetry, digital media, or street art to transform public opinion
- Influence behavior change, policy shifts, or budget allocations
- Promote social justice, peace, and sustainability
Inspiring Past Winners:
- Assume That I Can (CoorDown): Challenged stereotypes around Down Syndrome through global storytelling.
- A White Dress Doesn’t Cover the Rape: Led to the repeal of a harmful law in Lebanon through poignant advocacy.
- Fight Forever Chemicals Campaign: A multimedia movement that sparked legislative change in the US and EU.
2. Resilience Award
This award recognizes initiatives that have thrived despite adversity, showing exceptional perseverance and impact across:
- Environmental, social, political, or economic crises
- Advancing inclusive, equitable solutions aligned with the SDGs
- Empowering communities and amplifying innovation during hardship
Inspiring Past Winners:
- Gjenge Makers: Transforming plastic waste into eco-friendly building materials in Kenya.
- The Masungi Story: Filipino youth preventing deforestation and promoting reforestation.
- SUPVivors Say No More: Gender justice advocates in Ecuador changing national policies.
Why Apply for the UN SDG Action Awards 2025?
✔ Be featured globally during the UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony
✔ Inspire millions through your story of innovation and resilience
✔ Join a prestigious community of SDG champions and thought leaders
✔ Drive more support and visibility for your work
Who Can Apply?
- Organizations, campaigns, movements, or initiatives (self-nomination)
- Projects from any sector, country, or background
- Work that advances one or more SDGs through creativity or resilience
- To nominate an individual changemaker, please use the Changemaker Nomination Form instead.
Selection Process
Every year, over 5,500 applications from 190+ countries are reviewed by:
- A Technical Review Team for eligibility and impact
- A High-Level Panel of Judges who select the finalists and winners
Finalists are invited to Rome and recognized live during the Heroes of Tomorrow Awards Ceremony, reaching millions of viewers worldwide.
Key Judging Criteria
Your application should demonstrate:
- Measurable impact on SDG targets
- Use of creative methods or tools (for the Creativity Award)
- Documented resilience and innovation in the face of challenges (for the Resilience Award)
- Inclusion, scalability, and sustainability of your initiative
- Clear storytelling that communicates your purpose and progress
Tips for a Winning Application
- Be authentic: tell your real story with clarity and emotion
- Use videos, photos, and testimonials to showcase your impact
- Highlight specific challenges you overcame
- Show how your work aligns with one or more of the 17 SDGs
How to Apply
Step 1: Register via the official UN SDG Action Awards portal
Step 2: Fill in each section of the application form (you can save and return)
Step 3: Upload supporting materials (videos, artwork, campaign media, etc.)
Step 4: Submit by the deadline
Application Deadline: 25th May at 23:59 EDT
