São Paulo´s City Hall launched this Saturday (25) the Virada SDG Festival, an event that will take place from July 8th to 10th of 2022, with the goal to popularise and engage the population of São Paulo in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. The launching ceremony happened at Conservatório da Praça das Artes, in the Historical Centre of São Paulo, and had the participation of Mayor Ricardo Nunes, municipal secretaries, parliamentarians and UN 's representatives and civil society.

The Virada SDG Festival is promoted by the Municipal Department of International Affairs (SMRI) and will have a programme of activities sprawling throughout the city with cultural and educative activities, business expo, a hackathon, international congress, among others. The goal is to attract new businesses and international partnerships to build a greener, smarter and more inclusive São Paulo.

During her speech at the ceremony, Marta Suplicy, secretary of SMRI, remembered that the Conservatório da Praça das Artes was where Mário de Andrade, Brazilian poet and novelist, one of the founders of modernism in the country, taught in. According to her, the Modern Art Week of 1922, which will complete its centenary next year, will be an inspiration for the Virada SDG Festival.

“The Modern Art Week had a huge impact on Brazilian art and culture. São Paulo is a vanguard and we will make history again with the Virada SDG Festival. Our work will achieve the UN as an example that we can win through knowledge and cooperation”, declared Marta Suplicy.

The choosing of the date (September 25th) for the launching of Virada SDG Festival was inspired to coincide with the Day of Global Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Among the event’s goals, with a predicted public of 60 thousand people, are: the promotion of city actions for the world to attract partnerships; the implementation of innovative projects related to the SDG in various regions of São Paulo; in addition to the promotion of a participative and innovative culture for the solution of issues.

“Today marks six years since the publishing of the 2030 Agenda by the UN and, in this day, the City of São Paulo takes this action to mark its commitment to the sustainability agenda by launching the Virada SDG Festival 2022. This encounter is synonymous to what São Paulo is: a city connected to global issues. I have no doubt that we will have great success!”, said Mayor Ricardo Nunes.

The ceremony also had speeches by parliamentarians and UN’s representatives, in addition to the presentation of priority actions, schedule grid and event’s structure, which should take place in the Pavillion of Ibirapuera Park and in nine other hubs spread through the city.

The UN 2030 Agenda, that sets forth the 17 SDGs, goes beyond the environmental and recognises that poverty eradication in all its shapes and dimensions, as it is the biggest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. On this score, the combating of racism is one of the fundamental pillars to achieve these goals.

“We have to understand that racism is truly a huge obstacle for the achievement of those goals. So, without the antiracist fight, we won’t get very far. So, for the success of this Agenda it is necessary that the civil society, the private sector and the State commits strongelly to combating racism”, pointed out the Ambassador of UN Women Brazil, Kenia Maria.

To check the article in Portuguese, click here.