UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors raise their voices in support of new development era for children

Shakira and Angelique Kidjo on Friday celebrated the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals at UN Headquarters in New York with powerful performances before an audience at the United Nations General Assembly that included more than 130 heads of state and government.

The Grammy Award-winning singers joined Malala Yousafzai and children from around the world at a special ceremony to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 economic, social and environmental goals for the next 15 years.

Shortly before the adoption of the new blueprint for global sustainable development, Shakira took to the stage to sing “Imagine”, John Lennon’s iconic anthem of love and peace. “We live in a world in which many who are born poor will die poor. It is up to us to be the first society to eradicate poverty and bring justice and equality to the most disenfranchised people on earth,” Shakira, a passionate advocate of children’s rights, told the assembled world leaders before her performance. “Our children have the right to equal opportunities; to thrive, to be happy, healthy, and safe.”

Angelique Kidjo, who has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2002, sang a moving version of “Afirika” — her hymn to the continent she calls home.

“Africa and its children have the most to gain from the Sustainable Development Goals, but they also have the most to lose if our leaders do not fully commit to this new agenda for peace and prosperity,” Kidjo said.

“As an artist I want to use my voice to make sure that people around the world understand the new global goals and why they matter, so that they can hold their leaders accountable for their success or failure,” she said.

Flanked by a group of young people from across the world, Malala Yousafzai then delivered a message of hope for today’s children before the SDGs were ratified by world leaders.

The Sustainable Development Goals represent an ambitious plan of action that aims to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger, provide quality lifelong education for all, protect the planet and promote peaceful and inclusive societies.

These new global goals offer a historic opportunity to provide children with the fair start in life they deserve, UNICEF said in a press release issued here, cautioning that this opportunity will be wasted if the world does not focus efforts and investments on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children.