Walk the Path: The UN Charter Trail and SDG 17

The UN Charter Trail isn’t just a story or a walk through history, it’s a journey into the enduring spirit of cooperation that birthed the UN 80 years ago. As we commemorate this monumental anniversary, we recognize that the ambition to create a peaceful world is more relevant than ever. We’ve created the UN Charter Trail and teamed up with partners to take quicker steps towards a future enshrined in the UN Charter.

Why Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17) is our guiding principle :

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) come from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a blueprint or sustainable roadmap for life on Earth. Among these goals, SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals stands as the foundation. It emphasizes the importance of collective action and strong collaborations to achieve all other Sustainable Development Goals. In order to maximize the potential impact of the UN Charter Trail, we start with SDG 17.

For the UN Charter Trail, embracing SDG 17 means:

• Echoing the founding San Francisco Spirit: The very creation of the UN in San Francisco was the ultimate act of partnership and collaboration. Nations came together from all over the world, despite differences, to forge a common future. The UN Charter Trail honors the organization's history, embodies founding principles from the U.N. Charter, and demonstrates that when diverse groups mobilize, transformative change is possible.

• Growing our impact: By actively fostering partnerships with local communities, educational institutions, historical societies, government organizations, innovators, and global organizations, we dramatically expand the impact, reach, and depth of the Trail’s message. Simply put, we are better together.

• Building a shared future: The challenges in our world today—from war, to climate change, to inequality and exploitation—are too vast for any one entity to tackle alone. The UN Charter Trail uses the power of storytelling to inspire action. It encourages every participant, partner, and trailblazer to see themselves as part of the global effort for a better future. Ultimately, we want to empower people to actually walk the talk and contribute to the SDGs.

• Connecting Past and Present: Our partners enable us to bridge the history of the UN Charter with the urgent needs of the present world. The UN Charter Trail connects people to each other, to San Francisco and to the United Nations. Whether it’s through the power of interactive experiences like this one, inclusive educational programs, or cross-cultural dialogue, we aim for the lessons of 1945 to inspire action for 2030’s goals and beyond.

Joining the walk towards a better world:

The UN Charter Trail is more than a tour, it’s an invitation to become a participant and a partner in furthering the Sustainable Development Goals, and the impact of the UN Charter on people’s lives. By supporting and engaging with the UN Charter Trail, you aren’t just celebrating history and the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations: you’re actively contributing and taking steps to the growth of this initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals. Thank you!