“We need to send a message about the importance of being united for the SDGs. Together, united, we will win,” EU Ambassador Stevens and Captain of “Ambassadors United” opened the friendly match under the banner “United for Our Goals” in front of motivated team mates and spectators at the UN Geneva Park.

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"We cannot hope to properly address the current health crisis, or achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, unless we work together as one,” stressed “Mayors United” Captain Sami Kanaan, Mayor of Geneva, at the match in a symbolic act of cooperation between the national and the local levels. After a warm-up with the UN Geneva’s Football Club, Olga Algayerova, Executive Secretary of UNECE & Referee for the day, whistled for the start of the match.

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All players had one goal: to score all 17 SDGs as first team! To comply with all social distancing measures, the game took place in the form of penalty kicks only. With special support from UEFA, Ambassadors and Mayors had the pleasure to be the first teams to play with the 2020 match balls!Allplath the 2020 match balls!

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It was a tight match - but at last „Ambassadors United“ scored the winning goal! The final 17^th goal was scored by one of “Ambassadors United“ female players! Clearly the SDGs were the main winner of this match: In a sustainable spirit, players fuelled up on “socially distanced fruits” in natural & compostable wrapping in support of SDG 4 - Good health and well-being - and water sourced by the NGO Viva Con Agua which supports SDG 6 projects - clean water and sanitation for all. “Each and every one of us can act anytime, any day,” underlined EU Ambassador Stevens. Be it clean water, responsible consumption, gender equality – while “Ambassadors United” scored the 17^th goal, reaching the 17 SDGs by 2030 will require collective effort from all of us.

Photos of the event: https://www.flickr.com/photos/132033091@N03/albums/72157716278840251

See Also

• UNECE Forum of Mayors
• EU Covenant of Mayors