The world’s publishing community through the IPA supports the SDGs as an investment in future generations of leaders, innovators and agents of change. The Book Club initiative will put the spotlight on books as a tool to encourage children and young people to interact with the principles of the SDGs through a curated reading list of key children’s books related to each of the 17 SDGs. This list will include titles for each SDG in all six official UN languages to start.

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly currently underway in New York, Dr Michiel Kolman, President of the IPA, said: “Imagine children in Asia reading about diversity and inclusion in Chinese; kids in South America enjoying Spanish language books on the importance of water in their lives. All children should have the opportunity to learn about and shape their world through the prism of the SDGs. We are convinced that the SDGs are attainable by 2030 and we hope that we can contribute to achieving this important goal.”

Maher Nasser, Director of the Outreach Division in the UN’s Department of Public Information, welcomed the initiative: “Knowledge has always been key to progress, and books, in any form, are the means by which knowledge is preserved and shared. Our collaboration with IPA on an SDG Book Club is an important initiative to reach children and youth with books and stories in multiple languages that introduce them to the SDGs and the importance of action to achieve them. We hope that this collaboration with publishers around the world will help youth internalize what the Goals are about and why do they matter to their own future and that of our planet”.

About the SDGs

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by world leaders at the historic Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015. Encompassing everything from health, to gender equality, and education, the Goals will mobilize efforts around the world to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.