Iconic Artist and Activist Elisa Gathers Thousands of People to Call for Action on the Sustainable Development Goals
Elisa, together with the UN SDG Action Campaign and Music Innovation Hub, is calling on individuals and organizations in Italy and beyond to accelerate efforts to ensure a healthy, just and peaceful planet
16th September 2022, Milan: This week, as part of her ongoing tour, Italian singer-songwriter and activist Elisa engaged over 2,500 audience members to reaffirm their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The moment symbolised a need to take action on climate, justice and peace during the last concert in Milan of her “Back to the Future Tour” which is continuing throughout Italy.
Together with the UN SDG Action Campaign, a United Nations Secretary-General initiative hosted by UNDP, and Music Innovation Hub, Elisa led a spectacular display of solidarity by asking the audience to join her and #FlipTheScript on prevailing narratives, and state that change is possible.
The event took place at the iconic Sforzesco Castle, where each audience member was asked to flip a sign that had the words Guerra (war) on one side and Pace (peace) on the other, representing the that the power is in our hands to #FlipTheScript and turn challenges into opportunities — and crucially, that each of us have a responsibility to take action on the SDGs.
This mobilization moment was organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign to kickstart the Global Week to #Act4SDGs, held during the high-level UN General Assembly debate in New York, from 16–25 September, and is part of an activation that is taking place in many parts of the world to celebrate the mid-way point of the SDGs on 25 September.
As the first Ally of the UN SDG Action Campaign, Elisa helps promote sustainability and the advancement the SDGs. This activation comes as a recent UN Report reveals that the cascading and interlinked crises we face are putting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in jeopardy, highlighting the critical need for accelerated action and the need to ‘flip the script’ on the trajectory of our future.
Speaking about the activation, Elisa stated:
“To #FlipTheScript means that we must head in a new direction and rewrite the current story. Last night was a beautiful moment that demonstrated how a small change in perception can lead to action and awareness. We must recognise that everyone is a changemaker in their own right, and that by changing your own behavior, you can lead the change you want to see. That is the message I bring with me on my tour — the power is in our hands!”
The Global Week to #Act4SDGs brings together organizations and individuals to show world leaders that people all around the world are committed, dedicated, and inspired to take action, achieve the SDGs and ‘flip the script’ on our future.
In 2021, the Global Week to #Act4SDGs accumulated 100 million actions, and this year is looking to scale up engagement with even more partners. From speaking up on inequalities, to casting a vote, to recycling or being a socially conscious consumer, action on the SDGs can take many forms. These seemingly small changes made by millions of people can bring about the transformative change and better future the SDGs aim to achieve, an aim Elisa hopes to achieve by taking this message with her on tour.
Marina Ponti, Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign:
“Our message is one of hope — hope that we can flip war into peace, division into unity. We want to say that no matter where you are and what action you are taking — you can be an agent for change. We are proud to have Elisa as our first Ally of the UN SDG Action Campaign, someone who truly shows that you can rewrite the rules and commit to living more sustainably. By activating her audience to think differently, we want to say that the time is now to create the future we want”
Everyone can take part and share how they #FlipTheScript by registering their SDG actions on THE GLOBAL MAP OF SDG ACTIONS and joining millions of individuals and organizations around the world showcasing their commitment to the SDGs.
About Elisa
Elisa, born Elisa Toffoli, is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music producer. In her career she has won countless Platinum and Diamond Discs, and has collaborated with such great artists as Luciano Pavarotti, Ennio Morricone, Tina Turner, Andrea Bocelli, Dolores O’Riordan, and Imagine Dragons, among others. In Italy, he has won all the major awards and accolades in music: the Sanremo Festival in 2001 with the song “Luce (Tramonti a Nord Est),” 2 Targhe Tenco, 2 Premi Lunezia, 15 Italian Wind Music Awards, Festivalbar, Nastro d’Argento; as well as an MTV Europe Music Award and a Television Direction Award. Her voice has enchanted directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Tim Burton who wanted her on the soundtrack of their films (“Django Unchained” and Disney’s “Dumbo”). For Disney she also sang and voiced in the colossal “The Lion King” . In 2019, Mattel dedicated a Barbie with her likeness to her as a positive role model for the next generation. In 2022 she was the Artistic Director of Heroes Festival, 5 days of events in Verona all related to the environment. Elisa is also an Ambassador for Save The Children and an “Ally” for the UN in the new Sustainable Development Goals campaign.
About the UN SDG Action Campaign
The UN Secretary-General established the UN SDG Action Campaign to inspire people and organizations from all backgrounds and every part of the world to take actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The Campaign is hosted and supported by UNDP and is based in Bonn, Germany. Their flagship initiatives include the Global Week to #Act4SDGs and the UN SDG Action Awards.
