Billboards on the Summit of the Future launched in South Africa

South Africa's three largest cities—Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria—have recently seen the unveiling of 78 billboards by the United Nations in South Africa as part of its efforts to raise public awareness of the forthcoming Summit of the Future. Primary suburbs and heavily used highways are the sites of the billboards.

The billboards feature key messages promoting the once-in-a-generation Summit, which is scheduled to take place in New York on 22 September 2024. Among the many pressing challenges that the campaign highlights as requiring international cooperation are climate change, inequality, and sustainable development.

The outdoor billboards, put up in collaboration with the advertising firm, JCDecaux, are a sobering reminder that we must all work together to address the critical challenges of our time. In addition to promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this project highlights South Africa's role as an important voice in the fight for sustainable development and an integral member of the global community.

Bringing up the billboards isn't just a symbolic move; it's crucial to getting people to notice and rally behind the main themes of the Summit. They serve as a visual call to action, inspiring South Africans to have meaningful conversations about environmental sustainability and to take action towards global solutions. 

By strategically placing these billboards, we can bring the Summit's objectives within reach of everyday South Africans and facilitate dialogue between the public and high-level global talks. With a focus on climate action, poverty reduction, and social justice, the campaign seeks to bring global discussions to the centre of local communities. The goal is to create momentum towards the achievement of common goals, such the SDGs.

The Summit of the Future campaign is the latest joint venture between the United Nations and JCDecaux South Africa. It follows the highly successful UN Road Safety campaign, which was launched by the Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt. South African celebrities' key messages were displayed on billboards placed at strategic locations as part of the road safety campaign.

The cooperation with JCDecaux is an example of its commitment to integrate corporate social responsibility with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The use of billboards as a means to disseminate public message has proven fruitful in mobilizing people to address a wide range of issues. This initiative's value demonstrates the power of private-sector partnerships to propel global initiatives.

It is critical that we work together to guarantee a future that is sustainable, equal and just for everyone as we face shared problems in an ever more linked world. For this to happen, mobilizing resources and people will be necessary. This campaign is a timely reminder that we, the people, can shape our own destiny and that we must act now.