SDG Digital Day (Submission Deadline: July 21)

SDG Digital Day
September 17
ITU

Join the discussion on 17 September to explore how data and digital technologies can accelerate progress on the UN’s Global Goals.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and partners from the United Nations system and beyond will convene on 17 September 2023 for SDG Digital Day in New York.

SDG Digital Day aims to put data and digital technologies front and centre to catalyse greater action on all 17 – from eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities to ensuring access to clean water and sanitation and providing affordable and clean energy for everyone worldwide. The SDGs – also known as the Global Goals – form the backbone of the United Nations’ 193 Member States agenda to make our planet peaceful, prosperous, and safe for all people.

The SDG Digital Day will target participants of the UN General Assembly and will be open to external participants, including international organizations and UN system agencies, development organizations, private-sector stakeholders, as well as civil society including youth, and academic leaders.

Participants will take stock of achievements and gaps in delivering on the Global Goals and provide digital solutions to help achieve them by 2030. Learn more about the 17 SDGs and their 169 targets.

SDG Digital Day will:

  • Demonstrate how data and digital technologies can be leveraged to accelerate progress towards all SDGs and associated targets.
  • Showcase high-impact, sustainable, digital-based solutions with game-changing potential to accelerate progress on the SDGs.
  • Mobilize new commitments for the SDGs, leveraging ITU’s online pledging platform for the Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition.
  • Provide clear pathways to scale collaboration and transformative action.
  • Engage youth as both solution providers and solution partners to win the SDG race by 2030.

The SDG Digital Day – powered by ITU and UNDP, for the UN System – will be co-led by Member States, SDG Advocates, and P2C Champions, and with the support of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as our SDG Digital Day Knowledge Partner.


The SDG Digital GameChangers Award will honour individuals and organizations that are working towards rescuing the Global Goals through digital. The award ceremony will take place during SDG Digital Day on 17 September 2023.

  • Submit your innovative solutions.
  • Demonstrate practical applications.
  • Show how digital can help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Who can apply?

  •  Youth
  •  Government
  •  Private Sector
  •  Civil Society
  •  International Organizations/ UN Agencies
  •  Academia/Technical Community

What kinds of solutions are eligible?

  • Projects: Digital-enabled projects already being implemented on the ground, with a positive, measurable impact on any of the 17 SDGs
  • Policies: Ground-breaking legislative or regulatory reforms enacted to advance the use of digital technologies to address the SDGs.
  • Innovative applications: Game-changing solutions and applications, or practical examples of digital technologies advancing the achievement of SDGs.
  • Youth ideas: Creative and innovative concepts and ideas for projects, campaigns, policies, training, or other activities with potential to leverage digital technologies to help achieve SDGs – from applicants aged 18-29 years.

How to apply?

The application is completely online. To ensure that you are ready to submit your application for the SDG Digital GameChangers Award, please make sure you have:

  • Familiarize yourself with the About and Categories sections and know what award you are applying for
  • Checked your eligibility for the youth award in any of the categories, if applicable
  • Thoroughly understood the Terms and conditions, including the evaluation criteria
  • The Submission cannot be saved mid-way. We recommend you have everything prepared when you start the process, including any supporting material

Submissions must be sent by no later than 21 July 2023 at 23:59 (Central European Summer Time).