A milestone

In 2015, the 193 member countries of the United Nations Organization (UN) signed a very important document, pledging to be promoters of sustainable development. This program, which takes the name of Agenda 2030, sets objectives in 17 areas that countries have declared to pursue by 2030. The 2030 Agenda is the result of a series of UN conferences held in previous years, is valid for all countries and represents a global reference framework for national and international efforts aimed at finding common solutions to major issues. What are these 17 goals? End poverty. Zero hunger. Ensuring health for all. Offer education for all. Achieve gender equality. Ensure water and sanitation for all. Ensuring access to clean energy for all. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Building resilient infrastructures and fostering innovation. Reduce inequalities between countries. Making communities safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Fighting climate change and its impact. Safeguard the oceans and seas. Protect terrestrial ecosystems. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies. Revitalize global partnerships for sustainable development.

Such documents can be considered as milestones because they guide the choices that will have significant global effects and of which we too are called to feel part of. Even if the individual countries officially make decisions, we cannot neglect personal responsibility on this journey, each making their own small but still important contribution. In this year, which is almost in the middle of the time period of the agenda, we will look for and recount some signs of hope towards the achievement of some of these goals.

Let's start with the city of Turin which has promoted an artistic initiative to mark the presence of these objectives, called TOwards2030. The city has become a manifesto of the objectives of the UN, through the universal language of street art . Why combine art with a UN convention? Art has always been able to mark important moments in history. Art is a language available to everyone and everyone can get excited in front of a work of art. Perhaps seeing the 2030 Agenda expressed in artistic forms will help to understand the importance of this document which marks an important moment for our planet, in which we are all involved and in which everyone can make a contribution. The presence of urban works available to anyone is also a further sign of the importance of disseminating these messages, the first step in becoming aware of certain problems and the possibility of change. Then we too can take a few steps together in the coming months and, for those strolling in Turin, find these street art works through a beautiful treasure hunt.


Valentina Turinetto
NP January 2021