Summit of the Future Action Days
20 September 2024 · New YorkUnveiled in the UN General Assembly Hall with the UN Youth Office, as the backdrop for dialogue between young leaders and the Secretary-General.
Hope in Action
A travelling exhibition that opened in the UN General Assembly Hall.
- Client
- UN SDG Action Campaign
- Partners
- HUG · UN Youth Office · UNFCCC · UNCCD
- Location
- New York · Rome · Baku · Riyadh
- Date
- September – December 2024
- My role
- Curator
- Works
- 25, selected from 1,500+ submissions
Hope in Action is a travelling exhibition that treats hope not as a feeling, but as a force for change. Curated with the UN SDG Action Campaign and HUG, it brings together 25 works chosen from more than 1,500 submissions worldwide — digital art, performance, photography, sculpture and embroidery — each answering one question: what does hope look like when it moves us to act?
The exhibition opened in the UN General Assembly Hall in New York during the Summit of the Future Action Days, in the presence of UN Secretary-General António Guterres. It then travelled to the UN SDG Action Awards in Rome, UNFCCC COP29 in Baku and UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, with each edition adapted to its audience and theme.
The curatorial framework rests on six SDG-aligned pillars: climate action; gender equality; peace, justice and strong institutions; zero hunger; youth empowerment and education; and digital inclusion.
1,500+submissions reviewed
25works selected
4UN high-level stages
Gallery
5 images · click to enlarge
Editions
UN SDG Action Awards
29 October 2024 · RomeArtworks on the walls, large-scale photography and digital displays turned the venue into an immersive space, broadcast on UN Web TV and RAI.
UNFCCC COP29
11–22 November 2024 · BakuA selection on climate justice, giving voice to the communities most affected by climate breakdown.
UNCCD COP16
2–13 December 2024 · RiyadhRefocused on desertification, land restoration and food security, and featured in the side event “Cultivating Creativity: Collective Action for Land Restoration”.
Artists: 4EverKurious, Anand Manchiraju, Ben Haisenburke, Caroline Harroe, Dan Kabiaru, Daniil Alikov, Dreams, Eyerusalem, Federico Massa, Gianni Depaoli, Haleema, Heather Timm, Jane Ugah, Katie Godowski, Mary L. Peng, Maryam, Matt Brunel, Richard Zheng, Saidu Degri, Segun Jiboku, Supratim, Tracie, VulcanStudioNFT
Exhibition contributions
Positioned hope as a force for change and built the framework around six SDG-aligned pillars — one narrative that could adapt to every venue.
Reviewed more than 1,500 submissions and selected 25 works across five disciplines.
Tailored each edition to its stage: youth in New York, changemakers in Rome, climate justice in Baku, land restoration in Riyadh.
Created the exhibition’s logo, social media assets, digital backdrops and on-site design.
Led storytelling across films, exhibition displays and global broadcast moments.
Worked with UN entities, artists and changemakers to co-create a participatory platform.
Shaped the visitor journey and installations, from the UNGA Hall to COP29.
Managed design, content and curatorial teams across four international venues.
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