Partners announce collaboration to bolster dialogue, increase and enhance reporting about the next set of global development goals

Washington, DC (April 23, 2015)  Today, partners joined at the United Nations Foundation headquarters to announce an innovative partnership that will increase, enhance and influence global communications and media reporting on issues related to the new global goals and the post 2015 development process. This partnership was announced today with Jynwel Foundation and Thomson Reuters Foundation that will engage with a network of journalists, media experts and social media influencers around the world to make available trainings, media capacity grants, and partnerships in the lead up to two pivotal summits happening later in the year; the United Nations summit in September that will see the adoption of the new Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN Climate Change Conference in December in Paris, which is aimed at reaching a universal climate agreement.

The partnership was announced as a new way to engage with media on what the UN Foundation is calling “the biggest communications challenge and opportunity of our generation.”

The collaboration focuses on three elements:

1.     Partnerships that encourage increased levels of reporting

2.     Capacity and training for journalists, media organizations and spokespeople

3.     Engagement and action around the 2015 conversation

“In a year where so much is at stake for the world, robust and innovative communications have to be at the heart of the discussion of new global goals,” said Kathy Calvin, President and CEO of United Nations Foundation. “We are all counting on innovative organizations who are committed to a robust and honest conversation about these new goals. We welcome partnerships that make it possible for all voices to be heard and that offer media organizations, civil society and experts tools to come together in an informed and authentic way as part of the process.”

Why communications matter in 2015

The new “global goals” build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) — a commitment by the UN to increase peace and build a healthier global economy from 2000-2015 by focusing on major issues like poverty, children’s health, empowerment of women and girls, sustainable environment, disease, and development. When the next set of global goals covering 2015-2030 are finalized and adopted in September, the world will have the most comprehensive attempt in history to fight poverty and create prosperity while protecting the planet. The partnerships announced today supporting a unique mix of media training, capacity grants and a sustained surge in targeted digital media, will help increase the volume and animate a global public conversation about the new goals, creating the environment to help us achieve success by 2030.

“The issues confronting our world are growing at a pace faster than we’ve ever experienced,” said Jho Low, Director of Jynwel Foundation. “There is an urgent need to bring the best thinkers, communicators and entrepreneurs in sustainability together to disrupt the status quo. This partnership is perfectly placed to address that need with an innovative approach that will have a significant global impact.”

Targeted digital media

The partners unveiled a new digital news aggregator that will showcase and spotlight the best media reporting from news organizations around the world. Global Daily will highlight top stories around the globe including areas like poverty, children’s health, empowerment of women and girls, sustainable environment, disease, and development.

Trainings and tools for journalists

Trainings in 33 countries around the world will bring together journalists, media leaders, experts, and civil society leaders to receive in-depth briefings and detailed trainings, in order to enhance the public discussion on issues related to climate change and the new development global goals.

“This program will teach journalists, government and NGO leaders how to avoid the jargon around sustainability development, and craft real stories that people can fully understand and relate. When journalists struggle with the technicalities, the acronyms, the numbers, and miss the big picture, the general public is denied a key opportunity to be informed,” said Monique Villa, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Building capacity for reporting on the issues

Through the partnership, media organizations around the world will be offered capacity grants to increase reporting on major 2015 moments and the global goals. The grants will not seek editorial control, but only to increase awareness and reporting on global development issues that matter to readers.

The launch event took place on the margins of events taking place in conjunction with the White House Correspondents Dinner. In attendance was Elizabeth Cousens, Deputy CEO of the United Nations Foundation, Jho Low from Jynwel Foundation, and Nicolas Bellet from the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The UN Foundation notes as part of the announcement that additional funding partners of this initiative will be announced over the next few weeks.

Press Contact:

Tina Musoke

tmusoke@unfoundation.org

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About the United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. Learn more at: www.unfoundation.org

About Jynwel Charitable Foundation Limited

Jynwel Charitable Foundation Limited (“Jynwel Foundation”) is the philanthropic initiative of Jynwel Capital, an international investment and advisory firm. Jynwel represents the third generation of the Low family business and philanthropy. Jynwel Foundation is built on the family’s heritage and vision for investing in society and seeks to fund breakthrough programs that are working to solve the world’s toughest problems in global public health, education and conservation. www.jynwelfoundation.org/

About the Thomson Reuters Foundation

The Thomson Reuters Foundation stands for free independent journalism, human rights, women’s empowerment and the rule of law. Leveraging the skills, values and expertise of Thomson Reuters, the Foundation plays a leading role in the global fight against human trafficking and runs a number of programmes and initiatives that trigger change and empower people globally: free legal assistance, media development and training, in-depth coverage of the world’s underreported stories, and the Trust Women conference. Learn more at http://www.trust.org.