BKMC Annual Report 2023

Heinz Fischer, Co-chair
Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens
Esteemed friends and supporters of the Ban Ki-moon
Centre for Global Citizens,
As we reflect upon the last year, I am delighted to say
that the Ban Ki-moon Centre has resolutely continued
to work towards its mission and vision with great vigor.
In the face of dramatic global challenges, the
Centre has further solidified its standing within the
international community, steadfastly working towards
its objectives of empowering women and youth to
implement the Sustainable Development Goals and
the Paris Climate Agreement. I express my gratitude
to our dedicated board members, our tireless team,
and the steadfast support of partners and friends
worldwide, without whom our successes would not
be possible.
I am particularly grateful for Co-chair Ban Ki-moon’s
continuous leadership, collaboration, and dedication
to our shared vision. During his last visit to Vienna in
March 2023, we had the opportunity to reflect on past
achievements and exchange ideas on future visions
for the Centre. The same was possible during the time
of our common visit to the United Arab Emirates in
March 2024 to strengthen support with local partner
institutions.
Undoubtedly, the complex international landscape
continues to pose challenges, notably the ongoing
war Russia has launched against Ukraine, the
escalation of devastating consequences that have
unfolded since October 2023 in Israel and the Gaza
Strip, economic uncertainties, persistent threats to
our climate and global well-being, and challenges
to liberal democracy and multilateralism in Europe
and beyond.
Despite these adversities, we remained dedicated
to our core initiatives. From active participation in
the COP28 climate conference in Dubai to hosting
the third SDG Dialogforum in Vienna, convening
the first International Forum on Global Citizenship
Education at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg in
cooperation with the Korean Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the Salzburg Global Seminar, and our
ongoing endeavors in Elevating the Voices of
Women in Agriculture and Climate Adaptation,
we persevered as a platform for positive change,
empowerment, leadership, and advocacy.
I hold firm in my confidence that the Ban Ki-moon
Centre, together with our partners and friends, will
persist in advocating for the implementation of
the SDGs and our manifold goals and ideals. Our
commitment to empowering women and youth
globally, in the spirit of global citizenship, remains
resolute.
Within this year’s report, you will discover inspiring
examples of youth leadership, aspiration, empathy,
and agency. I encourage you to join the collective
efforts worldwide to contribute towards making our
world a better place.
With gratitude and optimism,
Monika Froehler, CEO
Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens
Dear Friends of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global
Citizens,
The year 2023 was marked by a series of profound
challenges that impacted communities worldwide,
particularly those already vulnerable: women and
youth. Despite these hurdles, the Ban Ki-moon Centre
for Global Citizens (BKMC) remained resolute in
fostering leadership for the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. Our
Annual Report 2023 showcases our efforts to advance
peace, stability, and prosperity for all.
Under the leadership of our co-chairs, board, and
partners, we positively impacted the lives of 900,000
people across 76 countries and reached more than
8 million people via international media. Our initiatives
spanned from governmental policymaking on
climate adaptation to transformative education while
offering direct opportunities to young changemakers
to amplify their voices and equip them with SDG
knowledge, 21 st -century skills, and global citizenship
values.
In response to the escalating climate crisis, we worked
with young changemakers and agri-preneurs in
Sub-Saharan Africa on their SDG Micro-Projects and
made their demands for agricultural adaptation
heard at major international meetings, such as the
Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi and COP28 in Dubai.
One notable achievement was the participation of
our Youth AgriChampion, Eliud Rugut, alongside
Bill Gates, in a COP28 panel discussion, underscoring
the importance of representing young smallholder
farmers on a global stage.
To elevate the voices of women smallholder farmers,
we established a high-level council to formulate policy
demands on access to land, resources, and leadership.
In addition, at COP28 we premiered a documentary
about Nijforti Princewill Gana and his organization
SustainAfric in Cameroon, which empowers widowed
women farmers by teaching, encouraging, and
developing their skillset for snail farming.
This year, we also focused on greening education.
With the support of Dubai Cares and the partnership
with Plan International and Unbounded Associates,
we launched a worldwide online course for students
aged 14-20 years to empower them to find a green
job and contribute to non-formal education and
Mission 4.7.
We also made big strides with our “Global Citizen
Scholarship”, “Online Executive Training – Young
Women Leadership on Climate Adaptation”, and
“Learners to Leaders” programs, as we added
60 changemakers to our alumni. They impressed us
with their creativity in taking action for the SDGs and
teaching Global Citizenship Education (GCED) around
the globe by implementing SDG Micro-Projects in
their communities.
Thanks to the support of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Korea, we organized the First
International Global Citizenship Education Forum, on
the question of how GCED needs to change in the
age of climate emergency and artificial intelligence, at
the Salzburg Global Seminar.
In the latter half of the year, our high-level advocacy
work saw us organize the “SDG Dialogforum 3.0” with
the Austrian government and civil society. As Austria
will be submitting its second Voluntary National
Review to the United Nations (UN) in 2024, we
gathered three Austrian ministers and more than
250 stakeholders to address challenges and successes
in SDG implementation.
Furthermore, we extended our support to our partner
offices in South Korea and the United States. With
the Ban Ki-moon Foundation in the US, we launched
the “Accelerator Fund” to award seed funds to
BKMC alumni who are making waves in the area of
sustainable development.
Now, we invite you to explore the stories of our
incredible changemakers in this report. We hope that
they will inspire you as much as they inspired our
work in the year 2023 and beyond.
Thank you for your support!
4 5