LocationsUNDP and Samsung for the Global Goals
Youth, technology, and transformation
May 16, 2025
The Samsung Global Goals App has reached nearly 300 million users since 2019.
Photo: Samsung
In an era of rapid advancement, innovation is a necessity for global progress. Recent reports indicate that more than two-thirds of the targets for sustainable development can benefit directly from digital technologies. Ahead of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, it's important to highlight how telecommunication has become much more than just connectivity—it’s a catalyst for progress and inclusiveness.
UNDP’s longstanding and evolving partnership with Samsung demonstrates how technology, when aligned with purpose, can accelerate progress towards the Global Goals. This partnership began with a shared commitment to promoting awareness and engagement with the 17 Global Goals through everyday technology. Since 2019, UNDP and Samsung have collaborated to make the Global Goals more accessible and understandable. The Samsung Global Goals App, a unique mobile experience that has reached nearly 300 million people, empowers Galaxy users to learn about each goal and to support them through direct donations and in-app advertisements. Samsung then matches all donations, maximizing UNDP’s work.
Available in more than 80 languages, the app has raised over US$20 million and continues to be a powerful awareness-building tool, turning daily digital habits into opportunities for global impact. Recognized by the UN SDG Action Awards and the Anthem Awards, its strength lies not only in the donations it collects to support UNDP, but in the vast reach and visibility it offers to the Global Goals.
One year into the partnership, following the success of the app, we expanded our efforts through Generation17—a flagship initiative created by UNDP and Samsung that amplifies the work of young changemakers across the world. Generation17 supports exceptional youth leaders advancing the Global Goals by providing access to Samsung’s Galaxy technology, mentorship, storytelling platforms, and networking opportunities. They not only gain visibility but inspire millions of users with their grassroots solutions and stories of resilience. Over the years we have supported advocates like Efe Johnson, a gender equality activist from Nigeria, who joined Generation17 in 2023. Since then, Efe has shared her message and work in Xari Africa through global platforms like Summit of the Future in 2024.
Building on this momentum, the partnership has now entered its second phase. UNDP and Samsung are developing new initiatives under the Youth and Education framework, with a focus on the circular economy and tackling pollution caused by electronic and electrical waste. A pilot project will be launched in Sierra Leone, aiming to foster local innovation, youth engagement, and capacity building around sustainable e-waste management.
Generation17 Young Leaders at the Summit of the Future.
Photo: Samsung
This partnership is a clear example that technology can tackle global problems. Just as Samsung leverages innovation to support the Sustainable Development Goals—including protecting our planet’s ecosystems through its coral reef restoration and the integration of ocean-bound plastic into Samsung Galaxy devices, young people are harnessing technology and creativity to champion environmental restoration and digital inclusion in their own communities. One such voice is Brigitta Gunawan, an ocean-climate advocate from Indonesia. Through her initiative 30x30 Indonesia and the global platform Diverseas, she is building bridges between environmental science, storytelling, and policy advocacy. Brigitta’s work reaches more than 14,000 people in more than 100 locations, fostering marine biodiversity conservation through community engagement and artificial reef development with diving communities. Her work demonstrates the power of youth-driven, tech-supported environmental restoration.
To spotlight its commitments to protecting the oceans, Samsung has partnered with Seatrees to restore coral reefs through technology-driven solutions. This work is featured in the upcoming documentary Coral in Focus, which highlights the impact of this collaboration in protecting and restoring these vital ecosystems.
Rahaf Abu Mayyaleh focuses on green innovation and youth education. Her initiative, IBTKRGO, creates eco-friendly kits that incorporate recyclable electronic components to promote digital skill-building among underserved communities. Rahaf’s work enables youth to develop practical skills in a hands-on, inclusive learning environment, fostering both environmental awareness and digital empowerment. Both Brigitta and Rahaf exemplify how young people are using innovation, supported by technology and strategic partnerships, to solve critical challenges in their communities. For the Young Leaders, Generation17 is a platform to influence global conversations.
Generation17 Young Leaders were invited to New York to participate in the ECOSOC Youth Forum—the largest global platform for young people.
Photo: Samsung
The partnership between UNDP and Samsung shows how innovation, when paired with intention and inclusion, can mobilize global action. And with Young Leaders at the forefront, empowered by digital tools and purpose-driven platforms, the movement for sustainable development is not just advancing, it's thriving.