September 15, Chengdu – The opening ceremony of Re:Think 2023 SDG Innovation Week (SDG InnoWeek) was held in Chengdu today. The event brought together government officials, renowned academics, civil society and private sector leaders, and development practitioners to spark conversations around how to take critical actions towards a sustainable future for humanity and our planet at the mid-point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 
 
Re:Think is an annual flagship innovation event co-hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Chengdu High-Tech Industrial Development Zone (CDHT), along with the China International Center for Economic and Technological Exchanges (CICETE) as a supporting partner. This year’s Re:Think event is held as part of the broader UN-wide SDG Action Campaign, inspiring people from every part of the world to take action to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the lead up to the global SDG Summit being held in New York from 18-19 September. 
 
“This week offers a platform to unite dedicated individuals, organizations, and expanding SDG networks, fostering an environment to propel collective action towards the achievement of the Goals,” said James George, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in China in his opening remarks.  
 
In advance of SDG InnoWeek, the online #ActNow campaign has attracted over 240 million views on Sina Weibo. Over the course of SDG InnoWeek, a series of offline activities will be launched including INSPIRO Sustainable Fashion Show, SPARK Sustainability Lifestyle Festival, and ActNow Chengdu Supporters Event Series. 
 
“We hope the SDG InnoWeek will be an open platform with international perspective, pooling together all sectors of society to explore innovative solutions and achievements through a consultative process and joint efforts, with the goal of bringing benefits to all in the field of sustainable development,” said Zhang Yi, Deputy Director of CICETE.  
 
“The theme of this year’s Re:Think SDG Innovation Week is “Act Now.” While further promoting the concept of sustainable development and the high-quality sustainable development of Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, the week aims to showcase Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone’s achievement and experience, advocate for more cities and regions to pay attention to and participate in local practices of sustainable development,” said Lin Qiang, Deputy Director of Management Committee of Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone. 
 
The opening ceremony of SDG InnoWeek also saw the pre-launch of the Internationalization Index of Chengdu High-tech Industrial Development Zone (2023) as well as the Chengdu Sustainable Lifestyles Map (2023).  
 
In addition, a compilation of all the videos shared online as part of the #ActNow campaign was also shared. It connects people across all walks of life and promotes sustainable lifestyles.  
 
A panel discussion was also held themed "ReThink & ReShape: Shaping a Sustainable Future through Circular Transformation". Representatives from Allen MacArthur Foundation, experts from China Agricultural University, and heads of sustainable departments from Indeed Innovation, Decathlon, Danone, COFCO Coca Cola and other enterprises were invited to exchange in-depth insights on how sustainable consumption can shape a sustainable future. 
 
Over the following week, more events and exchanges will inspire creative ideas and diverse ideas to advance the SDGs.