New York – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a compelling exhibition titled "Dear World Leaders" at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The exhibition is located in the visitor lobby of the building, where world leaders from the 193 UN Member States will walk through on their way to the 78^th General Assembly on September 18-19. 

The exhibition features first person messages from over 100 countries and provides world leaders with a unique opportunity to hear firsthand the voices of those most affected by climate change. The video messages reveal the direct impacts of climate change on people's lives and their desire to see real change enacted by governments. There are messages of anxiety, anger, frustration, and fear, but also messages of hope, and, most importantly, calls for action in this living archive. Approximately a quarter of the videos are from the African continent.

Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at UNDP, emphasized the importance of inclusivity in enacting climate action. "To effectively tackle the climate crisis, we need everyone. This means listening and supporting people from across the globe, particularly those on the frontlines and those most underrepresented. UNDP is pleased to bring their voices to New York as a powerful call for world leaders to take bold, urgent climate action.”

Dear World Leaders, a Webby-award winning campaign by UNDP, has earned significant attention. With hundreds of submissions worldwide, the campaign has sparked a global conversation on climate change in the lead up to COP26 in United Kingdom and at COP27 in Egypt. The campaign also features influential voices such as scientist Lucky Tran from the United States, actor Bhumi Pendekar from India, Miss Viet Nam, Danish actor and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

Launched in 2021 at COP26, Dear World Leaders has been providing a platform to people from all over the world to tell decision makers what’s at stake, their lived experience, and the adverse impacts of climate change in their daily lives. Dear World Leaders was voted the ‘People’s Voice Winner’ in the Activism category at last year’s Webby Awards the leading international award honoring excellence on the internet. 

More than three billion people live in places that are very vulnerable to the climate crisis, with lower income countries being disproportionately affected. The 'Dear World Leaders' exhibition brings the human face and individual stories of these billions to the foreground as a powerful testament to the urgent need for action. The immersive experience also fills a critical need by serving as a meeting point between policy makers and the people, which is often missing. 

The campaign can be viewed at www.dearworldleaders.org.

For Media Inquiries:

Mehmet Erdogan

Communications Specialist • HQ/BPPS

mehmet.erdogan@undp.org

Exhibition Date: 10 September - 6 October 2023

Address: United Nations Headquarters, Visitor Lobby. 405 E 45th St, New York, NY 10017, USA