Actress Priyanka Chopra on Monday addressed the United Nations General Assembly and spoke about global challenges and the urgent need to resolve them.  As she took the stage, she stated that the world needs “global solidarity” now more than ever. She also met Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai at the Assembly. 

During her speech, she emphasised the adverse aftermath of the pandemic and how it has robbed millions of people of their livelihood. “All is not well with our world… but they can be fixed,” said the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

The SDGs are a call to action to end poverty and protect the planet and all who live on it. In 2015, all UN Member States adopted seventeen goals as part of a vision 2030. With less than eight years to achieve the SDGs, she stated that “a just, safe, and healthy world” is the right of every individual and can be realised through global cooperation. She also spoke out on some of the world’s most pressing issues, including the pandemic, education, and poverty.

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She said, “As countries continue to struggle from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the climate crisis upends the lives and livelihoods, as conflicts rage, and as poverty, displacement, hunger, and inequalities destroy the very foundation of the more just world that we have fought for such a long time.”  

“These crises did not happen by chance, but they can be fixed with a plan. We have that plan, the UN sustainable development goals – a to-do list for the world. These goals were created hand in hand with people around the world in 2015; together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to change the world that we live in,” the Quantico actress added.

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“Walking through the gates of the United Nations this morning to speak at UNGA for the second time, as a proud representative of @unicef, gave me real pause,” Priyanka wrote on Instagram to express her gratitude to the UN for giving her a platform to spread awareness about issues that matter.