It was a delight to work with María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, the 73rd President of the United Nations General Assembly, to champion her priorities during her year-long tenure.

To further understanding of and create momentum for Her Excellency’s remit, focus was put on seven specific priorities drawn from the recently ratified United Nations Sustainable Development Global Goals, created in 2015 to codify 17 target areas for key global issues.
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One of the key priorities of the year was an advocacy campaign on the catastrophic implications of plastic pollution. A month after the UN announced that 180 countries had committed to a legally-binding agreement treating plastic as hazardous waste, the campaign culminated with the awareness-raising ‘Play It Out’ music festival, held in June 2019 in Antigua and Barbuda, and co-sponsored by National Geographic and the government of Norway. Global stars Ashanti and Machel Montano headlined a line-up of over 20 international acts.
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We created the festival logo with reflecting sound and water waves in the Global Goals colors, as well as marketing materials, social media assets and merchandise. The concert was livestreamed globally and, we like to think, inspired David Attenborough’s anti-plastic appearance at Glastonbury later in the summer.
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“If we get this right – if we win the battle against plastic pollution – it will not only be a tangible victory for people and planet, but a clear example of how the United Nations is relevant to the lives of citizens around the world.”
—María Fernanda Espinosa, President, United Nations General Assembly