As the United Nations Student Association, we strive to provide a platform for speakers and activists to showcase their advocacy work to University of Minnesota students and our community at large. Every year, we choose one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to highlight at our annual Human Rights Gala. This year, we have chosen goal number 16 — Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

In recent years, events, both globally and locally, have demonstrated the importance of emphasizing this goal. Our aspiration is that this year we will provide a forum to bear witness to the injustices and violences enabled by weakened institutions that have failed so many in our society — the murder of George Floyd, attacks on free and reliable access to reproductive healthcare, and continuing battles over urban environmental justice among many others. These and other disparities in our communities were not only made evident by the COVID-19 pandemic, but worsened by it. In addition to aiding awareness efforts, we also aim to utilize this opportunity to highlight the work being done by activists, public servants, educators, and neighbors who not only shine a light on these injustices, but also assist in establishing the strong institutions required to build and maintain a future that reflects the values and priorities of a peaceful and just society.

Previously, the Human Rights Gala catered to an audience primarily composed of University students. While this has proven successful in achieving the objectives we sought to accomplish, we recognize that our mission can only be fully realized by expanding our outreach to a broader audience. Hence, this year, we are hoping to collaborate with a diverse body of organizations and speakers whose contributions to our community highlight the significance of SDG 16 in Minneapolis and across the state of Minnesota.

Through our partnerships, we look forward to providing a forum to foster discourse, shine a light on the issues that SDG 16 seeks to address, and share the work being done by our community to further the objectives set by the UN in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. To do so, we intend to establish relationships with organizations, community members, and leaders to share their advocacy work and extend our platform. We sincerely hope that you will join us in sharing this experience.

Our Speakers