In commemoration of the United Nations Human Rights Week, the Philippines will host several events on December 2 to 10 to promote health, well-being, peace, and climate justice.
Under the UNESCO Patronage, the Manila Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) ResiliArt event will actualize the roadmap identified in the May 2018 Manila Declaration for the Launch of the International Peace and Climate Justice Movement: Not by Force but by Art.
The Manila event will feature an art camp, workshops, festival, forum, and a regional outreach program.
The event will be led by the Senate of the Republic the Philippines, individuals endorsed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and affirmed by the Office of the President, and Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso.
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Nick Lizaso, Chairman, Philippine Normal University (PNU) President Dr. Bert J. Tuga, and Manila Hotel President and former senator Jose D. Lina will also host the event.
Participating in the event are some distinguished cultural animators, media leaders and artists of different disciplines, UNESCO Artist for Peace; Parliamentarians and Executive Offices, performing groups by partners endorsed by UNESCO National Commissions, and vulnerable communities such as prisoners, persons with disabilities, Rehabilitation Center Drug dependents, refugees and displaced indigenous communities.
The historic gathering aims to adopt the Manila Platform of Action including the building of bridges between countries and areas of conflict and encourage similar exercises across the globe in the future through art; strong implementation of SDGs through the medium of art and media; and public education at all levels on environmental protection and climate justice through art.
It also seeks to popularize science and motivate the will to reduce carbon footprints, promote alternative clean energy not to breach 1.5 degree C; and to input the work of relevant committees in the Congressional Committees on Environment and Climate Change, Culture and Education, Peace and Order, Health Social Justice SDG Committee.
The Manila SDG event, organized by the Earthsavers Unesco Artist for Peace and the Philippine Center of the International Theater Institute (ITI) Social Change Network, was originally scheduled last March 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.