01 August 2019

SDGS AT NORWAY CUP

Prime Minister Solberg ensures SDGs are a focus at Norway Cup

Norway Cup is the world’s largest football tournament for children and young people. Every year, kids age 10 to 19 compete in thousands of games in central Oslo, Norway. Over the years, players, coaches and referees from 127 nations have participated in Norway Cup. This year, Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg participated in Norway Cup to emphasize the games are so much more than football.

SDG footballs are used every year in thousands of games at Norway Cup, the world’s largest football tournament for children and young people age 10 to 19.

From the 27th of July to the 3rd of August, young athletes compete from around the world. On and off the field it is impossible to miss the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Branded throughout the tournament, the SDG theme is meant to engage the thousands of attendees on the potential of global sustainable development. The Prime Minister has ensured that the SDGs and all they represent are front and center at Norway Cup. One of the most visible examples is the prevalence of SDG footballs, used across the entire tournament by young athletes. Prime Minister Solberg takes these SDG footballs with her on State visits around the world, most recently to Ghana where she played a spirited game of “SDG football” with a local youth league. The sentiment of SDGs echoes across the games, with Norway Cup’s vision to become the world’s largest and most important area for the joy of sports and friendship.

At the “SDG Village”, attendees of Norway Cup can learn about the Global Goals and share perspectives on the issues they represent. As an SDG Advocate, Prime Minister Solberg stopped at many different SDG related stations in the “SDG Village” at Norway Cup. She shared her enthusiasm for the Goals with everyone present and made connected the core values of Norway Cup, friendship, inclusion, joy, and innovation, to the work needed to achieve the SDGs and Agenda 2030.

PM Solberg with an SDG football, taking every opportunity to discuss the importance of the SDGs.

PM Solberg stops at the SDG “bull’s eye” together with the President of the Norwegian Sports Federation.

The Prime Minister joined youth organisations at Norway Cup in an “inequities race” meant to display the inequities people face from poverty, poor health services, lack of education, unemployment, and so much more. The concept is simple and the message is powerful. Before the sprint, boys are instructed to take three steps forwards, girls are told to stand still. The result is uneven starting points making it impossible for the disadvantaged to achieve. Symbolism is a powerful tool for changing hearts and minds, but Prime Minister Solberg was sure to engage the businesses sponsoring Norway Cup on their crucial role when it comes to innovation and investments that will speed SDG progress.

A young boys plays one of many SDG games at Norway Cup.

SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing means mental health as well as physical health. The SDG Advocates emphasise this and PM Solberg was sure to address it at Norway Cup.