Opening of the Economic and Social Council High Level Segment and 2019 High-level Political Ministerial Segment, 29th meeting

Chair: H.E. Ms. Inga Rhonda King, President of ECOSOC Performance by Gruppo Jobel - Art for Earth Message from children on SDGs Keynote speaker: Mr. Richard Curtis, Screenwriter, Producer and Film Director, UK, SDG Advocate Opening remarks: H.E. Ms. Inga Rhonda King, President of ECOSOC Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations H.E. Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa, President of the General Assembly Keynote speakers: Ms. Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders Mr. Hoesung Lee, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Endowed Chair Professor at Korea University Graduate School of Energy and Environment --- The meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development in 2019 convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, will be held from Tuesday, 9 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019; including the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from Tuesday, 16 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019. The theme will be "Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality". The set of goals to be reviewed in depth is the following: Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development The HLPF is the essential global forum for reviewing successes, challenges and lessons learned on achieving the SDGs. In 2019, 47 countries (7 for the second time) have volunteered to present their national voluntary reviews to the HLPF.