Project 17

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world. Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. The goals cover things like gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030. Seventeen-year-old Houssam Mehfara lives in the Lebanese capital Beirut. He wants to become a lawyer, but he’s wondering what future there is for him in Lebanon. His country is stuck in economic and political crisis and Houssam and his friends believe that Lebanon’s sectarian political system is to blame. He asks whether the "partnerships" envisaged under the SDGs can make a difference - what the UN calls all hands on deck - government, NGOs, business, academia and others all working together to bring change. Houssam finds some inspiring examples of partnerships in Lebanon. But despite this, poverty levels have dramatically increased in the last few years and many of Houssam’s friends plan to go abroad. Houssam must decide whether to join them and leave the country he loves. Presenter: Sana Safi Producers: Rob Walker and Farah Chaya Project 17 was produced in partnership with The Open University.

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world. Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. The goals cover things like gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030. Seventeen-year-old Israel is a member of the Otomi indigenous community. He lives in Mexico City but he faces police harassment when he works selling sweets and cigarettes on the streets of the capital. For Project 17 Israel went to meet an Otomi woman who was arrested and sent to jail after being picked up by the police - and he talks to indigenous activists fighting for equal access to justice for all Mexicans.Presenter: Sana Safi Producer: Tim ManselProject 17 is produced in partnership with The Open University

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. The goals cover things like gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.“We're not going to be able to feed future generations if we don't fix this problem” says the chief scientist at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Barron Orr. He says cutting down trees and planting the wrong crops in the wrong place, mean it’s becoming harder and harder to grow food. In Morocco’s dry regions, climate change has compounded the problem. Seventeen-year-old Afrae Boutoub hears how life is getting harder for her family living on the edge of the desert in Errachidia and meets the people who are fighting for the survival of Morocco’s oases. Presenter: Sana Safi Producer: Phoebe KeaneProject 17 is produced in partnership with The Open University.

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. The goals cover things like gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.Seventeen-year-old Hereiti File tells how rising sea levels and ocean pollution are affecting life on the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean. She takes a trip out to the coral reef and sees first hand the damage that has been done. But she also meets people who are working hard to reverse some of the damage. Her uncle’s job as a fisherman is threatened by a decline in fish numbers so she asks the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, what he’s doing to ensure people have enough food and are prepared for a future where some of their islands are uninhabitable. Presenter: Sana Safi Producer Phoebe KeaneProject 17 is produced in partnership with The Open University.

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. The goals cover things like gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries to tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.Australia’s most intense bush fire season changed 17-year-old Ashlee’s life. She lives in a town called Mallacoota, in one of the worst-hit areas, where many people lost their homes. Images were beamed around the world of people cowering on beaches under a red sky. The bush fire season from 2019-2020 burned through 24 million hectares of land, 3,000 homes were lost. Scientists say the impacts of climate change are contributing to longer and more severe bush fire seasons, so Ashlee wants to find out how her country is being affected and what action is being taken to get global warming under control. Presenter: Sana Safi Producer: Phoebe KeaneProject 17 is produced in partnership with The Open University

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. Governments agreed to support the goals which cover gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.Singapore imports 90% of its food and 744,000 tonnes of this ends up as food waste. Seventeen-year-old Shan wants to find out what might be some of the solutions."I really had my eyes opened to just the sheer scale of food wastage within Singapore. I hope that this can serve as a symbol and an inspiration for young people and for everyone out there to play their part and contribute as well as they can to tackling issues related to sustainability for a better tomorrow and for a better future for all of us."Presenter: Sana Safi Producer: Joe Kent and Nick MarshProject 17 is produced in partnership with the Open University

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. Governments agreed to support the goals which cover gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.This week, to coincide with the UN's Youth Forum, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, has answered questions from four of Project 17's teenagers. Yolanda Nazo, Hereiti File, Sahar Beg and Lanre Adeleye have all made programmes with the BBC about different goals. Now they get to hear from a world leader about what's being done to make change happen - and they are asked by Amina Mohammed what they are doing to make a difference.Presenter: Sana Safi Producer: Joe KentProject 17 is produced in partnership with The Open University

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. Governments agreed to support the goals which cover gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.Seventeen-year-old Elvis Bonam lives in a slum called Agbogbloshie in Ghana's capital city, Accra. The settlement is close to a huge rubbish dump. It is crowded and noisy and Elvis has to pay to use a rickety bridge over a lagoon to get to school because there are few paved roads in Agbogbloshie. He shows us round his home and tries to find out how cities can be made more sustainable.Presenter: Sana Safi Producer: Joe KentProject 17 is made in partnership with The Open University.

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. Governments agreed to support the goals which cover gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.Seventeen-year-old Monet Wimbish lives in the US city of Baltimore. She hopes to go to university and become a nurse. But as an African American student, born in a low income neighbourhood, she knows she faces many challenges if she is to finish her education and get a good job. Monet takes us on a tour of Baltimore and investigates why there are such starkly different outcomes – in terms of health, education and income - for those from poor black neighbourhoods. She ends her journey by meeting the city’s new mayor and asks him whether these inequalities can be reduced by 2030. Project 17 was produced in partnership with The Open University. Presenter: Sana Safi Producers: Rob Walker and Mary Rose Madden With thanks to Writers in Baltimore Schools and to Rejjia Camphor for help with production.

In 2015 the United Nations announced a radical plan to change the world.Global leaders drew up a list of 17 "sustainable development goals" to create a blueprint for a better future. Governments agreed to support the goals which cover gender equality, health provision, a good education and much more. We've asked 17-year-olds from 17 different countries tell us what they think needs to change if the world is to meet those goals by 2030.Jonathan Chu lives in Germany and like many school students all over the world he's found himself studying at home because of the Covid-19 pandemic. But what happens to students who have poor internet connections? Have they been falling behind and losing touch with teachers and other pupils? In the 21st century most countries are trying to provide good internet infrastructure for business, industry and ordinary citizens. But even a rich, developed country like Germany is finding it hard to achieve that goal.Project 17 is produced in partnership with the Open UniversityPresenter: Sana Safi Producer Tim Mansel