Generation17 is a partnership between Samsung and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that empowers young people around the world who are taking concrete action towards Global Goals. Established by the United Nations in 2015, the 17 Global Goals provide a framework to address pressing global challenges including poverty, inequality and climate change while building a better future for all by 2030. Find out more about how to get involved on the Samsung Global Goals app.

Benjamin Braun, Chief Marketing Officer of Samsung Europe, and Generation17 Young Leaders Kristian Kampmann (Denmark), Nadine Khaouli (Lebanon) and Tafara Makaza (Zimbabwe) participated in a series of activities throughout the week, highlighting how technology and creativity can empower the global community, including young changemakers, to make an impact.

▲ Generation17 Young Leaders (Kristian, Nadine and Tafara)

Working for the Future: Samsung and Generation17’s Support of UN Global Goals

Samsung partnered with Project Everyone and Karmarama (part of Accenture Song) to host a panel discussion on how brands can transform talk into action, with a specific focus on uplifting the younger generation and leveraging technology to mobilize communities for the Global Goals.

Benjamin highlighted that “55% of young people are saying that their voices are not being heard.” At Samsung he continued, “We have access to technology” and are “empowering young people by giving them the technology they need to amplify their cause.”

Samsung has been taking an active role by amplifying the voices of young people and harnessing the power of technology and information through Generation17 and the Samsung Global Goals App.

▲ Main stage session held at Theatre Claude Debuusy

During the panel, Nadine emphasized Samsung and UNDP’s support in her fight to alleviate poverty and provide crisis relief resources across her home country of Lebanon. She shared “My mission is to bring dignity to every person in Lebanon,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine a better pairing of brands to help me amplify my voice.”

▲ Benjamin Braun and Nadine Khaouli

Samsung is using its scale to raise awareness for the Global Goals and empower communities to take measurable steps to make an impact. In line with this, Samsung hosted the Samsung Global Goals Photobooth at Cannes Lions, an interactive experience in which festival attendees took fun photos while learning more about the Global Goals and the Samsung Global Goals App. This week also marked the start of Samsung’s work as a Business Avenger, a group of likeminded companies and organizations that are continuously seeking ways to innovate, collaborate and drive progress towards the Global Goals.

Through Generation17 and the Samsung Global Goals App, Samsung is working with UNDP to provide necessary support for the Global Goals. Through these initiatives, Samsung has taken an active role in elevating the voices of the younger generation and harnessing the power of technology to make a difference. These efforts further demonstrate how brands can take tangible action to make a positive impact while empowering people all over the world to do the same.

▲ Samsung Global Goals Photobooth

▲ Frankie the Dino (Utahraptor and UNDP Climate Activist) visiting Samsung Global Goals Photobooth

When I started my career at Samsung 25 years ago, I was a young engineer with a passion for technology and all it could do. Over the years, the capacity of mobile innovation has exceeded even my ambitious expectations. It has brought us conveniences and capabilities that make our lives better, but it has also given us the opportunity to be better. The ability to connect without proximity empowers us to break down barriers and work together to make progress. And with humanity facing some of its most complex challenges yet, we need to collaborate and innovate solutions more than ever before. That’s why I believe mobile technology has a vital role to play in helping us protect our planet.

Samsung has always challenged what’s possible with technology. And now, we are taking our next step towards putting sustainability at the center of our innovations. From eco-conscious materials to global partnerships, we are exploring every opportunity to help power the world with mobile technology that serves as a tool for positive change.

Innovation With Impact

We’ve been on a journey for years at Samsung, marrying sustainability and innovation by using recycled materials in our smartphones, wearables and accessories. In addition to our ongoing effort to use more eco-conscious materials including recycled PCM (post-consumer materials), the new Galaxy smartphones and tablets that were unveiled at our latest Unpacked used select components containing 20% recycled ocean-bound plastic from discarded fishing nets.

We focused our innovation efforts on a pervasive and especially hazardous type of plastic waste that is harming marine life and our natural ecosystems — discarded fishing nets. Every year, 640,000 tons of fishing nets are abandoned in and around our oceans. With help from like-minded partners, we found a way to repurpose them into a new, high-performance material that can be incorporated into critical components of the Galaxy S22 series. From now on, more and more Galaxy devices will play a small part in reducing plastic waste in our oceans.

I know we still have a long way to go. And at Mobile World Congress 2022, we will share our next wave of innovations that incorporate recycled ocean-bound plastics.

Using Technology as a Force for Good

At Samsung, we believe in making mobile technology that has positive environmental impact and putting the power of our Galaxy ecosystem into the hands of passionate change makers.

I’ve seen this firsthand with our growing Generation17 initiative, which Samsung leads in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme. Generation17 empowers young activists to take on pressing issues like climate change, education and more, so the world can make headway towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals, by 2030. And with the recent addition of six new Young Leaders, the program now spans countries in Africa, Asia & The Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America and the Middle East and supports work across all 17 Global Goals.

That’s how mobile innovation fuels transformation. It amplifies simple actions and individual voices and brings them together to amount to big, global change.

We Need Collective Action

I am in awe of the impactful ways people are helping to change the world with Galaxy, and I promise our work does not end here. Samsung will continue developing innovative technology that bridges barriers, connects communities and addresses the climate crisis.

Samsung is ready to do more. We will take real action, hold ourselves accountable and share our journey — from our successes to our challenges and lessons learned. We will act with our industry peers, with developers, with the Galaxy community, with everyone, to strengthen technology as a force for good.

“We continue to be inspired by young, innovative visionaries who prove that technology can be a force for good,” said Stephanie Choi, EVP & CMO of the MX Business at Samsung Electronics. “I am honored to welcome these six advocates into the Generation17 community. They embody the type of leadership that our world needs to build more sustainable societies, and I am excited to see how they inspire more people to learn about the 17 Global Goals and join our collective mission to achieve a brighter future.”

With the six advocates, grassroots organizers and entrepreneurs, Generation17 expands to all corners of the world, spanning countries in Africa, Asia, CIS & Europe, North America, Latin America and the Middle East. Their work will raise awareness of global solutions to the urgent issues facing humanity in 2022 and in years to come, as they advance digital innovation, empower refugee women through education and job trainings, coach the elderly about physical and mental health and more:

• AY Young (United States): Musician who produces albums and concerts that share engaging ways to tackle the global energy poverty issue.
• Kristian Kampmann (Denmark): Leader of UNLEASH, an innovation lab that sparks creative and inclusive solutions for the Global Goals.
• Nora Altwaijri (Saudi Arabia): Software engineer who educates people on the Global Goals and connects them to impactful resources through digital platforms.
• Oğuz Ergen (Turkey): Activist who rallies NGOs, academia and government together to address the climate crisis and protect the coastal Aegean region.
• Tamara Dewi Gondo Soerijo (Indonesia): Social enterprise founder who empowers refugee women by providing upskilling opportunities and access to market.
• Thuy Anh Ngo (Vietnam): Entrepreneur who launched a mobile app that equips the elderly with physical and mental health advice and activities.

The Third Cohort of Generation17 Young Leaders

“2022 is a critical year in our pursuit to achieve the Global Goals, as the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed decades of progress in global human development,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “Despite this somber reality, I am confident that the strength and perseverance of the young generation will help us build back better from the crisis and propel positive change on education, inclusion and climate. These six Young Leaders and the entire Generation17 community remind us that we need to step up our efforts to achieve the Global Goals and protect our collective futures.”

An Initiative Driven by and for Young People

Since its launch, Generation17 has been spearheaded by and in support of young people. Samsung and UNDP continuously engage with the Young Leaders to determine their biggest needs and discover support systems to help scale and advance their work. Together, the two entities provide the latest Galaxy technology, amplify their stories on global platforms, facilitate peer networking and best-practice sharing, offer mentorship opportunities and invite them to global agenda-setting stages like the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum.

In 2022 and beyond, Samsung and UNDP are committed to exploring new ways to partner with the Young Leaders. This includes convening the first-ever “Generation17 Youth Dialogues,” an event to rally Global Goals advocates from all over the world for knowledge sharing on how people can best navigate the Global Goals and achieve a more sustainable future.

The 14 Young Leaders will connect people to solutions that actively contribute to the Global Goals, including the Samsung Global Goals app. Launched in 2019 by Samsung and UNDP, the app provides learning opportunities on the Global Goals and shares easy and meaningful ways to make a difference. The app is currently installed on nearly 200 million Galaxy devices and has generated more than US$4 million in donations to educate the Galaxy community about the world’s most pressing challenges and strengthen UNDP’s work in supporting countries to implement integrated solutions for the Global Goals.

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. www.undp.org

Take our Generation17 young leaders. In the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, these changemakers from Argentina to Ukraine have discovered how to turn their passions into something much bigger – solutions that scale beyond their communities and contribute to the Global Goals. That’s the essence of Generation17, Samsung’s partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

These leaders are also eager to inspire others and to share what they know. Here, they share five ways to make a difference.

1. Humanize the Problem

Tafara Makaza, 25, creator of the ridesharing and employment apps Tuverl and Fixa, Zimbabwe:

I always try to view technology in the context of the ordinary African person and what they need.

Look at Goal 1: No poverty. That’s a big phrase, but what does it mean exactly? I look at Zimbabwe and look at the poor people and ask, “What’s the root of that problem?” or maybe, “Why don’t they have jobs?” From there you can see maybe it’s because they don’t have access to certain services or certain technology that could enable them.

So, I always feel like it’s our job to figure out how to contextualize these big problems and break them down into small problems that we can tackle. Because wherever you have the biggest problems, you have the biggest opportunities.

2. Tap Every Resource

Yejin Choi, 27, creator of the educational app DoBrain, South Korea:

I faced a lot of challenges when I first created my app. I wasn’t a technician or developer, so it was hard to build DoBrain. I failed a lot and made many mistakes early on. But I started connecting with people who had the skills I didn’t have – developers, designers, and technicians. They had the same vision as me and believed education changes the world. Together, we’ve built something amazing.

I think everyone can find a way to use their own abilities to help other people and to solve even just one problem. Everyone can be a hero.

Daniel Calarco, 23, founder of the youth-empowerment nonprofit Observatório Internacional da Juventude (International Youth Watch), Brazil:

I think everyone must remember that the goal is to make things better, not to save the world. To stay motivated, I remind myself that I cannot do everything, but that I can mobilize people to work with me. We have to do the most we can with the resources available to us. Every person and every contribution counts.

3. Celebrate Common Ground

Máximo Mazzocco, 31, founder of the environmental nonprofit Eco House, Argentina:

I grew up seeing waste and trash all around me and wondering how we could do it better. I realized that if we want to do it better, we have to do it differently. And to make a difference, we have to work together. We must find what we have in common and start from there.

Once you start, people notice and get involved. Then you can think bigger. You can say, “Okay, I’m not alone. It’s not only this street we can help, but we can change the whole city. We can change the country.” Little actions taken by many people can make a big change.

4. Empathize With Your Audience

Shomy Chowdhury, 26, co-founder of the global nonprofit Awareness 360, Bangladesh:

When we gave a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) training session, we introduced some games and quizzes, and we played Bengali music that they liked. They welcomed us with all their hearts, and it was just so beautiful. A crucial part of driving change is making everyone feel comfortable so they can be their authentic selves.

Sadya Touré, 23, founder of the women-empowerment organization Mali Musso, Mali:

Anyone challenging the status quo is going to face resistance. In my experience, it was difficult to talk about inequality and women’s rights with leaders in some of Africa’s villages. That wasn’t a topic they historically prioritized or were open to discussing. You have to respect their boundaries, but it’s still possible to make change. For us, we said we wanted to talk about a health issue. That was important to them, so they let us come in and educate the girls.

5. Take That First Step

Nadine Khaouli, 25, co-founder of the families-outreach initiative Kafe be Kafak (Hand in Hand), Lebanon:

There are a lot of messages in the world, but the most important one is to believe in yourself. Take the first step towards real change in your communities, because nothing is impossible. Just be patient, and work to enhance your skills to take the steps toward change.

Yurii Romashko, 28, co-founder of the think tank Institute of Analysis and Advocacy (IAA), Ukraine:

I don’t like to use the word “problem,” because a problem is a task. I prefer “challenges.” Challenges motivate me. I see a challenge in front of me, and I start. I tell myself the first step has the potential to change public policy and change people’s ways of thinking.

Dear Galaxy Community,

Over the past year, we’ve all been reminded of technology’s vital role in our lives. It has kept us connected in these difficult times and enabled us to work and learn, no matter where we are in the world. But beyond that, it has kept us hopeful. Technology has inspired us and enabled us to do good by serving as a powerful tool capable of bringing communities together to drive positive change.

I would like to spotlight a group of young people who, in the midst of a global pandemic, have truly embodied this spirit of innovation. They’re finding creative ways to harness technology to defy barriers and build a better world at a time when we urgently need to make progress.

In celebration of the United Nations’ 75^th Anniversary, Samsung and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) expanded our partnership to launch Generation17, an initiative to magnify the voices of young leaders who are helping to achieve the Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

Our Generation17 Young Leaders are committed activists, each with the strong will and unwavering determination to build a better future for all by 2030. Spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, they are already making incredible strides on pressing global challenges.

A Generation Driven by Purpose

Now more than ever, we must elevate the voice of young generations and unlock their collective power to advance the Global Goals. Our future depends on their ingenuity, dedication and optimism. We need their abiding sense of purpose.

Millennials and Gen Z are, by and large, fluent in technology. More than two-thirds of their generation have a smartphone.¹ They’re also natural changemakers. More than 86% believe they can make a difference.² They are passionate activists who truly seek to make positive change in everything they do and are determined to create a better world for all. And because they’ve grown up in a largely borderless, online world, Samsung aims to amplify their spirit of global community. Both generations are visionary, but they need resources that help them realize their aspirations and help society continue to grow and evolve.

That’s why Samsung and the UNDP are supporting the next generation. We’re propelling young people to do good by giving them the technology to create change and the means to make their voices heard. Samsung is proudly using our global reach to help these young leaders tell their stories and advance their missions, while the UNDP is leveraging its issue expertise and grassroots operations to supply young leaders with the necessary skills and resources they need to make a meaningful impact.

After first partnering with the UNDP over two years ago to transform the Galaxy ecosystem into a powerful enabler for collective activism, this marks an important next step in our ongoing journey towards helping the world achieve the Global Goals in less than 10 years.

Taking Action, Together 

The journey to achieve the Global Goals is not easy. It requires a committed and coordinated effort across the public and private sectors, as well as groups and individuals. As Generation17 demonstrates, we can all enact big change if we tap our passion and determination together. And the Galaxy community has the opportunity to embrace our purpose and help shape a better future.

Today, we’re welcoming even more young leaders to our Generation17 community, a group that once again shows the power of technology to make these critical connections. From Daniel Calarco’s quest for improved equality in Brazil; Nadine Khaouli’s inspiring crisis response in Lebanon; Yurii Romashko’s use of technology to power data-based decision making; and to Yejin Choi’s AI-based approach to children’s wellbeing in South Korea – it’s only the beginning.

These young innovators are an integral part of the Samsung Galaxy community, and they do not stand alone. Even the smallest everyday actions can add up to exponential good and that’s why we’re grateful to the millions of Galaxy users who are standing with our young leaders. As of January, the Samsung Global Goals app — a platform where Galaxy users can learn about the Goals and work together for greater good — has been installed on over 100 million Galaxy smartphones worldwide.

We’re proud of our shared mission and impactful partnership with the UNDP and we are continuing to explore new ways to evolve our collaboration. We will continue to find ways to support young leaders and identify new opportunities to mobilize our Galaxy community to achieve the Global Goals.

We invite each and every one of you to learn more about the young leaders and join us in our cause by visiting https://generation17.undp.org.

Thank You,

Stephanie Choi

SVP & Head of Marketing of Mobile Communications Business

Samsung Electronics

¹ “Smartphone Ownership Is Growing Rapidly Around the World, but Not Always Equally.” Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C., (2019) https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2019/02/05/in-emerging-economies-smartphone-adoption-has-grown-more-quickly-among-younger-generations/

² “The Millennial Impact Report: 10 Years Looking Back” Case Foundation, Washington D.C., (2018)

“We are proud to expand our mission and use our global reach and purposeful innovations to support a new group of inspirational young activists, who once again share Samsung’s commitment to deliver meaningful solutions that bring communities together,” said Stephanie Choi, SVP & Head of Marketing of the Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “These four leaders are integral members of the Galaxy community, and they have our full support and encouragement to continue rallying us all to advance the Global Goals and help build a better future for everyone.”

This group of Generation17 Young Leaders is made up of four visionaries combatting inequality, promoting human rights issues and educating their generation on the Global Goals across Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe:

• Daniel Calarco (Brazil): A 23-year-old human rights activist who founded the International Youth Watch to create better opportunities for young people from marginalized communities.
• Nadine Khaouli (Lebanon): A 25-year-old community activist who leads disaster relief efforts for Lebanon in response to the 2020 Beirut Port explosion and the COVID-19 pandemic through her organization Kafe be Kafak.
• Yejin Choi (South Korea): A 26-year-old cognitive therapist turned CEO who founded DoBrain, an AI-based mobile app that aims to improve early-education opportunities for children with disabilities.
• Yurii Romashko (Ukraine): A 28-year-old transparency advocate who founded the think tank Institute of Analysis and Advocacy that empowers his community to make more informed, data-based decisions in their daily lives.

The Second Cohort of Generation17 Young Leaders

Over the next year, the introduction of these new agents of change will strengthen the initiative’s inclusivity and broaden its global scale, as they spearhead previously unaddressed yet critical issues across the Global Goals.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened generational divides around the world, and, now more than ever, it’s important that younger generations have the opportunities and resources to be heard and to be active participants in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “Together, with Samsung, we are supporting young changemakers as they build sustainable policies, communities and progress during this pivotal time. I look forward to working with this group of Young Leaders and exploring new paths for a green and equitable recovery.”

Elevating the Voice of a Generation

Generation17 was born in October 2020 with the mission to inspire an entire generation of tech savvy young individuals to achieve the Global Goals in less than 10 years. Since launch, an inaugural cohort of Young Leaders, including Máximo Mazzocco, Sadya Touré, Shomy Chowdhury and Tafara Makaza, have championed the effort, using Samsung’s and UNDP’s support to broaden their reach.

Over the last few months, Samsung and UNDP increased the visibility and impact of their work through mentorship with the UNDP Youth Global Programme and the Global Policy Network, participation in global and regional development-related events, such as the #Youth4ClimateLive series and the Karma Dialogue, and engagement with country offices and partners.

Samsung also equipped the Young Leaders with the latest Galaxy technology to better connect them with their peers and raised awareness of their work across its global network using personalized content and the reach of its online channels. Exemplifying the need to act together, the Young Leaders leveraged their expanded network to exchange ideas and best practices and collaborate for peer-to-peer engagements. Support for the first cohort will continue throughout the year, starting with participation in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum 2021.

Both groups of Young Leaders will immerse themselves in the seamless and connected Galaxy ecosystem and use their Galaxy devices to collaborate online and brainstorm innovative solutions to their shared challenges, ultimately addressing the diversity and complexity of the Global Goals and expanding their network of strong activists.

The Young Leaders will continue to engage with the Global Goals using the Samsung Global Goals app, which is installed on over 100 million Galaxy smartphones and has provided more than US$1.5 million in donations for UNDP. The app received an Honorable Mention in the SDG Action Awards and was an Honoree for Software & Mobile Apps, Tech for a Better World in the CES 2020 Innovations Award. It was also shortlisted in the Reuters’ Responsible Business Awards for SDG Impact.

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. www.undp.org

Ever since I was young, I’ve been captivated by engineering and technology — enthralled by new gadgets and curious about what made them work. I didn’t think I could be more obsessed with technology, but 2020 proved me wrong. This year gave me an even greater appreciation for all that it does and can potentially do. We had to reshape our lives, rethink the way we operate and become more flexible — and technology made it possible for us to do so. 2020 bolstered my determination to fully tap the infinite power and potential of tech to give people personalized experiences that enrich their lives and allow them to express themselves.

As we close out this year and I think of what’s to come in 2021, I feel encouraged by all the ways Samsung is cultivating open collaboration and driving innovation forward to empower people on their personal journeys. We have never believed in a one-size-fits-all mobile experience and we never will. We led the charge with 5G and changed the shape of the future with a series of foldable smartphones. Now, we’re working on revolutionary advancements in 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) that will redefine the parameters of what mobile can do and give consumers the freedom to tailor their mobile experiences to fit their lives — not the other way around.

2020 Highlights

This year, Samsung stayed true to its mission and forged new paths for landmark technology that will shape the next era of mobile innovation. Our vision of intelligent, connected devices with mobile phones at the center has become a reality. 2020 saw 5G — a technology Samsung has been pioneering for more than a decade — move into the limelight. Over the course of the last 10 years, Samsung laid the groundwork for the fifth generation of cellular technology by helping to build the global 5G infrastructure. And in 2019, we released the world’s first commercial 5G smartphone and tablet: The Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy Tab S6 5G. Samsung has been pushing to democratize 5G ever since. We are closing out the year with twenty 5G devices in the Galaxy ecosystem.

There was also growing momentum behind foldable smartphones, a category we launched commercially with the Galaxy Fold in 2019 and advanced with the release of Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold2 in 2020. Through our longstanding industry-leading partnerships, we established an open ecosystem for foldable devices and fostered UX innovation that enabled us to create an enhanced user experience with optimized app interactions and displays. The Z Fold2 was praised as a smartphone that reimagines what’s possible with mobile technology and I’m excited to say, it’s just a hint of what’s to come as we continue to explore, evolve and expand this category-changing space.

We also made headway in our efforts to make the world a better, more sustainable place. In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we promoted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals on more than 80 million smartphones, mobilizing and empowering the Galaxy community via our Samsung Global Goals app. And we continue to take dedicated action throughout our product lifecycle to help the world transition to a circular economy — by extending product longevity, making greater use of sustainable materials in our packaging, and creating environmentally conscious products and accessories.

Mobile Innovations to Watch in 2021

I’m thrilled with what Samsung accomplished this year, but as passionate pioneers committed to defying barriers to progress, we’re always thinking about what’s next. Our smartphones are truly becoming extensions of ourselves, and with so many people working remotely and spending more time entertaining themselves at home, video quality and capabilities on mobile devices have moved front and center.

From teleworking and virtual celebrations to gaming and online dance challenges, the world is creating, sharing and streaming more video than ever. Whether you prefer to edit footage like a pro or just want intelligent, multitasking lenses to do the heavy lifting for you, the Samsung Galaxy will be more than ready to meet the demands of the video-obsessed in 2021. When it comes to advancement in this space, it’s going to be an epic new year.

Our engineers and developers have also been working hard to expand highly advanced on-device AI capabilities within the Galaxy family, enabling our devices to continually learn from daily activities and routines to take better pictures and videos, maximize battery life and storage space, optimize displays and much more. We’re planning to expand these personalized capabilities to every facet of Galaxy’s product portfolio to empower people to be productive and do all the things they enjoy.

And because we live in an interconnected world that requires interconnected devices, Samsung continues to vigorously support open source research and collaboration. It’s how we evolve new capabilities that can be deployed across devices, applications and services to enable more people to benefit from all that technology has to offer. Thanks to the open ecosystems we’ve created working in tandem with other like-minded industry leaders, we’re developing connected, compatible innovation that will take us into an exciting new era of integrated mobile experiences.

We’ve already advanced breakthrough technologies like ultra-wideband (UWB) through ongoing open collaboration with key partners. And soon, we’ll be rolling out incredible connectivity capabilities that will transform the way you open doors and enable seamlessly integrated car experiences that make personalized car connectivity a part of your digital life. We’re also making it easier to quickly locate the things that matter most, from your keys to your wallet — even your family pet.

As we introduce new and exciting innovations, our number-one goal is and will always be to create experiences that people can trust, knowing we’ll treat their data with the utmost care and keep their personal information safe every step of the way. These new devices will offer incredible personalized mobile experiences and will be built with security and privacy top of mind.

The Samsung Promise

We believe everyone should have access to the latest mobile technologies and a spectrum of product options that offer unfettered, personalized experiences. In 2021, our diverse product portfolio will deliver breakthrough capabilities that empower you and never hold you back.

True to our heritage of staying ahead of the curve with trailblazing mobile tech, we’ll be expanding our portfolio of foldables, so this groundbreaking category is more accessible to everyone. And while we’re already known for our revolutionary cameras, we’ll never stop trying to outdo ourselves — so be on the lookout for super-intelligent, pro-grade camera and video capabilities in 2021. We’ve also been paying attention to people’s favorite aspects of the Galaxy Note experience and are excited to add some of its most well-loved features to other devices in our lineup.

Limitations and boundaries are for other brands. At Samsung, we relentlessly test the existing rules because we know the margins for what technology can do are confined only by the scope of our imagination — and ours knows no bounds.

Thank you to everyone who supported us in 2020. I look forward to sharing more in January!

Generation17 merges the power of Samsung Galaxy smartphone technology with UNDP’s platform to galvanize an entire generation of young people to achieve the 17 Global Goals in less than ten years. The initiative will elevate the stories and share the impactful work of young leaders who are already making considerable strides in support of the Global Goals.

“We are excited to better connect these inspiring advocates to their peers, enable their generation to take bold action on the Goals, and make their voices heard loud and clear with the latest Galaxy technology and our shared vision,” said Dr. TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “With a purpose as grand as the Global Goals, we strongly believe a collaborative, rallying effort will be imperative in sparking meaningful change.”

The 2020 cohort of Generation17 is made up of four trailblazers who are mobilizing communities from Mali and Argentina, to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our lifetimes:

• Máximo Mazzocco (Argentina): A 30-year old who founded Eco House, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable development through education, volunteering, advocacy and environmental certification
• Sadya Touré (Mali): A 23-year-old author who founded Mali Musso, an organization which empowers women through education to destigmatize gender-based violence
• Shomy Chowdhury (Bangladesh): A 26-year-old Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activist seeking to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all through her global organization, Awareness 360, working across 23 countries
• Tafara Makaza (Zimbabwe): A 24-year-old junior at Williams College, in Williamstown, MA, studying astrophysics who has launched diverse startups to build transportation, energy, agriculture and education solutions

The 2020 Cohort of Generation17 Young Leaders

Millennials and Gen Z wield incredible influence in catalyzing change as tech savvy global citizens in an unprecedently borderless world, with their unwavering and relentless optimism leading the charge on climate change and racial justice and influencing policymakers and businesses to chart a more sustainable course for our collective future. Generation17 is our answer to their call-to-action.

“Young people are advancing the Global Goals through their work as innovators, entrepreneurs and advocates, and we must properly engage them today for the success of our global agenda tomorrow,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “They harness incredible power in advocating for positive, systemic change, and we must support them in their roles as torchbearers of the Global Goals. This initiative complements other initiatives across the UN system, strengthening the foundations for a UN that delivers with and for young people through the UN Youth Strategy: Youth2030.”

UNDP and Samsung will provide mentorship, networking opportunities, and Galaxy devices to help broaden the reach of each of the young leaders’ voices and strengthen their organizations and businesses. They will also use the Samsung Global Goals app, which is preinstalled on the latest Galaxy smartphones, to show users how they can make a difference across the 17 Global Goals in their daily lives. Through educational content, the app aims to increase awareness of the Goals and has so far raised $1M in donations¹ for UNDP.

¹ The Samsung Galaxy Community Raised $1M to Support the Global Goals

In order to provide simple ways for Galaxy users to come together to support the Global Goals, Samsung and the UNDP launched an education and donation-based app, Samsung Global Goals. The app provides Galaxy users with the ability to learn more about the Global Goals and take part in small actions to help address the issues that matter most to them.

To provide the best user experience possible, along with more ways to get involved, Samsung is bringing a range of updates to the Samsung Global Goals app this January.

More Ways to Join in and Give Back

The Samsung Global Goals app offers a range of ways for users to support and give back to the Global Goals. By engaging with advertisements in the app, users are able to donate 100% of an ad’s revenue to the Global Goals. Samsung also recently announced that it will match all proceeds generated through the in-app advertisements to help maximize donations and make an impact, meaning that effectively 200% of ad revenue from the app will be donated to the UNDP by Samsung¹.

The app also allows users to donate directly in support of the Global Goals to the UNDP. With the latest app updates, users will be able to use both Samsung Pay and Google Pay² native payment mechanisms when donating. This will allow users to directly donate to the UNDP and the Goal of their choice by simply clicking and then confirming using biometric authentication – making it easier than ever to make a difference and donation to the #Global Goals campaign.

Samsung is also making it easier for users to opt into features that help generate more ad earnings, even when their phone is charging. Users can currently opt into the ‘Charge Screen ads’ feature in the Donate tab of the app, which will show ads on the device’s lock screen when it is plugged in to charge. As part of the update, the app will now prompt new users with a pop-up message providing information on this feature once their device has been plugged in to charge. This feature can be easily toggled off and on anytime in the Donate tab.

Additionally, users will be able to enjoy a wider range of lock screen options in the app’s Global Goals Lockscreen Wallpapers section, which can easily be managed in the app’s Settings page. The new wallpapers now support a wider selection of inspirational quotes, dynamic visuals, and graphic styles, making easier to stay engaged and inspired to contribute.

The update also brings several other UX upgrades to the Samsung Global Goals app. App notification messages have been streamlined for improved usability, each Goals’ Facts and Figures information is now more clearly linked to each Goal and users can more easily see which version of the app they are running. Galaxy users in Korea will also now be able to learn about the K-SDGs, or Korean Sustainable Development Goals, in the Samsung Global Goals app thanks to a collaboration with Korea’s Ministry of Environment.

The Samsung Global Goals app is available for download through the Galaxy Store and Google Play. To learn more about the Samsung Global Goals, visit here.

¹ Samsung has pledged to match donations with ad proceeds generated through the Global Goals app; up to US$5 million annually.

² Donations through Samsung Pay or Google Pay will be available in 5 markets following the current update, including the U.S., Singapore, Australia, the U.K., and Canada. This feature will be available in more regions in the future.

Samsung believes that a crucial first step in the journey to tackling the Goals is to increase understanding and raise awareness of the challenges the Goals stand for. In order to do so, Samsung has created simple ways to help people worldwide address the issues that matter to them.

Read on for a comprehensive guide to the Samsung Global Goals campaign and learn how you can join the campaign.

Grow Your Awareness with the Samsung Global Goals App

Once you’ve downloaded the app¹ from the Galaxy Store or Google Play, you will be met with the app’s Updates page. This home page is a place for you to learn about the Goals and how people around the world are working to achieve them.

The Global Goals app follows Samsung’s affirmation that the first step to enacting real societal change is through spreading awareness, so by clicking the ‘Learn more’ button or the Goals tab at the bottom of the app, you can find a comprehensive and dedicated guide to each of the 17 Global Goals agreed upon by world leaders.

Each Goal’s page comes with a comprehensive explanation of what the Goal addresses, as well as key facts and figures to grow your understanding of the challenges this Goal intends to mitigate.

Once you’ve thoroughly explored each of the 17 Goals on the app, if you would like to donate directly to the campaign, you can follow a link on the app’s homepage to make an easy one-off or monthly donation. You can even make a donation in someone’s honor or dedicate a contribution to a loved one’s memory, if you wish.

Another way you can support the campaign with the Global Goals app is by engaging ads. The Updates tab of the app will present you with ads you can engage with; tapping on these ads will generate revenue for the Global Goals that you can then donate to the Goal of your choice in the Donate tab of the app.

While exploring the Updates page, you will also come across the option to receive ads on your lock screen while your device is charging; tapping these ads will generate even more money. Select ‘Turn on’ to opt in; you are able to easily toggle this option on and off at any time in the Settings tab of the app.

The Donate tab not only shows the money you have earned and donated, but also keeps you connected to the donation history of all Samsung Global Goals users around the world.

To learn more about the Samsung Global Goals, visit https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/samsung-global-goals/

¹ The Samsung Global Goals app will come pre-loaded on Galaxy Note10 and depending on the users’ market, will be available for download on the Galaxy S8, Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note9, and Galaxy S10 through Galaxy Store and Google Play starting from Aug 23, 2019.

Samsung and UNDP are joining forces to provide simple ways for Galaxy users to come together to support the Global Goals and address the issues that matter most to them. Through this new initiative, Samsung and UNDP will release the ‘Samsung Global Goals’ application, an education and donation-based mobile application, along with special edition accessories¹.

“Now more than ever, we have the potential to use the power of technology to address the world’s most pressing challenges,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics. “Our partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will provide Galaxy users with easy, impactful ways to learn about the Global Goals and support the causes important to them so we can collectively make a difference.”

Samsung and UNDP believe that a crucial step in tackling the Global Goals is to increase awareness and understanding of the challenges these goals address and why they are important. As an additional step, Samsung and UNDP are providing simple ways that people can donate to help address the challenges and fuel the actions needed to accomplish the Global Goals.

“This partnership with UNDP and Samsung will not only harness technological innovation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, but will mobilize the next generation of global citizens to take action and achieve the goals together,” says Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. “Only with a joint effort by everyone – private sector, civil society, and people across the world – can we truly have impact and change the world for the better.”

The ‘Samsung Global Goals’ application, available on Samsung Galaxy smartphones², aims to increase awareness and raise funds for UNDP to support its work around the world. In addition, Samsung is launching special edition accessories, donating a portion of revenue from sales of each accessory directly to UNDP in support of the Global Goals. The Galaxy Note10 cover with Global Goals-themed design and a wireless charger will be introduced at the device launch.

The new ‘Samsung Global Goals’ app will give consumers easy and effective ways to learn more about each of the 17 Global Goals and take part in small actions to help support the issues that matter most to them. People can use the application to donate directly to the Global Goals via the UNDP website. Galaxy users can also easily donate to the Global Goals by choosing to engage with advertisements in the application. Galaxy users will be able to donate 100 percent of the advertisement revenue Samsung would have generated to the Global Goals.

The application will be available in 19 languages³ and will come preinstalled on the Galaxy Note10, while it will be available for download on other Galaxy smartphones² later. The special edition accessories will be available through Samsung.com and select Samsung Experience Stores in the U.S. and Korea.

For more information about Samsung Global Goals, visit  news.samsung.com/galaxy, www.samsungmobilepress.com or www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/samsung-global-goals.

* All features and services may differ by market and mobile operator.

*All announcement and product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the details, availability, and timing of the app and special edition products are subject to change without notice.

¹ The special edition phone cases for Galaxy Note10 and wireless charger will be available through Samsung.com and select Samsung Experience Stores in the U.S. and Korea at the end of August.

²The app will come pre-loaded on Galaxy Note10 and depending on the market will be available for download on the Galaxy S8, Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note9, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy A Series except A10s, A20s through Galaxy Store and Google Play starting from Aug 23, 2019.

³ Languages include Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

About UNDP

The United Nations Development Programme partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspectives and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.undp.org.