The Game That Turned Passion Into Action
At the heart of the New Generation Leaders Summit 2025, we launched an unconventional experiment:
An SDG game that combined rapid-fire thinking with profound advocacy.
Here’s how it worked:
Choose Your Battle: Delegates selected the one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that ignited their passion.
The 12-Word Challenge: They distilled solutions into a single, impactful sentence—no more, no less.
Collaborative Spark: Groups debated, refined, and rallied around the most compelling visions.
"Quality education requires: Teachers. Books. Internet. Equality. Safe spaces. Hope."
—Delegate from Ghana (SDG 4)
Why This Game Changed Everything
1. From Awareness to Ownership
Many knew the SDGs—few had personalized them. By forcing ultra-concise solutions, delegates:
Moved beyond jargon to actionable language
Discovered which goals truly aligned with their life’s work
Built emotional connections to global frameworks
2. The Power of Constraints
The 12-word limit proved transformative:
Eliminated vague platitudes ("end poverty")
Demanded concrete steps ("Micro-loans + vocational training = women’s economic freedom")
Revealed creative problem-solving
"Hunger ends when farmers own land, tools, and fair markets."
—Delegate from Kenya (SDG 2)
3. Unexpected Collaborations
A climate activist (SDG 13) and gender advocate (SDG 5) realized their goals intersected at indigenous women’s land rights—and formed an alliance on the spot.
The Ripple Effects
Post-summit, delegates are already:
✅ Using their 12-word mantras in grant applications and pitches
✅ Forming cross-goal coalitions (e.g., clean water + gender equality teams)
✅ Teaching the game to local youth groups
Play the Game Yourself
Try this with your team or students:
Pick an SDG
Craft a 12-word solution
Share online with #SDG12WordChallenge
"Peace needs justice, jobs, youth voices, and inclusive tables."
—Delegate from Colombia (SDG 16)
Why It Matters
At Better World Charity, we know:
"The SDGs won’t be met by governments alone—they need armies of passionate advocates." This game equipped those armies.
#NewGenerationLeadersSummit #SDGAdvocates #BetterWorldCharity
