The meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, holds July of each year; including a three-day ministerial meeting of the forum. Effective implementation of Agenda 2030 and the SDGs will require access to knowledge and information, not only for policy makers and leaders to design well-informed and effective policies and strategies, but also for committed and engaged individuals around the world to guarantee that no one is left behind.

Each year during the High Level Political Forum, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA/DSDG) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office co-organise the SDGs Learning, Training & Practice – a series capacity building, networking and experience-sharing learning sessions, featuring high-level speakers and experts from a number sectors on crucial topics related to the implementation of the SDGs under review in the HLPF.

The SDGs Learning, Training and Practice sessions aim at providing space for governments, academic institutions, think tanks and other stakeholders to offer learning and training sessions on sustainable development implementation during intergovernmental meetings at the United Nations. It also provides an opportunity for HLPF participants to acquire practical knowledge, information, skills, training as well as exchange of views on lessons learned, experiences and best practices to find effective sustainable solutions to challenges in their countries, communities, cities, villages and/or neighbourhoods.

Learning objectives:

• Knowledge and skills acquisition
• Networking
• Sharing experiences and peer to peer collaboration
• Learning about practical actions and best practices
• Capacity-building
• Practical policy integration and coherence

The 2022 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) was held from Tuesday, 5 July, to Thursday, 7 July, and from Monday, 11 July, to Friday, 15 July 2022, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. The theme for the HLPF 2022 was “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The forum took into account the different and particular impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic across all Sustainable Development Goals and the integrated, indivisible and interlinked nature of the Goals.

The following SDGs were under review at the 2022 HLPF:

• SDG 4: Quality education
• SDG 5: Gender equality
• SDG 14: Life below water
• SDG 15: Life on land
• SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals

The 2022 SDGs Learning, Training and Practice special sessions were held in hybrid format: Opening Session and Session 1 was held in-person with webcast from UNTV, and Session 2-10 were fully virtual. Please find the recordings of all sessions below.

Opening Session and Session 1: The 2030 Agenda and global challenges Interconnections: a reflection on nuclear weapons and SDG implementation

Session 2: Transformative education, digital learning and partnerships toward a more sustainable and equitable future

Session 3: Transformational Partnerships: national platforms and practical tools to promote collaboration, policy integration and coherence

Session 4: Learning Disrupted: Reimagining Learning Ecosystems. A learning session on data, new skills, accountability, and integrity

Session 5: Protecting our ocean: SDG 14 and its interlinkages

Session 6: Achieving gender equality: measuring progress and advocating for systems change

Session 7: Human rights education, global citizenship and transformative methods to accelerate sustainable development and resilient recovery

Session 8: Sharing solutions: SDG financing, knowledge research and community participation for sustainable recovery, planning and transformation

Session 9: Innovative tools for target setting, peer learning and policy dialogue on SDG 4 and SDG competencies

Session 10: Building strong and global partnerships to achieve the SDGs

More information on the 2022 session is available on the Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2022 SDGs Learning, Training and Practice webpage, including the event's Final Report and programme.

The 2021 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) was held from Tuesday, 6 July, to Thursday, 15 July 2021, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. The theme for the HLPF 2022 was “Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development”.

The following SDGs were under review at the 2021 HLPF:

• SDG 1: No poverty
• SDG 2: Zero hunger
• SDG 3: Good health and well-being
• SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth
• SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals

Please find the recordings of all sessions below.

Session 1: Opening Session: SDGs Learning and Training

Session 2: Unmasking inequalities, accelerating change: using disaggregated and citizen-generated data to foster SDGs reporting and accountability

Session 3: Integrating recovery planning from COVID-19, building resilience and strengthening policy coherence towards the SDGs

Session 4: Fostering evidence-based decision-making for sustainable and just COVID-19 recovery and transformative SDGs implementation

Session 5: Tools and lessons for inclusive and sustainable recovery to secure, regain and sustain SDG momentum

Session 6: Mainstreaming SDGs 16+ in VNRs and national development planning 

Session 7: Supporting recovery and SDGs implementation at local level: governance, tools and experiences

Session 8: Accelerating progress towards the SDGs through education

Session 9: Filling the gaps in further education for the 2030 Agenda and inspiring action towards the SDGs

Session 10: Nuclear Disarmament and Our Sustainable Future

More information on the 2021 session is available on the Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2021 SDGs Learning, Training and Practice webpage, including the event's Final Report and programme.

The 2020 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) was held from Tuesday, 7 July, to Thursday, 16 July 2020, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. The theme for the HLPF 2022 was “Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development”.

In the 2020 HLPF, participants debated where we stand on the SDGs in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They reflected on how the international community can respond to the pandemic in a way that puts us back on track to achieve the SDGs and accelerate progress during the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.

Please find the recordings of all sessions below.

Session 1: Opening of the SDGs Learning and Training for SDGs implementation in the COVID-19 era

Session 2: Developing transformational partnerships to catalyse SDGs implementation

Session 3: Accelerating action through digital technologies: strengthening digital skills and capacities for human well-being

Session 4: Food systems and nutrition patterns: biodiversity, resilience and food security

Session 5: Global environmental commons: co-designing solutions to integrate SDGs into policies and practices through education and capacity development

Session 6: Energy decarbonisation and universal access: participatory science and stakeholder capacity-building in sustainable energy development

Session 7: Sustainable and just economic: lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis and enabling factors for the SDGs

Session 8: Urban and peri-urban development: tools for SDGs localisation 

Session 9: Teaching, learning and integrating the SDGs at universities and beyond: linking to the Decade of Action

Session 10: Preparing for the second reporting cycle: empowering actors, improving coordination and strengthening SDGs data reporting

More information on the 2020 session is available on the Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2020 SDGs Learning, Training and Practice webpage, including the event's Final Report and programme.

The 2019 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) was held from 9–18 July 2019, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. The theme for the HLPF 2022 was “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality".

The following SDGs were under review at the 2019 HLPF:

• SDG 4: Quality education
• SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth
• SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
• SDG 13: Climate action
• SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
• SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals

More information on the 2019 session is available on the Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2019 SDGs Learning, Training and Practice webpage, including the event's Final Report and programme.