Three speakers at a past Goalkeepers event.

Past Events

The Goalkeepers event takes place in New York City during UNGA week. This event is an opportunity to celebrate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, hear from world leaders and local advocates, and take stock of the work we still need to do. To learn more, you can explore the highlights, featured speakers, and award winners from our past events.

Goalkeepers 2023

September 19-20, 2023 | New York City

In 2023, Goalkeepers invited you to see the world as it is today, where progress toward the Global Goals is slow and, in some cases, backwards, and imagine a world with a more hopeful vision for the future.

Goalkeepers panel

2023 Featured Speakers and Performers

Bosede Afolabi

Bosede Afolabi

Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Lagos (CMUL), Lagos, Nigeria

Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. Through the foundation he works to expand opportunity for the world’s most disadvantaged people.

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Melinda Gates is a philanthropist, investor, and global advocate for women and girls.

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss

Founder of Kode With Klossy & Entrepreneur

Sallie Krawcheck

Sallie Krawcheck

CEO + Co-founder, Ellevest

Lilly Singh

Entertainer, storyteller and gender equality advocate

Elaine Welteroth

Journalist & NYT Bestselling Author

Nuseir Yassin

Nuseir Yassin

Founder and CEO, Nas Company and Nas Studios

2023 Award Winners

Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio

Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio

Global Goalkeeper Award


Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio

Global Goalkeeper Award

Rosalyn and Jimmy Carter

President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter

Lifetime Achievement Award


President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter

Lifetime Achievement Award

Bono

Bono

Voice Award


Bono

Voice Award

Eden Tadesse

Eden Tadesse

Progress Award


Eden Tadesse

Progress Award

Farmlink: Aidan Reilly, Ben Collier, and James Kanoff

The Farmlink Project

Campaign Award


The Farmlink Project

Campaign Award

Ashu Martha Agbornyenty

Ashu Martha Agbornyenty

Changemaker Award


Ashu Martha Agbornyenty

Changemaker Award

Goalkeepers 2022

September 20-21 | New York City

After a two-year hiatus, Goalkeepers returned to the stage at this critical halfway mark of the 17 Global Goals to continue its purpose of tracking their progress and helping the world realize what it envisioned for itself in 2015.

The fourth Goalkeepers event took place in New York City on September 20 and 21 as world leaders gathered for the 77th UN General Assembly. This year, Goalkeepers focused on the future of progress to ensure that far more individuals are living healthy, productive lives.

The Goalkeepers event will return to New York City on September 23 as world leaders gather for the 79th UN General Assembly.

2022 Featured Speakers

Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. Through the foundation he works to expand opportunity for the world’s most disadvantaged people.

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Melinda Gates is a philanthropist, investor, and global advocate for women and girls.

The Honourable Mia Mottley, QC, MP

Prime Minister, Barbados

The Honourable Mia Mottley is the 8th Prime Minister of Barbados. She became the first woman to occupy the high office, following General Elections on May 24th 2018, in which she led the Barbados Labour Party to an emphatic victory, winning all 30 seats in the House of Assembly by the largest margin ever seen in the electoral history of the country.

An Attorney-at-Law and Queen’s Counsel, Prime Minister Mottley has been active in the political life of Barbados for almost three decades. First elected in 1994 she is presently serving her sixth term as Member of Parliament for the constituency of St. Michael North East.

Between 1994 and 2008 Miss Mottley served in the Cabinet of three successive Administrations, first as Minister of Education and Culture; then as Attorney-General and Minister of Home Affairs; and then as Minister of Economic Affairs. In 2003 she was appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Mottley currently also holds the portfolios of Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment.

Since becoming Prime Minister, Miss Mottley has served as the Chair of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) between January 1st and June 30th, 2020. Notwithstanding that, Miss Mottley, as Prime Minister of Barbados, serves as the Lead Head of Government within CARICOM, bearing responsibility for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Prime Minister Mottley also serves as Co-Chair of the Americas Cruise Tourism Task Force for the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America markets.

Portrait of Pedro Sánchez

Pedro Sánchez

Prime Minister of Spain

Prajakta Koli

Content Creator & Actor

"Prajakta Koli is one of India’s biggest digital creators with millions of followers across her social media handles.

As an ambassador for YouTube’s global program, Creators For Change Prajakta was invited to the UN headquarters in New York on International Day of Tolerance to showcase her project ‘No Offence’ which speaks about hate speech, sexism and homophobia. She was also part of the Creators For Change YouTube Originals documentary on Girls Education along with Michelle Obama, Liza Koshy, Thembe Mahlaba. The documentary has won the Outstanding Daytime Non-Fiction Special at the 48th Daytime Emmy Awards.

Prajakta is part of Forbes India’s 30 under 30 list and Entrepreneur India’s 35 under 35 for 2019 along with Outlook Magazine’s Women of Worth and Economic Times’ Gamechanger in the Field of Entertainment.

In September, 2020 Prajakta was part of the United Nations General assembly wherein she was a panellist to discuss their Global goals. She was also part of Ted’s campaign ‘Countdown’ aimed at discussing climate change wherein she hosted the event along with personalities like Al Gore, Chris Hemsworth, Priyanka Chopra, Mark Ruffalo, Don Cheadle and more.

Prajakta was appointed as India’s first climate change champion by UNDP in 2022"

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Writer

Kal Penn

Kal Penn

Actor, writer and producer

Kal Penn is an actor, writer, producer, and former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. He is known for his starring roles in Designated Survivor, House, Mira Nair’s The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar franchise, and the patriotic immigration sit-com Sunnyside which he co-created for NBC.

From 2009 to 2011, Kal took a sabbatical from acting to serve in the Obama/Biden administration, where he served as the President’s Liaison to Young Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the Arts community. In these roles, he worked on a range of issues, including the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the Affordable Care Act, Pell Grants, arts and culture programs, the DREAM Act, and rapid response to the BP Oil Spill and earthquake in Haiti.

He was a national co-chair for the Obama/Biden re-election campaign in 2012 and served on the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, focusing on arts education and cultural diplomacy, including the first-ever US Government arts delegation to Cuba. Penn has taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Los Angeles. Originally from New Jersey, he received his undergraduate degree in sociology, theater, film, and television at the University of California, Los Angeles, and received a graduate certificate in international security from Stanford University. He has been a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Penn recently wrapped production on the CBS Drama, Clarice (based on Silence of the Lambs), and Freeform’s late night youth election format show Kal Penn Approves This Message. He currently stars in the animated Disney Junior series Mira, Royal Detective, is an Executive Producer on the Viacom/Paramount + comedy, Surina & Mel, and can be heard in Nickelodeon’s It’s Pony.

His culinary competition series Money Hungry airs on Food Network.

Kal’s first book You Can’t Be Serious was released on November 2, 2021 from Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books. He also narrates the audiobook.

Portrait of Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai

Co-founder, Malala Fund

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist., UN Messenger of Peace and the youngest person ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. As co-founder of Malala Fund, she is building a world where every girl can learn and lead without fear.

2022 Award Winners

Ursula von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen

2022 Global Goalkeeper Award


Ursula von der Leyen

2022 Global Goalkeeper Award

Dr. Radhika Batra  Progress Award

Dr. Radhika Batra

Progress Award


Dr. Radhika Batra

Progress Award

Vanessa Nakate

Vanessa Nakate

Campaign Award


Vanessa Nakate

Campaign Award

Zahra Joya

Zahra Joya

Changemaker Award


Zahra Joya

Changemaker Award

Goalkeepers 2021

In the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to come together in person during 2021. In lieu of the event, we explored virtual platforms to connect with the community and the world at large. Even amid the devastation of the pandemic, we’ve seen that hope can grow from seeds planted years earlier.

Dr. Onyimbo Kerama, Lead Consultant and Executive Director at Motire Occupational Health and Safety Solutions uses the LumiraDx diagnostic instrument to test for COVID-19 in Thika, Kenya. (August 28, 2021)

2021 Award Winners

An image of  Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Global Goalkeeper Award


Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Global Goalkeeper Award

An image of Jenifer Colpas

Jenifer Colpas

Progress Award


Jenifer Colpas

Progress Award

An image of Fairooz Faizah Beether

Fairooz Faizah Beether

Changemaker Award


Fairooz Faizah Beether

Changemaker Award

An image of Satta Sheriff

Satta Sheriff

Campaign Award


Satta Sheriff

Campaign Award

Goalkeepers 2020

2020 marked the first year that we were unable to host our Goalkeepers annual event – to celebrate our achievements, hear from leaders and take stock of the work we still need to do in person.
But the pandemic didn’t deter us. We still used this time to examine our progress and recognize those who are taking action to help achieve the Global Goals.

A child in a mask

2020 Award Winners

Hauwa Ojeifo

Hauwa<br/>Ojeifo

Changemaker Award


Hauwa
Ojeifo

Changemaker Award

MASH Project Foundation members

MASH Project<br/>Foundation

Campaign Award


MASH Project
Foundation

Campaign Award

Bonita Sharma

Bonita <br/>Sharma

Progress Award


Bonita
Sharma

Progress Award

Dr. John Nkengasong

Dr. John<br/>Nkengasong

Global Goalkeeper Award


Dr. John
Nkengasong

Global Goalkeeper Award

Goalkeepers 2019

September 24–25, 2019 | New York City

As world leaders gathered for the UN General Assembly in September of 2019, we hosted the third annual Goalkeepers event in New York City. The focus of the event was the challenge of fighting global inequality to ensure no one is left behind.

A group of people sit and listen to Goalkeepers speakers

2019 Featured Speakers

Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. Through the foundation he works to expand opportunity for the world’s most disadvantaged people.

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Melinda Gates is a philanthropist, investor, and global advocate for women and girls.

Portrait of Jacinda Ardern

Jacinda Ardern

Prime Minister of New Zealand

Portrait of Pedro Sánchez

Pedro Sánchez

Prime Minister of Spain

Portrait of Dr Jennifer Eberhardt

Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt

Professor, Author

Portrait of Aliko Dangote

Aliko Dangote

Businessman, Philanthropist

Portrait of Dr Senjuti Saha

Dr. Senjuti Saha

Microbiologist and Activist

Portrait of Dr Joia Crear-Perry

Dr. Joia Crear-Perry

Founder and president, National Birth Equity Collaborative

2019 Award Winners

Payal Jangid

Payal Jangid

Changemaker Award


Payal Jangid

Changemaker Award

Aya Chebbi

Aya Chebbi

Campaign Award


Aya Chebbi

Campaign Award

Gregory Rockson

Gregory Rockson

Progress Award


Gregory Rockson

Progress Award

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Global Goalkeeper Award


Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Global Goalkeeper Award

Goalkeepers 2018

September 25–26 | New York City

As world leaders gathered for the UN General Assembly in September, we hosted the second annual Goalkeepers event in New York City on September 25 and 26, 2018. Speakers from around the world joined us for this two-day event, sharing their stories, ideas, and challenges.

A group of people sit and listen to Goalkeepers 2018 speakers

2018 Featured Speakers

Portrait of Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron

President of France

Portrait of Graça Machel

Graça Machel

Founder of the Graça Machel Trust

Portrait of King Kaka

King Kaka

Musician, entrepreneur

Portrait of Trisha Shetty

Trisha Shetty

Lawyer and founder of SheSays

Portrait of Aranya Johar

Aranya Johar

Poet

Portrait of Julius Maada Bio

Julius Maada Bio

President of Sierra Leone

Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. Through the foundation he works to expand opportunity for the world’s most disadvantaged people.

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Melinda Gates is a philanthropist, investor, and global advocate for women and girls.

2018 Award Winners

Dysmus Kisilu

Dysmus Kisilu, Kenya

Progress Award


Dysmus Kisilu, Kenya

Progress Award

Amika George

Amika George, United Kingdom

Campaign Award


Amika George, United Kingdom

Campaign Award

Nadia Murad

Nadia Murad, Iraq

Changemaker Award


Nadia Murad, Iraq

Changemaker Award

Cornelia Röper

Cornelia Röper, Germany

Changemaker Award


Cornelia Röper, Germany

Changemaker Award

Natalie Robi

Natalie Robi Tingo, Kenya

Changemaker Award


Natalie Robi Tingo, Kenya

Changemaker Award

Goalkeepers 2017

September 19–20, 2017 | New York City

The first annual Goalkeepers event took place in during the UN General Assembly in 2017. Speakers from around the world, including Malala Yousafzai and President Barack Obama, shared stories of bold leadership and innovative solutions driving progress on the Global Goals.

Goalkeepers 2017 speakers

2017 Featured Speakers

Portrait of Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Former President of the United States

Portrait of Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai

Co-founder, Malala Fund

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist., UN Messenger of Peace and the youngest person ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. As co-founder of Malala Fund, she is building a world where every girl can learn and lead without fear.

Portrait of Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau

Prime Minister of Canada

Portrait of Leymah Gbowee

Leymah Gbowee

President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa

Portrait of Amina Mohammed

Amina Mohammed

Deputy Secretary General of the UN

Portrait of Queen Rania

Queen Rania

Queen of Jordan

Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. Through the foundation he works to expand opportunity for the world’s most disadvantaged people.

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Melinda Gates is a philanthropist, investor, and global advocate for women and girls.

2017 Award Winners

Laura Ulloa

Laura Ulloa, Colombia

Young Goalkeeper Award


Laura Ulloa, Colombia

Young Goalkeeper Award

Felix Manyogote

Felix Manyogote, Tanzania

Leave No-One Behind Award


Felix Manyogote, Tanzania

Leave No-One Behind Award

Marieme Jamme

Marieme Jamme, Senegal/UK

Innovation Award


Marieme Jamme, Senegal/UK

Innovation Award

Bernard Coubaily

Bernard Coubaily, Mali

Healthy Not Hungry Award


Bernard Coubaily, Mali

Healthy Not Hungry Award

Ria Sharma

Ria Sharma, New Delhi

Leadership Award


Ria Sharma, New Delhi

Leadership Award

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Global Goalkeeper Award


Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Global Goalkeeper Award