The Big Brainstorm is an opportunity for young thinkers and activists to design their future. With the support of the United Nations Foundation, young leaders from around the world will come together to embark on a two-week design sprint to explore, prototype, and launch initiatives to tackle some of humanity's greatest challenges.

The theme of Big Brainstorm 2023 is "A Year of Action for the SDGs". The upcoming second SDG Summit is an opportunity to accelerate action to solve the world's most pressing problems, with young people at the forefront of change.

It is also a turning point to drive collective action, both for people and the planet. The most successful initiatives will be highlighted during the SDG Summit to demonstrate that significant progress towards the 17 Global Goals is possible.

All the young people who take part in the Great Storm of Change will also be members of the Engine Room for Unlocking the Future - a wider space for young people to forge connections, mobilise, and drive forward our efforts to rejuvenate the multilateral system.

How it works

26th January 2023 - Deadline

Open Call
Interested in joining Big Brainstorm? Click here register now to tell us which of our 8 Action Groups you would like to work with. Here you can also propose your own initiative to be part of an Action Group's agenda, and be supported by Next Generation Partners.

16th February 2023

Great kick-off
A virtual event for mentors, partners and young changemakers interested in contributing to one of the Action Groups. Each Action Group will give a short presentation showing the objectives of successful initiatives from our open call for proposals.

Throughout

Action Groups and Featured Sessions
Throughout the Big Brainstorm, mentoring and support will be provided to each initiative within the 8 Action Groups to help build the networks and momentum they need to succeed. This includes a check-in with the UN Foundation team, and round tables with leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, and policy makers.

28 February 2023

Big Step
Each Action Group will have 8 minutes to present to partners, donors, and other young thinkers and activists. An intergenerational panel will give feedback during the Big Pitch, and there will be an awards ceremony for the most creative and ambitious proposals.

19-20 September 2023 (SDG Summit)

After the event
After the Big Brainstorm, the support of the Unlock coalition will continue to be provided to the Action Groups to fulfil their plans. The main achievements will be presented during the SDG Summit in September 2023, and the progress and achievements of the Action Groups will be shared through our network in the monthly Unlock newsletter.

Action Groups
Initiatives aimed at and centred on young people will be hosted within the framework of Action Groups coordinated by the United Nations Foundation. next generation. Each Action Group will include 1-3 initiatives. These Action Groups are tasked with challenging prototype initiatives to solve real problems that young people face, based on the main challenges identified in the our Future Agenda.

1. Transforming education
Building on the momentum of the Transforming Education Summit, how can we encourage national and local leaders to prioritise the "right to learn", even during a compound global crisis?

2. Jobs and economic opportunities
Young people are not equipped for a rapidly changing world. What investments should be made to propel young people into productive employment and decent work, with a focus on the digital, demographic and decarbonisation transitions that leave no one behind?

3. Climate and sustainability
In the run-up to COP 28, how can we support, listen to and involve young people in discussions and decision-making processes on climate change, especially on intersectional issues on climate finance, energy security, food systems, migration, plastic pollution, and much more?

4. Peace and justice
In a world fragmented by injustice and conflict, the path to true peace, justice and inclusion requires a local-to-global approach. How can we provide young people with access to justice, taking justice out of the courtroom and into the communities in which they live?

5. Future generations
There are currently less than 8 billion people alive, but more than 11 billion people are likely to be born during the rest of this century. How can we ensure that young people and young countries are in the driving seat leading up to and at the 2024 Future Summit?

6. Gender equality
Multiple global crises have unravelled hard-won achievements in gender equality and significantly slowed progress. How could we address complex issues affecting girls and women and collectively identify and drive evidence-based solutions?

7. SDG Summit
Drawing on the collective action of the Unlock the Future Coalition, how can we put young people at the centre of mobilisation efforts as designers of the SDG transformation process and champions of the rights of future generations?

8. Funding for young changemakers
Young civil society doesn't thrive - and in many cases, doesn't survive due to resource challenges. How can we improve the quantity, quality and accessibility of funding for young people dedicated to change?

Big Brainstorm 2022
For our coalition's first big brainstorm, we invited anyone with a passion for shaping the future to create, lead or participate in an Action Group. The only requirement was that the groups had to be led or co-led by young people.

For an overview of what happened during the Big Brainstorm 2022, including information on all the Action Groups that presented at the Big Pitch 2022, click here...

Apply here.