To celebrate the International Day of Peace, the United Nations called for people to take action and recognize that "peace and global goals are never far from our daily life."
One of the actions for peace recommended by the United Nations was a collaborative art project "that symbolizes peace and represents the Sustainable Development Goals." Activism and art have long gone hand-in-hand, with quilts having a particularly rich history of advocacy and social commentary. Illinois State University, Thomas Metcalf School, and University High School came together to create the Actions for Peace Quilt as a community-based way to discuss and depict the Sustainable Development Goals. These goals are recognized by the United Nations as vital contributors to a peaceful society.
The quilt is meant to represent our shared answers to the questions:
- What does a world with realized Sustainable Development Goals look like?
- What can we do to support these goals?
In addition to the Actions for Peace Quilt with fabric quilt squares designed by college students, the collection of artworks and writing which inspired them can be browsed. There is also a booklist of children's and young adult literature aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.