From Osaka to Geneva: AI for SDGs Global Challenge Answers the Call of Sustainable Development with Youth Creativity
Over 100 works by young creators from across the globe presented on digital screens before 12,000 professional participants from 177 countries at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.
Geneva, Switzerland · 10 July 2026
GENEVA, July 10, 2026 — As the AI for Good Global Summit convened at Palexpo in Geneva, the phased results of the AI for SDGs Global Challenge—a core track under the AI for Future Global Challenge—were officially presented. More than 100 works by young creators from around the world were displayed on digital screens to an audience of over 12,000 professional participants from 177 countries.
AI for Future Challenge: Second Edition Co-organized with ITU, from Osaka Expo to the Geneva Summit
AI for SDGs is a dedicated track under the AI for Future Global Challenge, which this year holds its second edition in co-organization with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The inaugural edition was held in partnership with the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT) under UNESCO, and was successfully showcased during Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. From Osaka to Geneva, the platform continues to expand its international reach and deepen its collaboration within the UN system.
This year’s AI for SDGs track, themed “AI Accelerating the Achievement of SDGs,” encourages young creators worldwide to harness AI tools, including AIGC, for creative expression and advocacy. It received nearly one thousand submissions from around the world. Following rigorous evaluation by the international jury, over 100 outstanding works were selected for digital screen display at the AI for Good Global Summit. Each algorithm-generated frame—addressing issues ranging from climate action and quality education to clean energy and gender equality—serves as a visual footnote to the journey of the SDGs from vision to action.
A Youth Response at a Critical Moment for Global Governance
The summit convened at a pivotal window for global AI governance. Held back-to-back with the Global Dialogue on AI Governance convened by the UN General Assembly, it brought together governments accelerating sovereign AI strategies and the diffusion of AI across economies and societies. Amid the international search for shared standards, coordination mechanisms and global dialogue, young creators offered a creative response from the next generation—using AI as their medium.
Mr. Fabrizio Hochschild Drummond, Senior Advisor, Center for United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Leadership Development, visited the exhibition area on July 9 to witness the phased results. A veteran diplomat who spearheaded the development of the UN’s Digital Cooperation Roadmap, he remarked in his address:
“These works remind us that AI is not merely an efficiency tool, but a vehicle for empathy and responsibility. Young creators are writing vivid footnotes for our shared future with code.”
GSLDC’s Mission: Connecting the Global Agenda with Youth Practice
As one of the organizers, the Global SDGs and Leadership Development Center (GSLDC) embodies its core mission—translating the global agenda into local practice, and linking youth leadership development with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Originating from a joint initiative of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Global Youth Leadership Development Council (GYLDC), GSLDC has grown into an independent capacity-building and research platform, with main operational and cooperation hubs in Geneva, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and Nairobi. Its work focuses on multilateral cooperation and global agenda transformation, SDG localization, and the integration of digital transformation with sustainable development. The Center collaborates with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), among others, to support youth digital hubs, leadership building for digital economy governance, and AI innovation challenges.
Within this framework, the AI for SDGs track is more than a creative competition—it is a capacity-building platform for youth participation in global governance. The challenge invites young creators worldwide to participate individually or in teams, exploring practical applications of AI in digital culture, green development, and women’s empowerment.
Chinese Youth Take the UN Stage
Two young award-winning representatives were invited to speak at official side events of the summit, demonstrating a new generation of Chinese creators engaging proactively with global issues.
Wang Jinjunhao from Renbei Experimental School, Haidian District, Beijing, delivered a speech titled “Rebuilding the Bridge of Words: How AI Can Help Achieve Education Equity” at a side event of the AI for Good Global Summit, presenting his independently developed public-interest reading tool, ReadBridge. He emphasized that AI should serve as a personalized learning companion rather than a substitute for human reading. His AIGC artworks, Fantasy Dessert Feast and Galloping to the Blossom, were also exhibited at the summit.
Yin Ruohan from Shanghai He Xian School took the stage at the “AI Creativity and Culture” side event with a presentation titled “From Sketchbook to Digital ‘Little Western Paradise’: AIGC as a Cultural Bridge for Youth Worldwide.” She shared her journey of using AIGC to revitalize traditional Chinese cultural heritage and facilitate cross-cultural digital communication. Her works, Under the Thousand-Buddha Eaves and Playing with Bamboo, received high acclaim from international attendees.
On-Site Interaction and a New Global Call
At the exhibition, Little Painting Lion on Miro Planet by Wang Jinxuxi and Pure Ocean in the Palm by Luo Yintian stood out, drawing many visitors to stop and admire. The two young artists also interviewed exhibition visitors as “youth reporters,” and during the guided tour, they fully demonstrated their AI art creation process, allowing the audience to deeply experience the unique power of the integration of AI and art.
With the conclusion of this year’s exhibition, a new global call for submissions is now open. Continuing with the theme “AI Accelerating the Achievement of SDGs,” the challenge is open to creators worldwide. Outstanding entries will receive professional recognition from the international jury, with winning works eligible for exhibition at the next global summit in Geneva. Exceptional creators will also have the opportunity to be invited to international side events.
“We are not preparing for the future; we are creating it.”
Background
The AI for Good Global Summit is organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and serves as the leading UN platform advancing AI for social good. The 2026 edition was held from July 6 to 10 at Palexpo in Geneva, alongside the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the WSIS Forum 2026.
The AI for Future Global Challenge is co-organized by the Global SDGs and Leadership Development Center (GSLDC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), among others, and this year marks its second edition. The inaugural edition was held in partnership with the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT) under UNESCO, and was showcased during Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.