UN Day Program 2026

UNA-San Francisco Exhibit coming to the American Legion Gallery

Power Play: The United Nations’ Pursuit of Peace

Exhibit is open to the public starting October 12th - October 24th from 9 am - 5 pm at the San Francisco War Memorial Veterans Building Lobby, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA.

Learn more ways you can get involved with UN Day events in the gallery exhibit

Bring canned food or non-persishable goods to deposit in the exhibit collection bins in commemoration of October 16th World Food Day, running during the display. All collected non-perishable food will be donated to the SF-Marin Food Bank.

Sign up for an Escape Room experience in the gallery where you and elite team of cultural attachés, historians, and diplomats have just been granted emergency clearance at the UN archives. Your mission isn't to disarm a physical bomb—it's to diffuse a geopolitical powder keg using the ultimate global asset: Soft Power.

Join the SF City Guides on a UN Charter Trail tour on Saturday October 24th and visit the SF War Memorial Veterans Building.

If you would like to host a private viewing of the exhibit, or reserve the Power Play exhibit for a special event, please email president@una-sf.org for more details. We would be happy to coordinate a tour with your classroom for a deeper dive on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and more!

UNA San Francisco will be hosting a UN Day Reception

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 6:00-9:00 pm.

Space is limited for our Wine and Cheese Reception, please pay what you can to support our featured programs and future events.

Faith Akovi Cooper, UNA-USA Executive Director will share keynote remarks for this special occassion.

Power Play: The UN’s Pursuit of Peace

This exhibit presents an intergenerational collection of symbols, educational and promotional materials featuring UN soft power tools focused on the power of play.  We explore how toys, familiar characters, and childhood nostalgia can serve as forms of soft power.   

The exhibit will feature soft power tools such as HelloGlobalGoals Ambassador, GI Joe Adventure Team, and Shirely Temple Black, to help introduce UN programs and agencies that use the power of play to set the stage for peace.

Art and Cake: A Reflection of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The exhibit also featured UNA member artwork compiled from our Art and Cake: Reflection of the SDGs events honoring the 80th Anniversary of the founding of the UN Charter.

Let their perspectives inspire you to create your own storytelling in support of the UN goals of sustainable peace and prosperity.

SDGs

In 2012, United Nations Member States met at the UN Sustainable Development Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, initiating the process for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By 2015, they all adopted the 17 SDGs, launching a 15-year plan to integrate “The Three Pillars of Sustainable Development”: environmental protection, economic growth, and social inclusion.

Sanrio and the United Nations launched the #HelloGlobalGoals in 2019, with Hello Kitty as the global ambassador. By launching the Sanrio Games and the Eco-Friendly 

Merchandise, the power of play as a soft tool has allowed youth to approach global challenges from various angles, create sustainable lifestyles, and build a valuable community. 

In 2025, Sanrio collaborated with the United Nations at the Expo, where Hello Kitty was in a dress with a colorful Sustainable Development Goals wheel. According to the UN’s  Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming stated that: 

“Hello Kitty is, for us, what we call an ‘influencer,’ who can deliver messages about the SDGs in a way that is relatable to her fans”. (Fleming Japan Forward). 

Creating field projects and gaming simulations on topics like clean water, gender equality, climate change, and visiting a maternal clinic with refugees in Myanmar has established the power of unity.

UNICEF

The act of play though toys and activities works as a strong tool of soft power diplomacy. Play does so both directly and indirectly, as it gives individuals around the world direct exposure to other cultures, as well as provides nations the opportunity to express their economic and technological skills displayed in the production and distribution process of various play items. 

The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund has implemented a variety of initiatives aligned with using play as a soft power tool for promoting peace. Part of doing so has included naming well known and highly influential toy icons ambassadors. A prominent example of this is the naming of Hello Kitty as a UNICEF children's ambassador. Additionally, UNICEF collects proceeds that are used to distribute assistance to children in need through a fundraising campaign called Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, where children and their families are directly involved in the collection of funds with a theme tied to the festivities of Halloween.  

Play also acts as a beacon of hope for children facing the effects of conflict and poverty. Part of UNICEF’s process in providing support to children includes highlighting the message of how important play is as both a source of hope, and as important to the education and development of children. It also provides children with another path of connecting with their communities and culture.

UNESCO

The rapid rise of digital media and gaming has transformed how youth experience education and entertainment where fast paced, interactive games stimulate cognitive development, creativity and digital literacy. Various entertainment platforms and interactive media have been developed to advocate for positive change, sustainable development and peace.

UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was founded in 1945 to rebuild libraries, museums, and schools after World War II and promote mutual peace through education, science and culture. Initially 20 founding members ratified the constitution, which in 2026 has grown to 12 associate members and 194 member states.

The power of play has been significant to building global citizenship, intercultural dialogue and social emotional learning. 

Key Events UNESCO has promoted:

• The International Day of Digital Learning 2023: establish direction, norms and practices for digital learning internationally mitigating any risks 

• Charter for Public Digital Learning Platforms 2026 in collaboration with UNESCO, UNICEF and Telecommunication Union

The UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development has developed the Games for Learning program to create immersive experiences in empowering youth to participate in global peace, socioeconomic policies and sustainability initiatives.

Some of their top featured games are World Rescue, and Cantor’s World. 

• World Rescue: Associated with the UN Sustainable Development Goals narrative driven game which takes place in Kenya, China, Brazil, India and Norway. There are five heroes working to solve community crises like flooding, deforestation, pollution and cholera outbreak through climate and health driven solutions. Allows youth to become global citizens.

• Cantor’s World: Tailored towards university students studying economics and policymakers. Players experiment and take risks by choosing which domestic macroeconomic policies impact global economic markets and development.This simulation allows players to learn about the Inclusive Wealth Index.