Bill Gates links up with Tokyo 2020 to tackle global development goals
November 16, 2018
In an effort to help realize the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), US billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-Founder Bill Gates will launch an "Our Global Goals" partnership in 2019 with the Japan Sports Agency, publicizing them through the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Japan Sports Agency works in conjunction with the Japanese Olympic Committee to manage the 2020 Olympics.
Gates has devoted much of his time in recent years to his family foundation where one of its goals is to help reach the SDG objectives, including ending extreme poverty and combatting climate change by 2030.
At an event in Tokyo on November 9, Gates said he was linking up with an Olympic Games for the first time to use it as a way to increase awareness of the SDGs and to urge Japan to become a world leader in aid and development.
"Countries like Japan will need to continue to invest generously, actually even more generously than they currently are," Gates said. "Today, Japan spends around three to five percent of its aid budget on global health, so there is an opportunity to do even more. The sports community in Japan is fast approaching an exciting moment as the eyes of the world will be on Tokyo as the Olympics get nearer.
"I am excited that you are using this opportunity to raise awareness and be ambassadors for a better world."
Gates, who was joined on stage by Tokyo 2020 president and former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, Sports Minister Tomoko Ukishima and Olympic marathon medalist Yuko Arimori, did not release many details but plans to launch the program in 2019 as the buildup to the Games intensify.
"The opportunity for Japan is, even in a time when many countries are turning inward, to continue to say that we need to help those that are not doing as well," said Gates. "Continuing to commit to the global fund, continuing to commit to increase what they are doing with vaccines and polio is also part of that.
"The whole world loves sports and we have to be creative in how we take those amazing achievements and use that to remind people that there are some who are facing big challenges."