The photo exhibition that looks at the lives of ordinary Pakistanis through the lens of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) opened to public at the Sadequain Art Gallery, Frere Hall, Karachi on 24 May. The exhibit, “Pakistan Sustaining Development: Human Stories through Photography,” comprises 102 photos taken throughout the country and organized into 17 collections that reflect the UN’s development goals. This is the final exhibition of these pictures and will remain open through 07 June.

The Sustainable Development Goals represent an agenda adopted by world leaders in December 2015 to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate change by 2030. The 17 goals comprise 169 targets that include focus on economic inequality, innovation, climate change, sustainable consumption, peace and justice. The exhibition was first inaugurated at Lok Virsa in Islamabad on 24 October 2016 and was taken to Peshawar in March 2017 and to Lahore in April 2017.

Jointly organized by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the European Union and the United Nations with support from the Embassy of France in Pakistan, UK Aid and the Lahore Museum, the exhibition aims to raise awareness about the SDGs. The exhibit at the Frere Hall was inaugurated by Wasim Akhtar, Mayor of Karachi, Amélie Herenstein, AFP’s Bureau Chief for Pakistan and Afghanistan, François Dall’Orso, French Counsel General and Vittorio Cammarota, Director UN Information Centre. “The exhibition is a true depiction of the Pakistani society; we have to admit that it’s still a long way to go to achieve the SDGs,” Wasim Akhtar said. “We all have to work together in order to achieve these goals,” he added.