SDG Hero named 2026 Excellence Program at World Youth Development Forum

Boke Foundation’s SDG Hero game-based education program has been selected as a 2026 Excellence Program under the Action Plan for Global Youth Development Programs at the World Youth Development Forum in China. The recognition spotlights growing interest in using game-based learning to teach sustainability to children and young people across schools and communities worldwide.

Why it matters: - SDG Hero’s selection as a 2026 Excellence Program gives the game-based learning initiative international validation inside the World Youth Development Forum ecosystem. - The recognition underscores a broader push to make sustainability education more engaging, locally adaptable and easier for young people to act on. - The program area, Lifelong Learning and Upskilling, signals that youth development efforts are increasingly linking education innovation with real-world problem solving.

What happened: - SDG Hero: Game-based Education Program for Sustainable Development, launched by Boke Foundation, was selected as a 2026 Excellence Program under the Action Plan for Global Youth Development Programs. - The selection came during the 2026 Acceleration Week for Global Youth Development Programs, part of the World Youth Development Forum, in Shanghai and Wuhan, China. - The event ran from 11 to 17 June 2026. - Youth leaders, program representatives, mentors and international development partners from around the world took part in the week.

The details: - SDG Hero was recognized in the Lifelong Learning and Upskilling program area. - The program uses educational board game toolkits, interactive workshops, sustainability-themed learning modules and a global network of trained Game Masters. - Boke Foundation said the model helps children and young people understand sustainability challenges, collaborate with peers and turn global issues into local action. - During the week, the SDG Hero team met with youth organizations, social enterprises, educators and development practitioners from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. - Those discussions focused on sustainability education, multilingual localization, youth capacity building and possible co-creation opportunities. - The global Game Masters community includes educators, youth volunteers, community workers, designers, students and young changemakers. - SDG Hero says the program has reached more than 100,000 young people in more than 60 countries and regions and trained more than 1,800 Game Masters worldwide.

Between the lines: - The selection suggests game-based education is gaining traction as a practical way to teach the Sustainable Development Goals. - The emphasis on localization and multilingual adaptation points to a model built for cross-border use, not just one national market. - The program’s mix of workshops, toolkits and trained facilitators shows a blended approach that can work in schools, community settings and partner-led programs. - Boke Foundation’s broader mission in education equity, digital literacy, public health and sustainable development helps frame SDG Hero as part of a wider public-interest strategy.

What's next: - Boke Foundation plans to strengthen the SDG Hero global education network. - The foundation also plans to deepen collaboration with schools, educators, international organizations, non-profit partners and youth-led initiatives. - SDG Hero aims to expand game-based sustainability education to more communities worldwide. - The program’s stated goal is to help more young people become active learners, creative problem-solvers and future changemakers.

The bottom line: - SDG Hero’s recognition puts a fast-growing game-based sustainability education model on a bigger international stage, with expansion and partnership opportunities likely to follow.