MAPTING was featured in the latest edition of the French journal CAP sur la Paix. Below the translation of the original article.
MAPTING: making change together
This past spring, MAPTING was officially launched in France. This new app evolves out of a collaboration between Earth Charter International (ECI) and Soka Gakkai International (SGI). Download the app as soon as possible, to register and observe positive actions for sustainable development.
What happens when you mix social media technology with the Sustainable Development Goals?
The answer is MAPTING, an app for smartphones and tablets. This initiative mobilizes an international network of individuals, organizations and institutions in order to actively promote sustainable development and the values and principles of the Earth Charter.
The application is free and participative, and allows users to share pictures and videos in order to enhance the transition towards a more sustainable lifestyle. The idea is simple: the users can discover the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed by the United Nations by inviting them to share their actions or solutions they see related to one of the SDGs on a world map.
In order to reach the SDGs, we need active participation of civil society, and in particular of the young generations. The name Mapting is a combination of “mapping” and “snapping” and is developed in order to engage youth with the SDGs.
The users can express their actions and at the same time inspire within others a feeling of connectedness and shared responsibility for the well-being of current and future generations. In the line of the recommendations of the proposals for peace from Daisaku Ikeda, Mapting is rooted in the belief that individual actions can bring positive change.
The official launching of Mapting took place one year ago at an event titled “Youth Boosting the Promotion and Implementation of the SDGs” held at the UN Headquarters in New York on November 10, 2016. Mapting was received in a positive way by the participants. One week later, users in Mexico, Japan, Brazil, Switzerland and the United States were already sharing pictures. The official launching in France took place at the 30th of May at the headquarters of the Association Carrefour France Sichuan, in presence of Dino de Francesco, who was responsible for communications about Mapting.
Translated from French by Femke Lootens, original author unknown
An invitation to show that everyday people act for the common good 
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