Simona Costanzo Sow

Simona Costanzo Sow is a Learning Portfolio Manager at the UNSSC Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development. At the Centre Simona designs and implements learning and training formats on the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. She is responsible for the Centre’s offerings on policy coherence, systems thinking as well as executive leadership for UN Country teams, UN entities and social innovators from all sectors. Simona also designed various learning programs for civil servants, as well as the face-to-face UN Summer Academy in Bonn. 

Previously she served as Manager at the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, focusing on strengthening civic engagement in support of the 2030 Agenda. She has extensive experience in partnership building and networking in the inter-governmental sphere, as well as with civil society, academia and the private sector and a track record in capacity-building, non-formal education, learning and training. 

After serving with UNESCO in Gaza and the West Bank, supporting two multi-purpose community centres in the development of their sustainability and youth engagement strategy, Simona became the Director of CCIVS, a global coordinating body for international voluntary service based at UNESCO Headquarters, where she served for nine years until 2008. Simona has also worked on numerous assignments with the North South Centre of the Council of Europe, the British Council and international civil society organizations in the area of youth policy, civic engagement and community development in a variety of countries. Simona holds a PhD in Geography from the Technical University of Munich, focusing on international migration, as well as a Master in International Cultural and Business Studies. She speaks five languages fluently.