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The United Nations has couched the recent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of cooperation and engagement with civil society. But many activists have been cautious of this outreach - as aspirations are not always actualized. The efforts concluded this week at the 66th United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) / Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Conference might perhaps provide some proof of the UN's partnership-building plans.
Spring boarding off off the monumental SDGs, ratified last year, the UN DPI/NGO Conference allowed for the United Nations to interface with academia and NGO representatives. The focus of the conference, held in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, was on SDG 4, which guarantees quality education for all.
The crowning achievement of the three-day long symposium was the The Gyeongju Action Plan, finalized on June 1. The Action Plan provides concrete guidance for NGOs around the world to enhance their ability to lobby governments for commitment to implementing the SDGs, and to mobilize NGOs in communities on the ground.
“This conference has demonstrated another example of the value for the United Nations in investing in partnership with academia and NGOs,” said Ms. Cristina Gallach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information.
“The United Nations is committed to continue to support and partner with NGOs and academia in our joint efforts to advocate for and successfully implement the 2030 Agenda,” Ms. Gallach added. “Youth have also come in great numbers, demonstrating the value that they see in partnering with the United Nations.”
The Gyeongju Action Plan includes a series of concrete measures as a reference for NGOs around the world to jump start implementation of the 2030 Agenda, at the grass roots level.
Within the Action Plan are a number of notable developments that interestingly blend aspects of bottom-up oriented NGO perspectives with the UN's international human rights law geist.
For example, the Action Plan notes that “education for global citizenship is an essential strategy to address global challenges as well as [...] prevent violence, including violent extremism.” At the same time, it also acknowledges that “local knowledge and best practices should be incorporated into practical educational strategies for resilient communities and sustainable agriculture.”
While these two statements don't immediately seem very connected, it's important to observe how the Action Plan attempts to create some form of unity between global and local visions of the role of education. Education is recognized not just as a necessity for “resilient communities”, but even as a potent tool for national security at the domestic policy level.
Furthermore, the Action Plan attempts to address all of the explicit goals of the SDGs, but it also integrates one of the primary and unique implicit goals of the SDG: cultural development.
The NGO representatives at the conference pledged to “enhance educational understandings of 'tradition' and 'innovation' in a manner that preserves each culture’s unique perspectives and principles and is consistent with human rights and global citizenship.”
Including culture-aware provisions in development strategies has been the objective of Irina Bokova's UNESCO for the past half-decade, and it seems like the organization is reaping the fruits of its labor.
Also, terminal document of the conference aims to produce a set of new tools of international human rights: first is a request to civil society to formulate a “succinct definition of global citizenship that can be used in curricula around the world”; and second asks the UN member states to “create the position of Secretary-General’s Envoy to Civil Society to act as a liaison between the Secretary-General’s Office and Civil Society.”
Dr. Scott Carlin, Co-Chair of the conference and Associate Professor of Geography at Long Island University said: “NGOs from around the world brought passion and expertise to lively final consultations on the outcome document. We are grateful for all of the inputs received and very proud of the Gyeongju Action Plan.”
Dr. YuKang Choi, Co-Chair of the conference and NGO Representative to the United Nations for Dream Touch for All, said: “We hope that Gyeongju was an inspirational setting for finalizing a truly unifying action plan that will be useful for NGOs, wherever they are working.”
For the first time in the history of the DPI/NGO Conference, youth also developed and issued a Youth Declaration.
“Unfortunately youth are still not involved enough in policy making processes around the world,” said Ms. Saphira Rameshfar, Representative of the Ba’hai Community to the United Nations and youth representative at the conference.
“The Youth Declaration is a necessary reminder that young people are needed as leaders and decision-makers not only in youth forums and special-purpose councils, but in those spaces where the course and direction of society as a whole are determined,” added Ms. Rameshfar.
About the author: Akshan de Alwis is Diplomatic Courier’s United Nations Correspondent.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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Breaking Down the UN’s Gyeongju Action Plan
Night view of Anapji pond in Gyeongju South Korea
June 8, 2016
The United Nations has couched the recent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of cooperation and engagement with civil society. But many activists have been cautious of this outreach - as aspirations are not always actualized. The efforts concluded this week at the 66th United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) / Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Conference might perhaps provide some proof of the UN's partnership-building plans.
Spring boarding off off the monumental SDGs, ratified last year, the UN DPI/NGO Conference allowed for the United Nations to interface with academia and NGO representatives. The focus of the conference, held in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, was on SDG 4, which guarantees quality education for all.
The crowning achievement of the three-day long symposium was the The Gyeongju Action Plan, finalized on June 1. The Action Plan provides concrete guidance for NGOs around the world to enhance their ability to lobby governments for commitment to implementing the SDGs, and to mobilize NGOs in communities on the ground.
“This conference has demonstrated another example of the value for the United Nations in investing in partnership with academia and NGOs,” said Ms. Cristina Gallach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information.
“The United Nations is committed to continue to support and partner with NGOs and academia in our joint efforts to advocate for and successfully implement the 2030 Agenda,” Ms. Gallach added. “Youth have also come in great numbers, demonstrating the value that they see in partnering with the United Nations.”
The Gyeongju Action Plan includes a series of concrete measures as a reference for NGOs around the world to jump start implementation of the 2030 Agenda, at the grass roots level.
Within the Action Plan are a number of notable developments that interestingly blend aspects of bottom-up oriented NGO perspectives with the UN's international human rights law geist.
For example, the Action Plan notes that “education for global citizenship is an essential strategy to address global challenges as well as [...] prevent violence, including violent extremism.” At the same time, it also acknowledges that “local knowledge and best practices should be incorporated into practical educational strategies for resilient communities and sustainable agriculture.”
While these two statements don't immediately seem very connected, it's important to observe how the Action Plan attempts to create some form of unity between global and local visions of the role of education. Education is recognized not just as a necessity for “resilient communities”, but even as a potent tool for national security at the domestic policy level.
Furthermore, the Action Plan attempts to address all of the explicit goals of the SDGs, but it also integrates one of the primary and unique implicit goals of the SDG: cultural development.
The NGO representatives at the conference pledged to “enhance educational understandings of 'tradition' and 'innovation' in a manner that preserves each culture’s unique perspectives and principles and is consistent with human rights and global citizenship.”
Including culture-aware provisions in development strategies has been the objective of Irina Bokova's UNESCO for the past half-decade, and it seems like the organization is reaping the fruits of its labor.
Also, terminal document of the conference aims to produce a set of new tools of international human rights: first is a request to civil society to formulate a “succinct definition of global citizenship that can be used in curricula around the world”; and second asks the UN member states to “create the position of Secretary-General’s Envoy to Civil Society to act as a liaison between the Secretary-General’s Office and Civil Society.”
Dr. Scott Carlin, Co-Chair of the conference and Associate Professor of Geography at Long Island University said: “NGOs from around the world brought passion and expertise to lively final consultations on the outcome document. We are grateful for all of the inputs received and very proud of the Gyeongju Action Plan.”
Dr. YuKang Choi, Co-Chair of the conference and NGO Representative to the United Nations for Dream Touch for All, said: “We hope that Gyeongju was an inspirational setting for finalizing a truly unifying action plan that will be useful for NGOs, wherever they are working.”
For the first time in the history of the DPI/NGO Conference, youth also developed and issued a Youth Declaration.
“Unfortunately youth are still not involved enough in policy making processes around the world,” said Ms. Saphira Rameshfar, Representative of the Ba’hai Community to the United Nations and youth representative at the conference.
“The Youth Declaration is a necessary reminder that young people are needed as leaders and decision-makers not only in youth forums and special-purpose councils, but in those spaces where the course and direction of society as a whole are determined,” added Ms. Rameshfar.
About the author: Akshan de Alwis is Diplomatic Courier’s United Nations Correspondent.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
