LONDON, July 15,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On June
27 and 28, BE OPEN Foundation took part in the panel
sessions of the MED9 Ministerial Summit for Education for
Sustainable Development and the UNECE Forum on ESD: Empowering
Youth for Sustainable Futures, two of the most important education
and sustainability focused events in the global agenda.
In her welcome message, the host Dr. Athena Michaelidou, Minister of
Education, Sports and Youth of Cyprus, explained the importance of
holding these events: "At this crucial juncture in human
history, where the urgency to address environmental challenges has
never been more abject, it is inspiring to witness such a diverse
forum that is dedicated to the cause of sustainability. Our
commitment to fostering Environmental and Sustainable Development
policies is not merely a directive; it is a moral imperative to
safeguard the future of our planet for generations to come. Central
to our discussions in these forums will be the pivotal role of
youth in driving ESD policies for a sustainable future. Imparting
young minds with the knowledge, skills, and passion for
environmental stewardship is paramount."
On June 27, at the Ministerial
Summit MED9, Director of BE OPEN Foundation Gennady Terebkov joined
Almotaz Aadi, Deputy Secretary General UFM; Christopher Castle, UNESCO; Sylvie Motard, UNEP Deputy Director Europe and
Tatyana Molcean, UNECE Executive Secretary; for the session
dedicated to strengthening cooperation and networking for ESD. BE
OPEN shared its experience of building a network of cooperation for
the maximization of the positive impact of the Foundation's
SDG-focused programme.
On June 28, at the UNECE Forum, BE
OPEN joined the session named 'Creating links between institutions
and other actors' aimed at fostering collaborations between
educational institutions and governments, businesses and civil
society. For both the events, BE OPEN prepared the very relevant
results and findings of its SDG-themed student competition
programme, demonstrated the positive outcome of cooperating with a
number of institutions and its commitment to help integrate
sustainability into curriculums of educational institutions
globally.
The purposes of BE OPEN's sustainability work were encapsulated
in the address by the Founder Elena
Baturina: "Achieving a sustainable tomorrow is
the task we have to impose on young people. What we must do today
is equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools to help them
address these challenges and build the mindset, the inner compass
that will guide them through turmoil towards a healthier and more
sustainable world for all. We at BE OPEN have always worked to
harness the brainpower of younger people, and five years ago, we
realised that sustainable development is the sphere that needs
their creative potential most. Since then, we have been
working globally to support the Sustainable Development
Goals and will continue to contribute to achieving them
via recognizing, showcasing and promoting the best ideas and
projects developed by the young."
Another contribution by BE OPEN into the UNECE Forum programme
was a lecture on the future of education by a world-renown futurist
Gerd Leonhard, attended by 300
participants from all over the world: young sustainability leaders,
entrepreneurs, educators and activists, as well as policymakers,
and representatives from NGOs and businesses interested in
fostering youth engagement in sustainability solutions.
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SOURCE BE OPEN Foundation