An upcoming online hui centred around the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals will focus specifically on youth, exploring how young people can help lead the way towards a brighter future.
The hui is the first of three and forms part of the 2020-2021 Aotearoa/New Zealand Sustainable Development Goals Summit Series, which Lincoln University is co-hosting with the University of Canterbury (UC).
The United Nations has called for “a decade of action” to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework to achieve this.
The first hui of the Summit Series, called See the Change, will be held on 19 November and is aimed at helping participants to understand the SDGs.
The keynote speaker is 13-year-old climate activist Lucy Gray, who was at Beckenham School when she helped organise last year’s School Strike for Climate in Christchurch. However, she says “you don’t have to start a protest to find your voice and be effective”.
Now a Cashmere High School student, Lucy is passionate about the Summit Series and describes it as a great opportunity to take action on sustainability and “stop feeling powerless”.
Following talks from Lucy, Ngāi Tahu youth activist Tāmati Cunningham and other leading advocates for sustainability (including Ara Institute of Canterbury Principal Lecturer in Sustainable Practice, Allen Hill, and Waikato Wellbeing Project’s Raewyn Jones), participants of the first hui will be able to take part in a Q&A session.
They’ll then be asked to join one of two streams, depending on whether they are new to the SDGs or more familiar with them.
The entire Summit Series is supported by Ara, the Christchurch City Council and Christchurch NZ, and includes three online hui and one in-person summit.
The second hui explores how individuals can play a part in meeting the goals and the third looks at ways for communities to work together to achieve them.
The final summit, which investigates the role of collaboration and positive systemic change.
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Online Hui #1 – See the Change, 19 November, 6.30-8.30pm. Tickets are $15 or free for youth. Book at Humantix.
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Online Hui #2 – Be the Change, March 2021, TBC
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Online Hui #3 – Work Together for Change, June 2021, TBC
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Summit Event – Collaboration for Systemic Change, September 2021, TBC
The Summit Series fits perfectly with Lincoln University’s Sustainability Policy, which outlines the institution’s commitment to be an international leader in promoting and achieving sustainable practices.
Read more about sustainability at Lincoln.
