19 May 2020, Atlanta, USA – UNITAR in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Kennesaw State University and CIFAL Atlanta hosted a virtual showcase to present their “Youth & Sustainable Development Goals” online training programme aimed at empowering young leaders to implement solutions that advance the global goals.

Georgia Institute of Technology President Dr. Angel Cabrera presented this new e-learning programme, sharing his vision for global collaboration and local action to help solve big challenges in the 21st century.  “Global collaboration is essential, as is local action,” Dr. Cabrera highlighted during the presentation.

The main objective of this six-week e-learning programme is to provide intensive training to youth on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its targets, while encouraging them to design and implement a community project related to one of the SDGs. Through interactive content, animations, pop-up questions and comprehensive quizzes, participants will test and practice their knowledge on sustainable development.

During the two-hour virtual showcase held on 13 May 2020 with over 100 participants, Fellows of the RCE Greater Atlanta Youth Network presented the contents of the programme, highlighting SDGs and targets related to poverty, education, climate change, environment, peace and justice. In addition, some of the case studies featured in the online programme were presented by local and international partners, including the Center for Sustainable Communities, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Comunidad Connect, and Georgia Tech Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain.

Honorable Ms. Nadia Theodore, Consul General of Canada in Atlanta, joined the virtual showcase to present Canada’s approach to the SDGs, stressing “the need for collaboration…to ensure we leave no one behind”.

UNITAR is proud to be part and support the Youth & SDGs online training programme as it is an effort that reflects the spirit behind the SDGs – which is collaboration and multi-stakeholder partnerships. This online programme is the result of the contributions from Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, CIFAL Atlanta, RCE Greater Atlanta Youth Network, private corporations, the Consular Corps and civil society based in Atlanta.

This six-week e-learning programme has been developed by youth and for youth. The RCE Greater Atlanta Youth Network has been instrumental in helping develop this online programme, demonstrating how youth want and are already contributing to sustainable development. Their impact and example goes beyond greater Atlanta, commented Ms. Estrella Merlos from UNITAR’s Division for People.

“Almost 300 individuals from 73 countries have pre-registered for the online programme prior to this virtual showcase”, mentioned to Dr. Binbin Jiang, Director of Kennesaw State University’s Division of Global Affairs and Director of CIFAL Atlanta.

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The online programme is open and free to anyone by registering here:

https://www.unitar.org/event/full-catalog/youth-sustainable-development-goals