CIFAL Victoria will deliver training activities and research for students, staff, faculty and the community that builds on UVic's deep commitments to the UN SDGs and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It will connect the region with the global community and support international knowledge-sharing and partnerships, with a focus on four key themes:

• Oceans, climate and sustainability
• Innovation and entrepreneurship
• Decolonization and Indigenous knowledge
• Global health and well-being

While we have four areas of focus, we will be supporting work toward all 17 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and empowering individuals, communities, businesses and organizations to effectively address global challenges and improve well-being,

said Catherine Krull, director, CIFAL Victoria. “The centre will jointly offer training programs and research with our partners that will build capacity, facilitate the transfer of knowledge, experience and best practices, and encourage partnerships and networking opportunities.”

CIFAL Victoria is one of 24 UNITAR-affiliated training centres for government authorities across Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, all coordinated by UNITAR’s social development programme. The central purpose of CIFAL training programs is to develop and strengthen human capacities to better respond to development challenges and to facilitate City-to-City (C2C) partnerships.

CIFAL is the French acronym for Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders. UNITAR is the UN training arm with a strategy focused on achieving the SDGs and supporting governments to implement the 2030 agenda.

“The CIFAL Global Network meets a crucial need to strengthen capacities to better address development challenges and exchange good practices amongst local authorities, academia, the private sector and the United Nations,” says Estrella Merlos, associate director of UNITAR’s CIFAL Global Network. “Through knowledge exchange, CIFAL centres provide networking opportunities that lead to partnerships and collaboration. The launch of a new CIFAL centre at the University of Victoria will provide a platform that builds regional and global capacity and leadership to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. CIFAL Victoria will serve as a catalyst and connector for North America’s West Coast.”