First Summer School with Objectives for Sustainable Development
In July, Marseille welcomed the first summer school with Objectives for Sustainable Development (OSD), an event organised by the Institute of Development Research (IDR), Aix-Marseille University (AMU) and the French Development Agency (FDA).
Scientists, researchers, representatives from UN agencies, managers from NGOs…over 200 participants of 40 nationalities have got together to contribute to realising the 2030 Agenda for the benefit of future generations. Climactic risk, poverty and famine in the amount to big challenges for our planet and which, in the coming years, Marseille could play a undeniable part in.
“Facing the enormity of the economic, social and environmental challenges which make up the state of the planet at the beginning of the 21st century, the scientific and university communities from the North and the South have a specific role to play with their contribution to worldwide progress of knowledge and promotion of useful research to achieve the OSDs adopted by the UN at the end of 2015”, say Jean-Paul Moatti, CEO of the IRD and Yvon Berl and, President of the AMU. For the organisers of this summer school, the researchers provide both concrete solutions as well as “stimuli” – policies to develop countries, whether they are in the North or the South. The implementation of the OSDs needs all round conscientiousness for states as well as citizens. This is why it is important to fully underst and the objectives and the problems. This new kind of school children has taken it upon itself to make the effects shown on a local level.
Two days were dedicated to analysing the essential subjects to meet the OSDs. Over the following three days, the participants focussed on the topics of health, environment and inequality to try and come up with some possible solutions to answer these global issues.