Symbiosis to Host Sustainable Development Goals conference

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has listed down 17 goals that have to be achieved by numerous nations by 2030. These goals include ending poverty of all kind, making sure education reaches all, gender equality, ending hunger and providing nutrition, sanitation and optimum usage of clean and sustainable energy. However, there are several obstacles that lie on the way to achieve these goals. ‘Transforming India 2030: Strategies for Sustainable Development Goals’ is a conference being held by Symbiosis International University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FoHSS) that aims to tackle the challenges the SDGs will face in India by holding discussions on existing policy framework with eminent speakers and students.

Speaking about the conference at a press meet, Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, Principal Director, Symbiosis Society explains, that involving students from all over country and bringing in various academicians will help overcome the challenges to attain these goals in India, “We must build smart cities as well as sustainable cities. We are getting in academicians from India and abroad. The outcome of this conference will be the policy papers that will be prepared by the participating students and speakers. These policy papers will be forwarded to the district collector in Pune so that it can be implemented and we can know the impact here.”

Dr Jyoti Chandiramani, Director and Dean of FoHSS, explains that she has been planning this conference for a year. She also mentioned that this was the first time a university approached the UN to have such a conference. “Our students are the future generation. By 2022, India will have the largest population. These goals have to be achieved by 2030. There are several challenges to these goals. The data, financing, measure and evaluation of the policy has to be done. Students will be coming from different cities, states and countries.”

The conference will be held from February 15 to 17. The inauguration will take place on February 15, 6pm at Vishwabhavan Auditorium, Symbiosis Campus, S B Road. The inaugural ceremony will be attended by Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in India, Professor Sukhadeo Thorat, Chairman of Indian Council of Social Science Research and Professor Dilip Nachane, Professor Emeritus, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research and member, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council.

The conference on the second day will move to Lavale at the Symbiosis campus and will see a number of UN officials, academicians, scholars and students present.

Vijayta Lalwani