BKMC features at the partnership fair of the “SDG Inspiration Day”

November 7, 2018

“SDG Inspiration Day: The Power of Partnerships to advance the SDGs” was hosted by BKMC partner RELX Group in Zaandam near Amsterdam, the Netherlands on November 6th, 2018. The Centre’s Board Member Márcia Balisciano, who is Director of Corporate Responsibility at RELX, delivered welcome remarks at the opening session.

During the event, the Centre participated in the partnership fair, introducing the vision, mission, and work of the Centre to the participants of the event and potential partners. During the Expert Cafe workout session, people went around the round tables to exchange ideas on how to advance the SDGs. Some of the discussion topics included, but were not limited to, dealing with cultural gaps, addressing the importance of education, building an effective partnership, and empowering the young generation in Africa.

Since RELX Group launched SDG Resource Center to provide a free, interactive education platform curating content related to sustainability research in June 2017, the group has also organized “SDG Inspiration Day” events to inspire more people with the goals and to help them inspire others. As an early signatory of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), RELX uses the SDGs to chart the participation of businesses in achieving the goals.

For more information on the “SDG Inspiration Day” in Amsterdam 2018, visit the event website: https://info.relxgroup.com/nl-sdg-event-2018/index.html
The “SDG Inspiration Day” previously held in San Francisco can be watched on RELX Group’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/REEnvChallenge

The Ban Ki-moon Centre Hosts Workshop on “The Global Citizen Mindset” at JCI World Congress in Goa, India

November 4, 2018

On November 1st, 2018, the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens hosted and facilitated a workshop at Junior Chamber International’s (JCI) World Congress in Goa, India.

The session was entitled “The Global Citizen Mindset.” It focused on advocacy and included examples of best practices which were featured on the panel. Besides sharing best practices, the session helped participants learn more about opportunities to engage in advocacy both through JCI-led initiatives and other global initiatives.

The first part of the session included an introduction of advocacy, global citizenship, and the Ban Ki-moon Centre as well as a short presentation by the Kofi Annan Foundation’s Extremely Together initiative working to combat violent extremism. In addition to receiving an overview of the initiative, a representative from Extremely Together, Hassan Ndugwa from Uganda, shared his personal experience with violent extremism with the participants.

After this, a panel was invited to the stage to share their insights. The panel included Maud Roure from Extremely Together and the Kofi Annan Foundation, Adetola Juyitan from I am Africa Nigera, Pascal Dike from Peace is Possible, Kevin Hin from Step Up  For Europe, and Heidi Solba from Let’s Do it World and World Cleanup Day.

During the panel, the panelists were asked about the challenges young people face in building and growing movements and what it takes for movements to have sustainable societal and political impact.

Following the Q&A, participants split up into groups with the panelists for round-table discussions. During the round-table discussions, participants considered the challenges as well as the solutions they have encountered in their own work or in the work of other initiatives. They also discussed which community stake-holders must be engaged in order to address issues in a powerful and meaningful way.

After the round-table discussions, the facilitator shared the different ways to get involved with the initiatives spotlighted at the session and encouraged those present to engage as advocates with a “global citizen mindset.”

The Ban Ki-moon Centre looks forward to partnership with JCI on more exciting events in the future. Learn more about the initiatives mentioned and find out ways to get involved by clicking on the names that are linked to their websites.

Ban Ki-moon Centre Presents at JCI World Congress in Goa

November 3, 2018

Last week, the Ban Ki-moon Centre participated in its partner Junior Chamber International’s (JCI)‘s World Congress in Goa, India. The Centre was introduced to the JCI community at the General Assembly during which a video greeting from Co-chair Heinz Fischer was also screened and shared with the audience from all over the world.

The Ban Ki-moon Centre also hosted a workshop “The Global Citizen Mindset” and featured advocacy specialists. The workshop aimed to help participants understand the concept of advocacy and the role young people can play in advocating for causes they care about. It also emphasized different opportunities to engage with advocacy globally.

JCI is non-profit organization for young active citizens between the ages of 18-40 committed to creating positive impact in their communities. JCI has members around the world and seeks to help them in developing the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to make informed decisions, and most importantly, to take action for positive change.

 

JCI’s mission is:

“To provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change”

Every year, JCI holds a week-long World Congress including trainings, workshops, social and networking events, and meetings with its leadership and General Assembly. As JCI is a valued partner of the Ban Ki-moon Centre that promotes the notion of global citizenship and the importance of youth empowerment, Secretary-General Arrey Obenson of JCI is on the Board of the Centre.

During the opening ceremony of the world congress, national presidents took to the stage while displaying their countries’ flags and inciting cheers from the audience. However, as much as national pride was celebrated, the collective mission of JCI and its members was the overarching theme.

Learn more about the JCIWC: http://www.jciwc2018.com/

The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens partners with UNESCO APCEIU to collaborate on GCED

October 23, 2018

Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and UNESCO APCEIU (Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding under the auspices of UNESCO) signed an MOU on October 19th, 2018.

Both Centres aim to promote global citizenship through education to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The APCEIU organizes annual international conference on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and provides online courses, workshops, and various other platforms to share their expertise and knowledge on GCED.

Last month, the Ban Ki-moon Centre participated in the APCEIU’s 3rd International Conference on GCED; Co-chair Ban Ki-moon delivered congratulatory remarks and CEO Monika Froehler moderated a session on “GCED Talks.” The conference provided “an active platform to promote dialogue and share up-to-date issues and good practices of global citizenship education,” said APCEIU Director Utak Chung.

As Co-chair Ban emphasized that “nothing can be done without good education,” both institutions will cooperate to provide quality education on global citizenship. Scholarships, fellowships, workshops, and other academic programs will be jointly initiated to spread the notion of global citizenship with a focus on empowering women and youth across the world.

Photo: UNESCO APCEIU

Ban Ki-moon Centre Hosts the First Breakfast Hub for Women Organizations

May 29, 2018

Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens invited women leaders and change makers from international organizations and NGOs in Austria to the Centre’s first breakfast hub. The breakfast hub was intended to create a network among like-minded people and to seek for ways to empower women and to reach gender equality, also in the light of Sustainable Development Goal 5 of the United Nations.

The CEO of the Ban Ki-moon Centre Monika Froehler gave welcome remarks and a brief overview of the Centre´s activities. She was followed by two keynote speakers on “women empowerment”, Mrs. Désirée Schweitzer, the President of the UN Women National Committee Austria and the Director General of the Department for International Development at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mrs. Lilly Sucharipa, the former President of the UN Women National Committee Austria.

Schweitzer highlighted how many women and girls are experiencing domestic violence and sexual harassment as well as forced childhood marriage.

Furthermore, she argued that “women provide 2.6 times more unpaid care and domestic work than men. Women still hold a mere 23.7% of parliamentry seats” and that “in the private sector, women globally occupy less than a third of senior and middle-management positions.” Schweitzer urged that “we have to work together to change this step by step.”

Sucharipa also emphasized that “not only the SDG 5, but all the other SDGs are important in connection with lives of women.” “If it is clean water or affordable energy; if it is health or economic empowerment, extremely important, and the most important education,” she said that “all these goals play into women’s lives and have to be considered when you talk about women.”

During the networking and brainstorming session, the participants actively shared the challenges and ideas for women empowerment in all national, regional, and global levels and how the solutions can be connected to the concept of global citizenship.

CEO Monika Froehler Conducts Workshop at the Regional Academy on the United Nations 2018

May 11, 2018

The CEO Monika Froehler of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens was invited to give a lecture-workshop at the Regional Academy on the United Nations (RAUN) held at the Vienna International Centre today. RAUN is an international and multi-disciplinary program that allows youth to discuss issues related to the UN and international affairs. Participants are Master and PhD students who get to conduct group research projects in close cooperation with an international organization like UNDP, UNODC, UNIDO, UNEP, IOM, OSCE etc. This year’s theme is “Innovations for Development: Towards Peaceful, Sustainable and Inclusive Societies.”

During the workshop, 48 students learned about the Ban Ki-moon Centre’s vision and work and participated in group works on the topic of global citizenship. The students were split into working groups to brainstorm and exchange ideas about the concept of global citizenship and how to effectively promote it. One speaker of each group presented on the outcomes of their discussion. The winner team was awarded the Ban Ki-moon Centre pin.

The first sessions of this year´s RAUN class were held in Bratislava and Vienna from May 9-11. The RAUN scholars will continue their journey to Budapest in September and come back to Vienna from 15-18 in January 2019. The academic responsibility for the program is carried by the RAUN project manager headquartered in Vienna.

With assistance from mentors, UN practitioners and guest lecturers, the participants will write research papers which will be published through RAUN. Their research will result in the students developing their knowledge in respective areas, integrate theoretical knowledge on policy situations, advance practical thinking, obtain methodological tools for research, and advance their competence to analyze.

Source: http://www.ra-un.org/