Global Festival of Ideas in Bonn World’s first interactive conference on sustainable development

Bonn · Global activists, business leaders and experts gathered in Bonn to kick off the first interactive conference on sustainable development. Over 1,000 experts from around the world are in Bonn for the meeting.

Global Festival of Ideas in Bonn

Global Festival of Ideas in Bonn

Foto: Benjamin Westhoff

The first ever Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development kicked off on Wednesday in Bonn. 1,000 experts and activists from over 80 countries are meeting until Friday, exchanging new ideas and networking about approaches for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The first day of the Festival featured the launch of the UN SDG Action Campaign and the opening of the Global Campaign Center in Bonn.

Sustainability has been primarily addressed as an ecological issue until now, says the director of the Action Campaign, Mitchell Toomley. But social problems belong at the center of attention as well. The goal of the conference is to show people what is already happening. As well, Toomley believes that new ways are needed to get more people engaged. The Ideas Festival should take place annually in the UN city of Bonn in the future.

The Director of Communications for the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), which is one of the organizers of the event, put emphasis on the the value of international exchange and collaboration. Director Ishbel Matheson emphasized that concrete steps are needed to reach the development goals by 2030, “We need a revolution,” she said.

One and a half years ago, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. The goals are aimed at ending hunger and poverty, protecting the planet, ensuring prosperity for everyone, and reducing inequality within and between countries. (Original: dpa)

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