Representatives from the United Nations in Papua New Guinea advocated for the Sustainable Development Goals in Port Moresby schools reaching over 1,200 students ranging from grade 1 to grade 12.
The school program known as “UN4U” has been running for years to bring the work of the United Nations and development issues into schools to build their knowledge and expose students to global perspectives.
This year, the sessions with students focused on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a set of global milestones to which the Government of Papua New Guinea is a signatory.
The milestone goals cover economic, social and environmental development aspects. They are directly interlinked to the lives of the people of Papua New Guinea which will improve them over a fifteen-year period.
Everyone needs to understand the Sustainable Development Goals and how their attainment will improve people’s lives and what it will take to achieve these Goals.
Students from Paradise Private Secondary School, Port Moresby International School, Hohola Demonstration School, Ted Diro Primary School, St Francis Community School, and St Theresa Primary School have participated in interactive sessions about the Goals in November and December. Students showed great interest and expressed their important views on various social issues linked to these Goals.
Roy Trivedy, the UN Resident Coordinator in PNG, stated that contributing to the UN4U programme, meeting with students and discussing important global and national issues with them, is always inspirational.
Trivedy said that while the young people do learn about our work, UN representatives also learn from the students and their teachers.
“The Sustainable Development Goals aim to leave no one behind, so each of us has a role to play, including students and youth” said Trivedy.
Education is a powerful tool to build and transform a country through the power of knowledge. The United Nations in PNG will continue to work together with teachers and students.
United Nations in Papua New Guinea will continue the programme in 2017. Schools interested in participating should contact Communications Specialist at the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO) Ms Chika Kondoh on Email: chika.kondoh@one.un.org
Phone: (675) 321 2877
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