Launch Event for the project second-year cycle: Promoting sustainable development through UNESCO’s programmes and sites

The joint project from UNESCO and the abrdn Charitable Foundation (aCF), ‘Promoting sustainable development through UNESCO’s programmes and sites’,  aims to promote sustainable development through UNESCO designated sites (Biosphere Reserves, Global Geoparks and Natural World Heritage sites). The project works through a total of 15 sites in 3 years, and the first-year cycle has recently come to an end; in June of this year, the advisory board selected 5 new UNESCO designated sites for the second cycle of the project.

The launch event will bring together the sites identified for second year, as well as those from the first-year cycle to exchange experiences and share hands-on knowledge. The 5 sites from the first cycle will present the results achieved through their projects, including local impact, link with SDGs and best practices to be scaled up at a broader level; the 5 sites from the second cycle will introduce their projects, the expected results and next steps to be implemented.

During one of the round table sessions, the sites will discuss their project’s contribution to achieving the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, notably SDG 4 - quality education, SDG 6 - clean water and sanitation, SDG 13 - climate action, SDG 14 - life below water, and SDG 15 - life on land. By promoting sustainable development through education, research and innovation, UNESCO designated sites can provide concrete solutions to some of our biggest challenges.

• Promoting sustainable development through UNESCO’s programmes and sites
• Promoting sustainable development through UNESCO’s programmes and sites across Europe and North America: 5 new sites selected