MONDAY, JULY 17, 2017
NEW YORK, NY — During a week where government representatives and civil society from around the world gather in New York for the UN's High-level Political Forum (HLPF)—the annual conference that gauges the progress of each country in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Voluntary National Reviews—the 16+ Forum held its Mid-Year Expo on July 17, 2017, at the Institute of International Education.
The 16+ Forum Mid-Year Expo provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to focus on Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16)—what it means to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions,” how it is reflected in the Voluntary National Reviews, and its interlinkages to those SDGs highlighted at this year's HLPF. Organized in two parts, the event opened with an interactive discussion where we heard from the following experts in the field:
- H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Estuardo Moir Sandoval, Minister, Planning and Programming Secretariat of the Presidency, Guatemala
- H.E. Mr. Roberto Soares, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timor-Leste
- H.E. Mr. Jinkyu Jeong, Director General, International Development Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea
- Ms. Katerina Fialkova, Director of Multilateral Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Czech Republic
- Ms. Elene Agladze, Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Georgia to the United Nations
- Mr. Riadh Ben Sliman, Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the United Nations
- Ms. Jimena Leiva Roesch, Research Fellow, International Peace Institute
A reception followed during which member states, civil society, private sector representatives and other stakeholders spoke directly about the implementation of SDG 16+ at national and local levels, its accompanying challenges and opportunities, how related policies and programs can magnify impact, and the partnerships that foster sustainability. Browse our Twitter summary of the discussion here.
Learning from best practices, innovative efforts, and success stories, the 16+ Forum is a knowledge-sharing space for the community of interested actors.
