DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 09th Mar, 2021) In the United Arab Emirates, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) resonate so strongly and their multifaceted approach to development is reflected in its own strategic vision, both at home and abroad, which looks beyond just GDP as a measure of our worth, stated Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, Director General of EXPO - 2020 Dubai Bureau, and Chairperson of the National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals.
''From a domestic perspective, it incorporates access to opportunity, through quality education and healthcare. It has inspired the appointment of Ministers for Youth, Tolerance, Happiness and the Future. And it demands not just of governments, but of the whole of society, if we are to achieve our collective goal of a smarter, cleaner and healthier future for all,'' said Reem Al Hashemy in a keynote address on the Global Goals as part of Expo Talks.
''Overseas, meanwhile, this approach has been demonstrated through decades of partnership and collaboration. The UAE has long been one of the world's largest donors of official development aid, relative to national income, and we are at the forefront of global vaccine delivery and logistics, speeding much-needed doses to those countries that need them most. We are also the founders of the Global Council on Sustainable Development Goals, an outcome of the 2018 World Government Summit and a platform for interdisciplinary stakeholders from government, international organisations, academia and the private sector, to share and explore innovative approaches to global challenges.'' ''The success of this partnership-based philosophy, she added, was reflected in global support for our hosting of Expo, when the member states of the Bureau International des Expositions once more affirmed their belief and their passion for an Expo in Dubai.'' ''We do all this and more because it is our way, our history and our future. And we know instinctively, as well as through decades of experience, that for any community to truly develop, then there must be equal and dignified opportunity for all. We can’t stand out if we’re not inclusive. And we can’t do it at all, if we’re not altogether,'' she further added.
''This principle will underpin our gathering at Expo 2020 Dubai in October. More than 200 nations and international organisations, and millions of visitors, convening at a site that is effectively a city of the future, today. One that is smart and sustainable and supremely multicultural. One that can act as a data point for our journey towards Agenda 2030: how are we doing, and what changes can we make to ensure we keep on track?'' One of the focuses of our Expo, Al Hashemy continued, and in particular our three thematic pavilions, is to show people how we can get there. To help them imagine how they can contribute tangibly to solutions for global challenges so that together we move the needle on our ambitions from difficult... to possible, to probable and one day inevitable.
''Our Opportunity Pavilion is a testament to the 2030 Agenda and the power of the individual as an agent of change. Titled ‘Mission: Possible’, the pavilion experience imagines a world in which our finite resources might be turned to infinite uses, through smart and innovative solutions... and it shows us an empathetic world, one in which conversation and connection can inform positive acts and practices, enabling us all to lead our best lives while taking individual responsibility for collective existence,'' she said.
''Meanwhile, in our Sustainability Pavilion, Terra, which is already open to the public, we help visitors to understand the environmental impact of the daily choices they make. The building itself deploys cutting-edge innovations which enable it to create its own electricity and water, and after Expo has closed its doors the pavilion will become a youth science centre, in the future city known as District 2020.'' So far we have welcomed more than 50,000 visitors to Terra, and we’ve been asking them what impact this unique experience might have on their everyday behaviour. To our delightful surprise, almost 97 percent of all visitors who came confirmed that they will change their behaviour and be more cognisant of the fragile environment in which we live.
''It’s a positive, aspirational and practical experience. And just as agenda 2030 is framed in a spirit of optimism for the future, we share this hope and will do everything in our power to realise it. We will engage and empower. We will embrace purposeful participation. And we will acknowledge and help amplify real and potential progress.'' ''Over 100 nations and organisations have told us that they will be addressing the issues that run across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or will be highlighting their urgency during Expo’s six- month period. What they’ve also told us is that they are coming to Dubai with the intention of making new connections and building new partnerships with a view to leap-frogging ahead towards our collective target of Opportunity for All.'' This multilevel approach, motivating individuals to make the everyday changes that can make a generational impact... while also harnessing international cooperation for productive ends this is the philosophy of the UAE in action. And this is the breadth and power of a World Exposition,''she concluded.
Abdulla Lootah, Director General, UAE Prime Minister’s Office, and Deputy Chairperson of the National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals, said:''Sustainability is deeply rooted within our nation’s story Sustainability has always been part of our wise leadership’s vision and it shapes our people’s relationship with our past, present and future.'' The committee, he noted has succeeded in delivering outstanding projects that are seeding the grounds of an inclusive and sustainable ecosystem and driving sustainable change in the UAE and beyond.
''To ensure that no student or family was left out during those unprecedented times, the Ministry of Education, the lead agency for SDG 4 – Quality Education, and the Telecommunications and Regulatory Authority, worked closely together to ensure all families with children at school, had internet access at home.'' On the medical front, he added, no one will ever forget the great dedication and sacrifices of our Front-Line Heroes during the pandemic. As of 28 February 2021, the UAE ranked second globally by the Our World in Data index in ‘Vaccinations administered per 100 people’ indicator
