YOUTH'S CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMEN GOALS

The first Plenary Session «Youth’s Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)» was organized within the Global University Summit, which is being held at Al-Farabi KazNU.

The event was moderated by the representative of the UN Department of Global Communications, Vlastimil Samek. The discussion of agenda issues was attended by Igor Rogov, Deputy Executive Director of the Foundation for the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy, Sandon Hwan, Secretary General of the SUN Assembly, Professor of the Hankuk University of Foreign Languages (Korea), Philippe Martine, Ambassador of France to Kazakhstan, Ben Souter, Senior Vice President of QS Ltd and others.

It was noted that in order to achieve the goals of sustainable development, it is strategically important that young people become the bearer of its values and driving force. According to numerous studies, people, who were born after 2001 already make up about 32 percent of the total population in the world. It is they who receive higher education today and begin labor activity. In this regard, the role of universities as a center of knowledge and traditional values is difficult to overestimate.

«Universities are launching platforms, they determine the development path of not only the graduate, but the nation as a whole. The times when universities provided education once and for a lifetime have long passed. Today, education is no longer the privilege of youth and is becoming a lifelong process. Investing in human capital brings the highest returns in the modern world. Aspects of sustainable development, reflecting the most important problems of mankind, can and should be reflected not only in the educational, but also in the research activities of universities», - said Igor Rogov.

According to the SUN Assembly Secretary General Sandon Hwan, universities are centers of academic activity. Currently, the Organization is developing projects that can be effectively implemented in conjunction with international organizations. This is the project «Marco Polo of the 21st Century» - the intersection of the Silk Road from Venice to South Korea. In addition, the sea expedition of the Silk Road from Malaki to Muscat in Oman and to the southern ports of Iran. Students from all over the world are invited to participate in it.

Philippe Martine, Ambassador of France to Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue with youth. «We have created about 100 scholarships for Kazakhstani students, with the provision of training opportunities for sustainable development. For several years, our fruitful cooperation with the Kazakh National University has continued, and the Geo-Energy Center has been functioning effectively. Next year we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Center, and we plan to transform it into an Institute. We also hope for the development of partnerships not only in the energy sector, but also in other areas», - he said.

At the end of the event, the meeting participants exchanged experiences, identified promising areas for strengthening international cooperation.

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