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The CIFAL Global Network is UNITAR's network of International Training Centres, dedicated to provide innovative training to strengthen the capacities of government officials and leaders to advance sustainable development. Our CIFAL centers are jointly managed with 14 partner institutions and deliver some 70 training activities every year.

September 2015

Editorial: Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be adopted in a few weeks by the United Nations General Assembly. This ambitious development agenda will guide the action of states in terms of development for the next 15 years, at international, national and local levels.

Like the Millennium Development Goals, this new agenda provides a set of development targets towards which all countries and stakeholders will work. Unlike the previous framework, the Post-2015 agenda places a strong emphasis on partnerships and highlights a much bigger role for the private sector in contributing to sustainable development. The sheer scale of the changes needed means that they cannot be accomplished without the mobilisation of a "Global Partnership" (Goal 17). This includes national governments, local authorities, the private sector, international organizations, financial institutions, academic institutions and civil society. We encourage you to read these new development goals, available here .

UNITAR's CIFAL Global Network is playing a critical role in communicating the SDGs and raising awareness of the universality of the agenda, ensuring understanding and ownership, especially by local governments and stakeholders. Our 14 affiliated training centres are committed to provide targeted capacity building to support national and local plans to implement the SDGs, while promoting multi-stakeholder partnerships.

We invite you to read more about our activities and upcoming events in this newsletter!

Selected Upcoming Activities

International Forum on Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development

UNITAR, in partnership with the French Government, the urban agglomeration of Annemasse, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe are hosting the inaugural “International Forum on PPPs for Sustainable Development”, bringing together high level decision-makers from the public and private sectors, civil society leaders and key stakeholders for a dynamic and open discussion on how public-private partnerships can serve as a tool to achieve sustainable development. The Forum will inform the upcoming 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP 21).

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Promoting the Creative Economy in Brazil

The creative economy is transforming our world today due to its vast potential for development. It is one of the most rapidly growing sectors of the world economy, not only in terms of income generation but also for job creation. Human creativity and innovation are the key drivers of creative economies. CIFAL Curitiba is offering a series of ten workshops aimed at empowering creative entrepreneurs and educating local leaders to promote creative economy opportunities for the general society.

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Sustainable Cities through Integrated Wastewater Management

Many cities in the Asia-pacific region are suffering from problems related to an unsafe or unsuitable water quality. There is a growing need for adopting an integrated wastewater management approach that integrates social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development across geographic borders. CIFAL Jeju’s training workshop aims to provide an overview of clean and sustainable strategy options for holistic waste management, while strengthening participants' understanding of available state-of-the-art wastewater treatment technologies.

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Roundtable Discussion "Implementing the SDGs - The role of local governments and the private sector"

Following the 70th Regular Session of the General Assembly in New York on 13 October 2015, UNITAR and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe will host this dialogue among local government officials and private sector leaders aimed at promoting public-private cooperation and investment in the infrastructure required to achieve the SDGs.

Renewable Energies for Developing Countries: Environmental Necessity and Economic Opportunity

Development is not possible without energy, and sustainable development is not possible without sustainable energy. This online course provides a comprehensive overview of renewable energy as a mean to enable sustainable development in developing countries.

Capacity Building on Sustainable Tourism

The Sustainable Development Goals call for ensuring sustainable tourism. This training workshop aims to raise awareness about the importance of implementing policies that promote tourism and protect the environment. It will also provide a venue for local governments and cities from Asia-Pacific to exchange sustainable tourism best practices that will lead to city-to-city cooperation.

Learn more

CIFAL Mobile App

Download the CIFAL Global Network Mobile App!

Contact Us

50 years of UNITAR

Watch this video acknowledging UNITAR's 50 years of human empowerment!

UNITAR
International Environment House
Chemin des Anémones 11-13
CH-1219 Châtelaine
Geneva, Switzerland

T: +41 22 917 8400
F: +41 22 917 8047
E: cifalnetwork@unitar.org
DCP-CIFAL Global Network

Highlights

"Collaborative Leadership" Pilot Course at Palais des Nations

In anticipation of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), over 20 participants completed a UNITAR pilot course entitled, "Collaborative Leadership" to further understand and develop skills related to collaboration through sessions and practical activities. In light of the importance of collaboration in the United Nations system and on country level, UNITAR developed the training course entitled, "Collaborative Leadership," which was piloted in Geneva in the beginning of September. The pilot course covered topics such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), collaboration versus cooperation, barriers to collaboration, leadership, and skills that facilitate collaboration.

"The Value and Practice of Open Government Data" - The 17th Smart City Public Lecture Held in Shanghai

On 1 July 2015, CIFAL Shanghai hosted the 16th Smart City Public Lecture entitled, "Smart Education: Status Quo and the Future", in partnership with Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization and Shanghai Association of Sciences and Technology. The event brought together 47 participants from academia, public and private sectors, government, and others. The objective of this lecture was to raise awareness on how smart education global education resources can be shared and integrated seamlessly, how information technology and discipline can be deeply integrated, and how education can become ubiquitous, open and on demand.

Implementing the SDGs: How Engaged Young Leaders Will Make the Difference

CIFAL Atlanta led a training session on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the role that young professionals can play in implementing the new goals by engaging their local communities. The session was addressed to 25 young African leaders who were chosen to take part in The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. This six-week long fellowship programme is geared towards the preparation of future leaders in public and non-profit organizations and future scholars in public policy and administration. In particular, the experiences and skills attained are meant to allow Fellows to contribute to improving the accountability and transparency of government back home.

CIFAL Jeju Co-organizes International Workshop on Transforming Eco-Cities to Environmental Hubs through Holistic Waste Management

CIFAL Jeju convened thirteen central, state and local government officials and NGO workers from six different countries from Asia-Pacific for a four-day workshop on "Transforming Eco-Cities to Environmental Hubs through Holistic Waste Management." The event served as a platform to build capacities in sustainable strategy options for holistic waste management including contemporary city paradigms and international trends in transforming eco-cities to environmental hubs. The event also provided the space for in-depth knowledge and good practices sharing for city-to-city cooperation in formulating ways to finance transfer of technologies related to waste management and eco-towns/cities.

Special Envoy Lenin Moreno shares story at Reading Room Stories event

UNITAR, with the UNOG Library, hosted a Reading Room Story event with the Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility, Mr. Lenín Moreno. During this event, which was set up as a conversation between Mr. Moreno and the audience, he shared his personal story and insights about his UN mandate. Mr. Moreno is a former Vice-President of Ecuador who was nominated to the Nobel Peace Prize for his global achievements. He has a unique mandate to advocate for persons with disabilities and a more inclusive society. Under his leadership as Vice-President, his country advanced social inclusion and the integration of persons with disabilities into national development efforts.

UNITAR Starts Cooperation with UNECE on Public-Private Partnerships

As part of the cooperation between UNITAR and UNECE on issues pertaining to capacity building in PPPs, the Institute supported 'PPP Days 2015', a unique gathering that took place on 16-18 June 2015. As the governments of many developing countries are now placing a high priority on their involvement in PPPs, there is a growing need for skills development and training on key topic areas of PPPs, particularly as they relate to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The cooperation between UNITAR and UNECE also includes the upcoming 'International Forum on Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development' in Annemasse, Greater Geneva.