Global Goals Week 2019: a series of events and activities in Latvian municipalities
In the framework of the Global Goals Week 2019 the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments (LALRG) has organised the international seminar “Sustainable municipalities: inclusive, safe, resilient”. The seminar has taken place on 25 September in Riga, welcoming around 100 participants.
The event was devoted to the topic of sustainability and different perceptions of this term by European municipalities, ministries and NGOs. The audience was introduced with the best practice examples from municipalities in Belgium (VVSG), Lithuania and Latvia on how to promote sustainability through planning and management with the perspective of better life quality for our next generations.
“Inhabitants need stability in social and economic sphere, clean environment and opportunity to see concrete activities in their municipalities leading to sustainable development. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 “Sustainable cities and communities” is most directly connected with municipalities, reflecting what kind of future our inhabitants would like to see,” mentioned the Chairman of the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments Gints Kaminskis in the opening of the seminar.
As the side event of the international seminar, youth activities devoted to the UN Sustainable development goal 11 were taking place in Jaunpils municipality, where local youth have been involved in different activities on the topic of Sustainable development goals already since 2017. Youth in Jaunpils secondary school were discussing Sustainable development goal 11, specifically on how to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities. For this occasion, they have made a video devoted to the goal on sustainable cities and communities depicting, how they have implemented the initiative project “Street Games” on revitalising surroundings of local sports center with eco-friendly paints.
Likewise, during the Global Goals Week 2019 the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments has welcomed the delegation with the representatives of the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova. During their visit the delegation exchanged with the representatives of the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments and governmental institutions on such topics as municipal tasks, political dialogue between government and municipalities, sustainable development, including the targets of the Sustainable development goals.
