A senior official from the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York says it has been a pleasure to see students and academics from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) playing a ‘phenomenal’ part in the global campaign to bring peace and prosperity to the planet.
Jayashri Wyatt, Chief of the UN’s Education Outreach Section, travelled to the DMU campus this week with Carlos Islam, UN Public Information Officer, to discuss how efforts to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework can be stepped up, as we face challenges including post-Covid 19 recovery, a cost-of-living crisis, the wars in Ukraine and Sudan and the impacts of climate change.
Ms Wyatt in DMU’s new SDG HQ in Heritage House
Ms Wyatt and Mr Islam met the Sustainability Team, the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre, Media Production students looking into disinformation and learned more about the Football for the Goals project, while also taking part in an evening discussion, with students and staff, led by DMU’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington.
Ms Wyatt was full of praise for what is happening at DMU and said that ‘there is a phenomenal, integral and strategic approach that is baked into the DNA of the university and that is edifying to see’.
Stressing the importance of DMU students in bringing about change, she added: “I would encourage all students to be involved because they are leaders, because they are idealists because they are activists. They have the passion, energy and capacity to be a part of this great change.”
Ms Wyatt addresses the audience during an evening event at DMU
The discussion is the latest in a series of activities connecting UN officials with student projects, research and teaching with the SDGs as part of the university’s role as a UN Academic Impact Hub for Sustainable Development Goal 16, which is titled Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
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DMU also has consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) and a is UN Climate Observer for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Ms Wyatt said: “I think when we are based in New York at the UN we see a lot of the problems – read so much of the data and the reporting on what’s wrong – that what has really stood out for me, coming to DMU, is what’s going well and how much work is being done in an integral way across the SDGs.
Ms Wyatt, VC Prof Katie Normington and Carlos Islam discuss DMU’s work
“There is huge engagement with the young people and the students on this campus that has been the most interesting and uplifting part of the visit and I have also seen how the DMU administration is fully invested.
“The SDGs are absolutely important to the DMU students, simply because the SDGs are important to each and every human being. They are a global blueprint for how humanity can work together to face the critical challenges in our global community.
“Students have the energy and open mindedness and curiosity which is necessary when you are trying to approach a deep transformation.”
Ms Wyatt added: “The SDGs require everyone to engage in transforming economies, power structures and governments. That requires activism, new research, data, evidence and study.
“Students in higher education are so well placed to become leaders in their field. So, the more they can learn in their education working with other students and academics the more able they are to address these challenges.
“The message to young people is that the SDGs are a blueprint for humanity, for transformation in a time of great existential threat.
“It is a set of goals that belong to them. I would encourage all students to be involved because they are leaders, because they are idealists because they are activists. They have the passion energy and capacity to be a part of this great change.”
She continued: “Figure out how you can engage with your community and use your influence and intelligence and energy to bring about change.
“Also, collaborate and partner. We cannot accomplish anything on our own. Figure out who you can engage with, and collaborate with, to create the type of future you want to see.”
Posted on Thursday 27th April 2023
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