Where do I fit

In the

Global Partnership for Sustainable Development (GPSD)

An International Symposium

Your work and the work of your lifelong learning organization have significant impacts on the people and area you serve. But did you know your work is now and can be to an even greater extent a part of a global effort?

On September 25th 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.

Partner organizations like yours around the globe are examining and refocusing their efforts around a set of GPSD principles:

People

WWe are determined to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment.

Planet

We are determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations.

Prosperity

We are determined to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.

Peace

We are determined to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence. There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development.

Partnership

We are determined to mobilize the means required to implement this Agenda through a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable and with the participation of all countries, all stakeholders and all people.

The interlinkages and integrated nature of the Sustainable Development Goals are of crucial importance in ensuring that the purpose of the new Agenda is realized. If we realize our ambitions across the full extent of the Agenda, the lives of all will be profoundly improved and our world will be transformed for the better.

The focus is on partnerships because people (particularly adults) rarely need to improve only education skills. Often, they also need support services, training, mental health, public health, as well as a conflict free, healthy environment in which to live. Each of our organizations cannot respond to all of adult learners’ needs alone, but in partnership with other public, private and non-profit organizations we can create a system of services to enable our participants to prosper.

Below is a list of the 17 United Nations’ Goals for Sustainable Development followed by an explanation of goal number 4 that speaks to lifelong learning directly, although lifelong learning is essential to effect many of the other goals as well.

Opportunity: We have an opportunity to learn from our colleagues throughout the United States as well as lifelong learning organizations around the world regarding efforts we can take to expand our services, build partnerships and provide a system of services for those for whom we want to serve. The sum is > its parts.

Join our Symposium: The Coalition for Lifelong Learning Organizations (COLLO) in collaboration with the International Council on Adult Education will sponsor an international symposium on Monday, October 3, 2016 to bring together colleagues from around the globe to share strategies and resources for meeting the Goals for Sustainable Development. There will be a very nominal fee for participating on site (to cover lunch and refreshment costs), and you will be able to join the symposium virtually from anywhere via your computer or mobile device without any charge. You MUST be registered to join. (See below.)

This symposium is a RARE OPPORTUNITY to hear from and interact with:

Register now at https://www.regonline.com/COLLO2016

17 Goals to Transform Our World

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1.End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2.End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3.Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 4.Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 5.Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 6.Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 7.Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 8.Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Goal 9.Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 10.Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 11.Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 12.Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 13.Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts *

Goal 14.Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 15.Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 16.Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 17.Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

Goal 4.

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

4.1By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes

4.2By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education

4.3By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university

4.4By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

4.5By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

4.6By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

4.7By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture's contribution to sustainable development

4.aBuild and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

4.bBy 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries

4.cBy 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States