On September 26, 2016, UN Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations in New York & Chairperson of the 47th Session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) visited FIT and discussed “How Sustainable Development Goals are Affecting Us and our World.”
Click below links to read Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee’s Bio and learn more about the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
un_fit_guest_speaker_flyer_sept_2016
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs
Written by Professor Shireen Musa,
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York
Choong Hee is a South Korean diplomat and the current permanent representative of South Korea to the United Nations, he has a long and distinguished career in diplomacy, with more than three decades of experience in different roles, including as a negotiator, mediator, and policymaker. He has worked on peace and security related issues, disarmament, and human rights, and has represented South Korea at many international forums, Disarmament, and the Human Rights Council.
As the permanent representative of South Korea to the United Nations, Choong Hee plays a critical role in representing her country’s interests and advancing its priorities at the UN. He is in charge of overseeing South Korea’s engagement with the UN, including its participation in UN bodies and processes, as well as its efforts encourage peace, development, and human rights at the international level. He works closely with other UN members states, the secretariat, and civil society organizations to promote dialogue and cooperation on issues of common concern. In addition, addressing global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and conflict is critical. Choong Hee expertise, leadership, and commitment to multilateralism make him a valuable member of the international community and a strong advocate for south Korea’s interests and values. Overall, seemed like a very interesting event to attend.
It shows the significance of international diplomacy, collaboration, and dialogue in addressing global challenges. As an ITM student, it is important to understand the role of diplomacy in fostering cooperation between countries and creating effective solutions to pressing issues, such as climate change, human rights, and sustainable development.
Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee’s visit to FIT providing students with diverse perspectives on global affairs, allowing them to engage with key figures in the field of international relations. we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of global challenges and the importance of collaborative efforts in finding solutions.
I was happy to learn about the important work that the UN is doing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of ambitious global goals designed to address poverty, hunger, education, gender equality, and climate change, and it was really encouraging to read about someone who is actively working to achieve these goals.
It’s always exciting to get a glimpse inside the UN and hear from someone who is making a real difference in the world, and it’s clear that the UN’s work is having a positive impact on people and our planet. Whether you’re a student or just curious about the world, it’s important to stay informed and educated about the important issues facing our society, and this event seems like it was a great way to do just that.
It’s nice to see that other parts of the world participate in global sustainable development. Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee from Korea is representing to ensure that a global partnership makes a positive impact in the development of sustainability. As we know, sustainable development goals play a very important role. It aims at ending poverty, hunger, gender inequality, promoting good health, quality education for all, combating the climate change crisis, sanitation and clean water that is accessible to everyone.
Efficient strategies need to be created in order to meet this goal. Spreading awareness is the first step and to have ambassadors like Hahn Choong-hee travel to discuss the SDG mission is a step in the right direction. In short, we are able to say that the Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to realize a far better and more sustainable future for all. The goal is to ensure that the future is protected by 2030.
Comments on UN Ambassador for the Republic of Korea Hahn Choong-hee Speaks at FIT
Posted on October 2, 2016
The U.N Ambassador for South Korea in New York and Chairperson of the 47th session of United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Choong-Hee Hahn serves a very important purpose by discussing sustainable goals. The 17 sustainable goals of the U.N are the elimination of world poverty, hunger, good health & wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, clean water & sanitation, affordable & clean energy, decent work & economic growth, industry innovation & infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace/justice and strong institutions, partnership for the goals.
Ambassador Hahn’s unique educational and career background in dealing with North Korea’s nuclear affairs, regional architectures surrounding the Korean peninsula, NE Asia, N. America, European, and Africa affairs as well as experience working for the South Korean embassy located in Washington D.C, Lagos, Vienna, and Paris makes him the perfect ambassador to speak on behalf of the United Nation when it comes to collectively and globally strive towards sustainability for our future.
Wonmi Lee-
I wish I could have been here to listen to the Ambassador speak! When I clicked on the sustainable development United Nations link, it took me to the 17 sustainable development goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I found all the goals to be very interesting, however responsible consumption and production caught my eye first. The goal is to maintain responsible consumption and production patterns. I think this would be an interesting topic to add into the ITM curriculum. Worldwide material consumption has expanded rapidly, as well as the material footprint per capita. In 1990 8.1 tons of natural resources were used to satisfy a person’s need, while in 2015 almost 12 tons of resources were extracted per person. I would love to learn more about how production patterns can change and how it will affect the future. We obviously know that fast fashion retail companies production is awful for the earth, but how does it compare to smaller companies that produce a few items every month, and compare to traditional retail that produces two seasons per year.
The United Nation’s Division for Sustainable Development hosted a conference on global environmental preservation and sustainability at New York’s FIT. The conference was centered around addressing concerns for climate change, human rights in regards to labor laws, global outsourcing of production of products sold in American, and a plethora of other global environmental concerns. UN Ambassador Hahn Chong Hee hosted this convention and according to the reviews, it appears that he shed light on a few of the programs and incentives the UNSD have employed in efforts to address world major issues (i.e. extreme cases of poverty in economically unstable countries). In many of these countries corporate monopolies move in and abuse labor laws of the residents by taking advantage of their desperation & lack of knowledge of labor laws. Hahn Chong Hee emphasizes the importance of corporate social responsibility. In order to improve the state of international business relationships and overall global relationships it’s important to foster an environment that continues to research and develop new techniques to help maintain an ethical perspective when conducting business. This convention was very insightful and I wish I could’ve attended.
I strongly advocate for sustainability around the world. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has not only general goals, but also has specific plans. They estimated many possibilities. They aimed to eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day and to end all forms of malnutrition, especially for children under 5 years of age.
Ambassador HAHN Choong-Hee also played a key role for the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, and was Deputy Director-General North Korean Nuclear Affairs. As U.S require that all companies screen their customers for LDP(List of Denied Parties), EL(The Entity List) to protect nuclear proliferation activities, all people in world have to cooperate.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all the United Nations member States in 2015, is the right step forward to ending poverty, tackling climate change, and improving health and education. After the agreement that the member states have come to in 2015 there has been some progress in further reaching the goal of sustainable development. It was reported that the poverty rate fell from 15% in 2012 to 14.5 percent in 2013. In 2017, an estimated 13.4% of Americans lived below the poverty line. Actions that we can take to further decrease the poverty rate are create more jobs and raise the minimum wage, recent studies from Washington, California, and New Jersey, shows that increasing the minimum wage reduces poverty and increases wages. We are going in a positive direction to combat poverty and I hope we will be able to continue doing so instead of plateauing.
I think it was great that Korean UN Ambassador, Hahn Choong-hee, took the time to go to FIT and discussed about how sustainable development goals are affecting us and the world, especially during Sustainability week at FIT. Sustainability is such a hot topic these days but unfortunately, not many people know or care about it. Though there are many goals created by the UN, we have to make sure that countries are actually fulfilling the goals, rather than just saying they will fulfill it. For example, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was a success to many, but a lot of people are actually disappointed that countries are still contributing to climate change. I can only hope that countries will continue to strive to combat climate change together. In them meantime, we should look at our behaviors and change it (if necessary) to combat climate change.
Sustainable Development Goals created by the U.N. are giving people a sense of hope that the world might become a better place. The United Nations introduced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level as a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. As a FIT student, I should be more aware and responsible for the consumption and production of trash that I create and it is important that the U.N. educates people that they should reduce their trash. Another problem is that people don’t realize the large role fashion plays in the global economy and the environment it is important to meet the set goals and for governments, businesses, and individuals to come together. As the fashion industry becomes further reliant on globalization and trade the impact our production and sourcing of products. There are still many obstacles occurring that delays us from making our goals but if there are more improvement and growth occurring then we can go in the right direction to improve our sustainable development.
Unfortunately I wasn’t a student at the time UN Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee spoke at FIT, but I think the topic on which he spoke about it crucial to the well being of not only our country but also for the rest of the world on a global scale. It’s incredible how uninformed the young adults in my generation are on these topics. In the link to the SDG, it doesn’t only cover sustainability in regards to the environment but it also addresses poverty, education, equality, economic growth, and much more. If these Sustainable Development Goals can be adopted by a majority of countries around the world, we would be all working towards the same goals and in the same direction. Rather than feuding against each other, we would be feuding against obstacles that every country faces and in return tackling these obstacles. These obstacles are most likely stunting the growth and improvement of many impoverished countries while also presenting issues in the developed countries as well. It’s interesting to see so many of these global leaders disagreeing with each other when there are much more pressing issues that humanity is facing and will continue to face. I truly believe the step in the right direction begins with knowledge of these matters through education.
I am proud that Korean UN ambassador Hahn Choong Hee visited FIT and discussed how sustainable development goals are affecting the US and the world. Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It will allow the next generation to have access to a quality life. For example, if we reduce the number of greenhouse gases that pollute the atmosphere, this will lessen their effect on the ozone layer. Furthermore, I think sustainable development is very important for countries that are suffering from poverty. It can help them end poverty and ensure that people’s rights are respected.
I think Ambassador HAHN Choong-hee’s visit to the Fashion Institute of Technology was a great way to educate others on How Sustainable Development Goals are Affecting Us and our World.I really like his goals for trade and future sustainable development. His agenda was based on the balance between economic, social and environmental causes of sustainable development. He thinks that these areas should be implemented. For example, the creation of new quality jobs can be linked to a new energy policy which is effective and beneficial for new renewable energy. I like how he values dignity, people, prosperity, planet, justice, and partnership. He does not want to remove one for another.
This event caught my attention because of my interest in sustainability and the United Nation’s work. I am personally more familiar with UN WOMEN than the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) or the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. However, I noticed that many of their goals are the same. The United Nations is a global intergovernmental organization that seeks to tackle international challenges facing states and their people while promoting peaceful cooperation. The United Nations platform on sustainable development introduced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level as a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. While some of these goals seem too large and complex to accomplish by the current agenda of 2030, the hope is to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. The The UN’s SDGs include: No poverty, zero hunger, good health and well being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace/justice and strong institutions, and partnerships for the goals. The UN Ambassador who spoke at this event, Hahn Choong-hee, is the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations in New York & Chairperson of the 47th Session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). UNCITRAL is a legal entity of the UN to promote the progressive harmonization and unification of international trade law, and it is one of the many trade sectors I have discussed in my classes in ITM. The organization tackles and discusses many issues we’ve discussed in global sourcing, and other courses within our major such as how sustainable development are affecting us, our World, and trade. We have discussed and compared UNCITRAL to other organizations that have similar goals and missions such as The United States International Trade Commission and The International Chamber of Commerce. As the fashion industry becomes further reliant on globalization and trade, these SDGs impact our production and sourcing of products, and sustainability should be considered to make ethical and proactive decisions. While enforcement is still difficult and ignored often within these legal body organizations, it is important to consider them, as our value in sustainability is becoming more popular by consumers, states, and leaders. France and the city of New York, for example, have taken extreme environmental and sustainable efforts in current years, and this will eventually impact trade and the political, legal, and social components of sourcing.
Sources:
“A Sustainability Toolkit for Trade Negotiators.” Sustainable Development | IISD, http://www.iisd.org/toolkits/sustainability-toolkit-for-trade-negotiators/1-why-is-sustainable-development-important-for-trade-and-investment-agreements/.
Cohen, Steven. “From PlaNYC to OneNYC: New York’s Evolving Sustainability Policy.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 June 2015, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/from-planyc-to-onenyc-new_b_7151144.html.
“Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.” United Nations, United Nations, sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld.
I think it is extremely important for citizens to have a dialogue about SDGs. I think having the UN Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee at FIT to discuss the SDGs gives people an opportunity to understand the SDGs and their importance in the United States and the world. The Sustainable Development Goals were introduced in 2015 and there are 17 goals with 169 targets for UN members to structure “their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years”. These goals are broader reaching and seem unlikely to be achieved by 2030. As the MDGs that the UN introduced in 2001 have not all been achieved. According to The Guardian Article titled Sustainable development goals: all you need to know there are “about 1 billion people still live on less than $1.25 a day – the World Bank measure on poverty – and more than 800 million people do not have enough food to eat. Women are still fighting hard for their rights, and millions of women still die in childbirth.” The MDGs had hope to achieve universal education, reduce poverty and maternal and child deaths. Although these goals were not achieved, some countries had dramatic shifts for example in Africa nearly 15 million people’s lives were saved due to the introduction of the MDGs as compared to the estimated rate of progress if there were no MDGs. In addition, they were able to lift nearly a billion people out of extreme poverty.
Despite the number of SDGs, they will promote a conversation among governments and their citizens. This can only help the problems of today’s world. The more awareness generates, the better the chance the world can combat societal issues. I do not think that the UN will achieve all or any of their SDGs as there are so many and the targets are far-reaching, but I believe there will be reductions in the SDGs, like poverty will even be reduced further than it is today.
I believe the best way for countries to successfully try and achieve the SDGs is communicating what the SDGs are and how the country plans to solve them to their citizens. Countries in Africa are very open in communicating to their citizens about the SDGs, they might even post a billboard describing the goal. In the United States, not many people are aware of the goals. For the SDGs to be achieved, people need to be aware of the terms, which is a problem in the United States. Some cities are addressing the SDGs like New York City. New York City has laid out a plan called OneNYC where they plan to address “four broad visions: growth of families, businesses, and neighborhoods; an inclusive, equitable economy; environmental sustainability; and climate change resilience.” This is important as more and more people will become aware of the issues outlined in the goals that there will be a better opportunity to completely achieve the SDGs.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jan/19/sustainable-development-goals-united-nations
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2017/01/11/how-successful-were-the-millennium-development-goals/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/24/un-sustainable-development-goals-succeed-poverty
https://www.devex.com/news/sdgs-gain-traction-in-the-us-but-with-a-domestic-twist-92459
This article caught my attention because of the country from which the United Nations (UN) Ambassador, Hahn Choong-hee hails—South Korea. I know, from watching the news that recently, on April 27, 2018, the leader of North Korea, and South Korea meet. According to the news reports, this was a historic event because the North Korean leader, Kim Jong, is the first North Korean leader to cross into South Korea since the two countries were divided 65 years ago. Kim Jong met with South Korean President, Moon Jae-in.
But the groundwork for this historic meeting appears to be have been paved earlier in the year when South Korea hosted the 23rd Olympic Games and the 12th Paralympic Winter games in PyeongChang, South Korea. These Olympics were also historic because, citizens from around the world witnessed North and South Korean athletes walking side by side for the first time in 65 years. I would imagine that this must have been an extremely proud moment for UN Ambassador, Hahn Choong-hee in two ways:
1) He witnessed his country hosting an event that has critical objectives in line with those he champions at the UN; the critical objectives of the Olympics being— to achieve sustainable peace and sustainable development;
2) The joining of North and South Korean athletes at this event showcased the first steps of these two countries, who share the Peninsula, to finally show real willingness to embrace direct dialogue and commit to peace and prosperity.
However, this was not the first Olympics hosted by South Korea. According the Shamshad Akhtar in his article, “PyeongChang Olympics: A new cornerstone for peace and prosperity,” South Korea hosted the Olympics back in 1988 and it, “…heralded the economic transformation of the South Korean economy. For a decade after the games, its economy grew at an average rate of around 8.5 percent per year.” Akhtar reports that South Korea, “successfully leveraged international aid, trade and investment through domestic ingenuity,” and its hosting of the Olympics in 1988 allowed it to showcase its transformation from a primarily, “agrarian economy into a dynamic technological and cultural producer in just one generation.” Unfortunately, Akhtar also points out that, “rapid economic transformation had social and environmental consequences. But in recent years, South Korea has taken steps towards environmental sustainability and inclusive social policies.” Akhtar goes on to write that, as a UN member state, Korea has committed to integrating its economic, social and environmental dimensions of the sustainable development of the UNs 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
With the prospect of long term peace with North Korea, I would expect UN Ambassador Choong-hee, to be much more optimistic that South Korea meet the sustainability development goals it committed to as part of the UNs 2030 agenda. Why?
• Firstly, if there is peace between the countries, it is much more likely that both countries will divert the millions of dollars, I am sure, they spend currently on military and nuclear development spending towards much more beneficial and sustainable development projects.
• Secondly, it is far better for South Korea to have a peaceful partnership with North Korea to tackle environmental problems. After all, the two countries share the same peninsula and so, environmental problems will effect both countries. Finding a solution to these problems requires both countries to work in unison. In fact, in the article, “Enduring Legacies: Economic Dimensions of Restoring North Korea’s Environment, “ author, Peter Hayes, comments that the “pressing environmental problems in North Korea are agricultural, water, mining and forestry sectors and environmental restoration is the key to a successful structural adjustment and economic transition in the North.” He goes on to highlight that peace should come, “as-fast-as possible” …and “will provide the best way to achieve sustainable development in Korea, at a much lesser environmental cost than a fast violent reunification or the long-run continued division of the Peninsula.”
If the political climate between the two countries continues to progress towards lasting peace, UN Ambassador, Hahn Choong-hee may soon have a chance to lecture on how South and North Korea are setting and achieving sustainable development goals together to make a positive impact on the Peninsula and the world.
References:
Akhtar, Shamshad. “PyeongChang Olympics: A new cornerstone for peace and prosperity” UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Feb 9, 2018. Retrieved on 7 May 2018 from: http://www.unescap.org/op-ed/pyeongchang-olympics-new-cornerstone-peace-and-prosperity
Hayes, Peter. “Enduring Legacies: Economic Dimensions Of Restoring North Korea’s Environment” Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability. Oct 18 1994. Retrieved on 7 may 2018 from: https://nautilus.org/staff-publications/enduring-legacies-economic-dimensions-of-restoring-north-koreas-environment/
It’s such a good thing that UN Ambassador Hahn Choong Hee visited FIT for a discussion about sustainability and I think the issues should definitely be addressed because in the fashion industries, the environments have always been so corrupted and not much has been changed to improve for a better sustainable community. There are many things in the world that are becoming wasted, causing our sustainability to weaken such as the amount of clothing we throw away. The United Nations organization would benefit society by improving our levels in poverty, money spending, and ways in which we can try to create a healthier society.
This was a such a great opportunity for the students in the FIT hearing about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Fashion is not just about clothing, it also contains cultures. To help each other and connect each other for future fashion industry!
I wish I could have attended this event featuring ambassador Hahn Choong-hee. It’s interesting to learn about the UN’s sustainable development goals which range from reducing poverty, zero hunger, and quality education. I think that a lot of people don’t realize the large role fashion plays in the global economy and environment. There are so many pressing issues that humans face on the global scale today and it can be overwhelming to decide which to focus on or which organizations to support.
However, as FIT students interested in international trade & marketing in fashion, we have a lot of knowledge and power to change and help many of the causes the UN is trying to address. Fashion isn’t just about aesthetics and trends. As we know, it involves many factory workers, tons of raw material, and a complex supply chain. All of these areas can be improved and newly innovated and I believe that are generation finally has the desire and technologies to make a significant positive impact.
It was unfortunate that I was not able to attend this meeting of hearing from ambassador Hahn Choong-hee. I think this is such a great opportunity for us to hear and learn about United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. After reading the articles, we know how these goals can help change our world in the future. The fact for these goals to be set out are great because it requires all of us to work together into achieving all these goals. No matter what the outcome is, as long as all of us are working towards that direction, we can definitely see some changes in this world and that is what we would like to see in the near future.
I am so excited that the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being talked about at FIT.
I was unable to attend the event earlier this month, but I am now interning as a youth representative for the NGO NAFSA: Association of International Educators at the United Nations. My job is largely focused on learning more about the UN agenda to meet the 17 SDGs the UN wants to accomplish by 2030.
Many of these goals are about sustainable development and consumption, decreasing hunger, combatting disease, and improving social circumstances around the world.
It is especially important that young people become involved in these initiatives and offer their input to the UN, as the input of young people can affect international policy decisions that will affect us for the rest of our lives. Next week, there will be a youth-led briefing at the UN about SDG issues like eradicating poverty and improving education. Several FIT students will be in attendance.
Acting upon the SDGs is crucial to the alleviation and eradication of suffering worldwide. In the words of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that “there can be no Plan B, because there is no Planet B.”
Initiatives to get FIT students interested in the SDGs is especially important because FIT students make significant advances and innovations in their fields, like in the fields of textile development, fashion design, international trade, and corporate social responsibility. Students at FIT should know that their interests and innovations can be represented on a scale as large as the UN, that the UN is accessible to them, and that their inputs and ideas can affect global policy and make Earth a better place!
Unfortunately I was unable to attend this event. After reviewing the website and reading about the Ambassador, I feel I have a better understanding of current sustainability goals. It is great to know that sustainability has become such an important concern to so many. In class we often discuss how business works, the trade between companies, and the factories built to run them. What is often ignored is the detail behind it, the safety of the environment the laborers work in and the environment we live in. The number 1 goal listed is no poverty, and I completely agree. Poverty creates so many other issues that leads to dramatic ongoing problems. It is a domino effect on the world. Number 13- Climate Action, is another point that has become crucial to me especially upon learning about Global warming in my International Corporate Responsibility class. It is an issue that cannot be fixed by one or few, but by many, and the effort needs to start now.
Even though I was unable to attend the speaking event, I am sure that it was incredibly informational. By going through the website, I was able to better understand United Nation’s goals and the list of goals is certainly ambitious and broad. 2030 is not far away and his vision for the future will definitely be beneficial if the goals are accomplished however I wish that they had a more specific goal for 2030 that could then broaden, because I think that some of the goals are certainly unattainable.
In order to meet the set goals, governments, businesses and individuals will have to come together. Which is often much more easier said than done, especially given the time frame. As an individual who is constantly interested about new ideas about sustainability, I’m eager to see what is achieved and how will his plan of action change through the next 14 year.s
I really enjoyed this event, and I can even breathe a little easier knowing how important sustainability is to the U.N. Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee was beyond educated on the topic and I think he is a terrific representation of the passion that has been put into these goals. I am most impressed with the focus they have on climate change. They have vowed to take immediate action to change the impact the human race has on the planet. This is a very important issue to me. It is great enough to seriously affect my political views as well as it has been called ‘the biggest threat to development”. I am excited to read about and start seeing the effects of the progress of this goal.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the speech with Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee at FIT. That is something I wish I was able to make time for since it seemed like it was an informative and inclusive event regarding such an important global issue. When the United Nations released it’s Sustainable Development Goals I remember reading about it on Twitter and I think it’s such a great global call to action. What makes it so relevant is the order in which each issue is placed. The sequence is obviously well thought out and reminded me of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
However, I’m not going to deny that I am definitely skeptical about how achievable these goals are within the time frame they’ve established. Especially with how current affairs are progressing. It will be fascinating to see how the UN’s endeavors unfold and how successful they will be. I personally don’t believe all these problems will be eradicated by 2030, that’s simply optimistic but any conscious effort made (especially by an organization with enormous influence like the UN) towards solving these issues is a step in the right direction.
Personally I’m very excited to see the initiative for Goal 1 and 5 to come into effect.
Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee made a great speech about ending poverty in list of 17 goals. Of course the first goal is very important, 836 million people still live in extreme poverty as the website stated. Those countries such as Congo. This country became the most poorest country in the world following Liberia. This African country is very poor and are still living with less than a dollar a day. As a human being, the smallest thing i would do is to give small donations and even walk to an organization called ONE. More than 2 million people from around the world and every walk of life who are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. With the funds raised, the money goes to families in need and will have something to eat everyday. This seminar really inspired me. I am very grateful to have what i have for instance I have food to eat everyday, a nice place to live, and decent weekly paychecks. This seminar really opened my eyes.
Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee gave a well-developed conversation about sustainability, global citizenship, and how these two become intertwined in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It was a great kick-off to Sustainability Awareness Week on campus and provided a lot of students with insight on global issues that the UN is planning to tackle in the next 15 years. The global issues that the 17 goals target also relate to issues we face in our lives and ones that resonate specifically with individuals. Can’t wait to have more events like this on campus!
The UN’s sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. There are 17 goals which includes topics like ending poverty, good education, and building roads, bridges, and food plains that will work in a changing climate. I believe all of these goals are extremely important in working towards a better future for us as well as future generations. I believe one of the most important goals is the first one which is ending poverty everywhere. One of the most severe effects of poverty is the health effects that are almost always present. This includes things like diseases, malnourishment, child morality, and life expectancy. Education is also largely affected by poverty because most people living in poverty are unable to attend school from a very early age. The literacy rates in countries with poverty are extremely low. Low literacy rates can affect societies in various ways including the labor force. I believe that a basic education is enough to bring millions of people out of poverty. Poverty also has a huge impact on the economy of a country. This is why the first goal of the sustainable development agenda is extremely crucial for our generation to move forward.
In my opinion, the UN’s 3rd goal is another crucial one. Goal 3 is about the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of human beings, in all ages. This goals addresses all major health priorities; including reproductive, maternal and child health; communicable, non-communicable and environmental diseases; universal health coverage; and access for all to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines and vaccines. These are all extremely important for societies to grow in a healthy lifestyle.
These along with every other goal of the sustainable development agenda are extremely important to balance the economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
After attending the meeting on the date I learned a lot about the goals and progresses that UN are making to make us a better place. What is really sad is, even though at the UN Summit Meeting, countries are all agreeing on the urgent environmental issues, some countries only made promises. The promises didn’t make it happen yet. It was really sad because environmental, humanity, political matters, they don’t just go away it has to be everyone’s effort to progress. I felt there are more step ahead of us to make it plausible for the SDP.
Although I wasn’t able to attend the speaking event that was performed by UN Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee, I must admit that it seems to have been very informative. Just by reading the blog, as well as looking at the information presented on the Sustainable Development website, I can see that the UN has distinguished, and laid out what the biggest problems in the world are, in regards to sustainability. Some of the things that they included in the their goals don’t exactly have a lot to do with sustainability, like gender equality, but they are indeed issues that need to be addressed around the world. In short, I feel like their goals were too broad, in regards to sustainability; they could have done a better job at narrowing them down.
Additionally, I feel that some of the issues that they bring up are indeed related to sustainability, but are unrealistic, and cannot be remedied. For instance, poverty is a big problem, but I cannot see how all forms of poverty around the world will be rectified. It is wishful thinking. I for one, support everything they suggest in their goals, I just don’t see how those goals will be met. I feel like they shouldn’t list goals, unless they truly believe that they are attainable.
As I mentioned before, I am on board with all of the goals that the UN has proposed globally, though I feel that some of the goals they proposed are more related to sustainability than others that were listed. Issues regarding climate change action, affordable and clean energies, responsible consumption and production, education and innovation, as well as others mentioned, are all big issues in regards to sustainability. These are all issues that the ITM major must be constantly mindful of, as all of my classes have shown that sustainability is something that is important globally; and it is something we will have to continuously deal with throughout our careers. I look forward to the challenge.
The list of 17 goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity is certainly an ambitious set of goals but when you have governments, companies and communities working together under the same vision, we start to believe that it actually makes a difference. Sustainable Development Goals created by the U.N. are giving people a sense of hope that the world might become a better place.
Governments seem to be taking these goals seriously by creating action plans, platforms and voluntarily participating on UN’s Political Forum which is overseeing implementation.
Businesses and individuals are all realizing that sustainability really is the future and they must work with governments to make it work. According to the U.N. Global Compact, we must learn about and develop human rights policy, join forces against corruption and engage responsibly in climate policy. Through commitment, strategy, innovation and leadership we can build the future we want.
The fashion Industry is a big player in the global economy and the impacts of the fashion supply chain are vast. Ethical fashion represents an approach to the sourcing, design and manufacturing of clothing, which maximizes benefits and don’t impact the environment.
It was a fascinating event. The main idea of the project is to balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental. This agenda will help to save natural resources and reduce poverty in the developed countries. My primary concern is the future of kids in those developed places ( health, nutrition and education). Many thanks to Professor Musa and Judy Greco for organizing this event for us.
I was unfortunately unable to attend the meeting given by Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee regarding the Sustainable Development Platform. I truly agree with the goals of the Sustainable Development Platform – ending poverty, ensuring healthy lives, gender equality, fostering innovation etc. I also think the theme of the Sustainable Development Platform is right on track, ending poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world. It would be great to see the goals met by 2030. Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee seems extremely educated and motivated to better sustainability standards across the world. As an ITM major, it is important to pay close attention to what is happening oversees, so hearing this information has been very beneficial to me.
The presentation form Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee was amazing and it include a lot of powerful information that are very important and current to all the different situation that the world is facing. One of his main points that is important to the FIT community is the Paris Agreement Highlights, which is based on helping the world to come with a solution to face the problem of climate change at the same time that it would help the poorer nations on increasing their GCF by 2020. This topic is important for our community because FIT is very focus on the theme of sustainability since our main objective is to make a change in the world and let the society know of all the damages that we are causing to the mother nature through the process of having a more advanced and technological living. As well of showing the different solution that we can take to stop the damage and having a longer healthy living.
Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the talking trade which was made by Ambassador Hahn Chong-hee. However, through this article, I could have a better understanding of UN’s sustainability goal. Also, as a huge advocate for sustainability in Fashion industry, It broadened my perspective regards to sustainability after I saw the sustainable development goals. It reminded me of how important sustainable development can affect to entire world, and showed how many things can be contributed to sustainable development. I was especially interested in ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ and ‘Partnerships for the Goals’. In my opinion, as a FIT student, I should be more conscious about responsible consumption and production. Also, as an ITM student, we should know that how much important the partnership is to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals. I am glad that now FIT students got a better understanding of sustainable development through Ambassador Hahn Chong-hee’s speech.
UN Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee has powerful plans set forth for the Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. Although I was not able to see Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee speak at this FIT visit, on a trip to the UN last semester I was able to see this sustainability plan exhibit throughout the UN. As it becomes clear how much of an impact the fashion industry has on our global world, I believe the United Nations is taking a powerful stride in the right direction by enforcing rules and implementing strategies to better our economical and social stance. I believe that if we all come together, as citizens, students, employees, big corporations and a country, Ambassador Hahn Choong-hee plan could be reached by 2030.
I was unfortunately unable to attend Ambassador HAHN Choong-hee’s visit to FIT. I wish I were able to attend though because I am a strong advocate for sustainability around the world, which is why I believe that the UN’s Division for Sustainable Development is so important. The division has so many enthusiastic goals for UN nations to become active in sustainable practices. The goals cover every environmental and social issue that occurs internationally everyday from poverty to climate change.
It has become a routine for U.S. corporations to manufacture products abroad. We as Americans want to make sure that we are outsourcing from countries that have fair labor practices in factories. This is so important because companies must obtain a positive image through corporate social responsibility. The UN is encouraging sustainability in member nations through DSD, but the UN is also specifically helping global companies run sustainable and ethical practices through the UN Global Compact. The compact monitors member companies all around the world to ensure that they are committing, assessing, defining, implementing, and communicating a sustainable strategy. You can check out the UN Global Compact on the website – https://www.unglobalcompact.org/
I was not able to attend the event on the September 26, but by reading the articles provided I was able to get a better understanding. Both articles were very informing when talking about Ambassador Hahn Chong-hee and what he stands for. He seems to have a very good reputation and seems very creditable. As for his vision for the year 2030, I believe it is a great plan and will be very beneficial for our economy in the future. All of the goals listed on the agenda is a necessity in order for us to move forward and to have a more sustainable society. It would be very impressing to see all these goals get accomplished by 2030. However, we need to come together as a whole to help with this movement. Ambassador Hahn Chong-hee has taken the first step, but in order for this vision to be successful and have a positive impact on our economy, everyone must come together and help.
This was a great opportunity for the FIT community to connect to the world and hearing about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. To me, fashion is a form of art that connects people and cultures — so helping less developed areas and creating sustainable practices for our industry is an investment to our future!!
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it on September 26 to hear Ambassador HAHN Choong-hee. I am very glad that I read up about him regarding what he does at the United Nations and what plans are set forth for the Sustainable Development Knowledge platform. It would be great to see every plan in action and being done by 2030 because it be a great benefit for the world. Ending hunger and poverty are necessary and will help our future generations a lot. I’m hoping the plans on the platforms get done by the said year but I think it will require everyone to lend a hand and assist one another in achieving the goals.