2022 UN Summer Academy to examine sustainable transformation pathways
The 11th UN Summer Academy kicks off on Monday, 27 June 2022 and will bring together more than 100 committed sustainability actors working in 60 countries.
Themed "Sustainable Transformation Pathways," this year's online event will explore key challenges to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in areas such as health and well-being, social protection, and climate action.
In what promises to be a highly interactive and immersive learning experience, participants will examine different thematic areas using conceptual tools such as systems thinking, design thinking, and futures thinking in addressing increasingly complex problems that we face today. The UN Summer Academy is synonymous with high level speakers from across the United Nations System and beyond.
Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will open this year's UN Summer Academy. Katja Dörner, the Lord Mayor of the City of Bonn will address participants at the closing event. The programme also features live webinars with thought and action leaders, including Dr. Maryam Bigdeli, Health Systems Adviser at the World Health Organization (WHO) and Youssef Nassef, Director of Adaptation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC), as well as a number of outstanding external experts. The event provides a unique space for immersive, hands-on learning opportunities where participants can practice applying various conceptual tools, learn from each other and reflect on their own contributions toward the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
Patrick van Weerelt, Head of Office of the UNSSC Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development, said: "The UN Summer Academy is UNSSC's response to fostering multistakeholder engagement, a key vehicle in implementing the 2030 Agenda. We cannot achieve sustainable development without the full participation of everyone. The UN Summer Academy provides an enabling space for inclusive knowledge exchanges to co-create solutions in addressing global challenges."
Sandhya Balasubrahmanyam, Learning Portfolio Manager and Lead of the UN Summer Academy, said: "The UN Summer Academy brings together sustainable development activists from all over the world to understand and unpack what sustainable development means and what are the ways it can be achieved. And it does this in an engaging, immersive and interactive way. It's the best week of my year as I learn from and with each cohort of fantastic participants."
The UN Summer Academy is sponsored by the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. This year's contribution enabled UNSSC to offer the programme at a reduced rate and fund more than 60 full scholarships. The UN Summer Academy has previously been hosted by the City of Bonn, a sustainability hub and a key location for the United Nations for the past 25 years. As in previous virtual editions, participants will still have an opportunity to connect with the city officials for expert input and cultural events.
Members of the Press who wish to cover the UN Summer Academy are welcome to join us for any of the following sessions:
- 27 June 2022, 14:00 – 16:00 CEST: Opening ceremony, including remarks by Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change
- 1 July 2022, 14:00 – 16:00 CEST: Closing ceremony, including remarks by Lord Mayor Katja Dörner
The social media hashtag for the UN Summer Academy this year is #UNSA2022. More information for the media can be found here. Contact information for media inquiries: sustainable-development@unssc.org, UNSSC Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development, Martin-Luther-King-Str. 8, 53175 Bonn, Germany