Over 90 policy-makers, experts and representatives from civil society organisations from 31 ASEM[1] countries participated in the conference, “Sustainable Development Goals for Asia and Europe: Delivery Options for the 2030 Agenda”, 19-20 October 2016, in Stockholm, Sweden. The event was co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
“One of the key challenges that people working to promote SDGs in Asia and Europe face is the lack of awareness on how different countries are developing national SDGs’ implementation plan. This conference provided a platform to stakeholders from governments and civil society to exchange their ideas and benefit from Asian and European perspectives on implementation and monitoring of SDGs,” said Ambassador ZHANG Yan, Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) at the opening of the conference.
Participants discussed issues such as: how evidence-based science could influence policy and support stronger governance; how youth and civil societies could wield enormous power to make choices and to affect positive and sustainable changes; and how the private sector could be integrated as a critical player in bringing about better lives for all.
[1] The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an intergovernmental forum for dialogue and cooperation established in 1996 to deepen relations between Asia and Europe, which addresses political, economic and socio-cultural issues of common concern. ASEM brings together 53 Partners (30 European and 21 Asian countries, the European Union, and the ASEAN Secretariat). www.aseminfoboard.org