Northeast India. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Claretian Team at the United Nations and Saint Claret College, Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India, ensuring collaboration between the two in organizing programs and activities connected with the United Nations, promoting Sustainable Development Goals (2030 Agenda) and Education for Global Citizenship.
The United Nations (UN) always values and recognizes the partnership with civil society. The UN recognizes the variety of services and humanitarian functions of civil society, which through its wide and multi-sectoral reach takes the ideals and goals of the UN to the grassroots, thereby assisting in implementing international agreements, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Claretian UN Team regularly meets the confreres serving in different ministries in the Congregation to raise awareness and knowledge among them on initiatives, projects and goals of the UN in our specific areas of focus. In this effort of reaching out all the Claretian ministries, the Team identified Claretian educational institutions as a priority.
With many young people around the world showing increased concern for the present and future of the planet, especially in the context of the Covid-19 recovery, the Team wanted to introduce the UN to students in schools and colleges; as well as to encourage them to engage with the UN.
As a result, the Team negotiated with St. Claret College in Ziro to begin a pilot project involving staff and students to promote SDGs and Education for Global Citizenship. This Memorandum of Understanding was signed ad experimentum on June 4th and came into effect for two years from June 5th, the World Environment Day. The MOU will initiate training of staff and students and share materials and information. Moreover, the College will also celebrate UN- designated international days and undertake projects to implement the SDGs.
The signing on World Environment Day was intended to highlight the importance of this day, and toward that goal the college organized diverse activities to commemorate the day. While schools and colleges are closed in Arunachal Pradesh, India due to the Covid-19 lockdown, students engaged in environmentally related activities at their homes and in their neighborhood.
This month, the Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE), India released a list of 400 colleges selected to receive the “One District One Green Champion” award for keeping their campuses clean and sanitized. Among these, St. Claret College secured the National Award for the Arunachal Pradesh State.
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