Advocating for mountains at the UN
25.07.2014
Utah Valley University attended the 12th session of the UN Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which was held on16-20 June 2014, in New York, USA. During this session participants discussed the SDGs, which will succeed the Millennium Development Goals in 2015.
When the Mountain Partnership Secretariat told Mountain Partnership (MP) members that “despite collective efforts, mountains have almost disappeared from the text” in the zero draft of the SDGs, Dr Rusty Butler, the Mountain Partnership focal point at Utah Valley University (UVU) immediately decided to send Dr Baktybek Abdrisaev, Distinguished Visiting Professor at UVU, as UVU’s representative to the United Nations to work with MP team during OWG12.
For the advocacy campaign, UVU used the established project by the Office of International Affairs and Diplomacy, titled “Distinguished Lecturers” series that focuses on bringing foreign dignitaries and accredited United Nations diplomats in particular to UVU. UVU hosted Permanent Representatives of 15 nations during 2012-2013, including envoys from such mountainous countries as Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Greece among others. Personal letters from Dr Rusty Butler urging intervention and support to the efforts of the MP secretariat were sent in advance of the OWG12 session to Permanent Representatives of 13 nations at the United Nations, among others.
Another important initiative used by UVU during OWG12 was a joint effort with the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to rally support from diplomats to the effort for mountains to be recognized in the SDGs. It was based on ties established since 2005 with the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations as well as the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic to the US in order to promote cooperation between the Rocky Mountains and Central Asia with focus on SMD-advocacy.
UVU was able to contribute to joint efforts of the MP team during OWG12 and statements and actions in support of the mountain targets from such nations as Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, Greece, among others speak for themselves. “It gave us more incentive for UVU to build stronger and longer lasting ties with those diplomats and their respected nations,” UVU said.
During his visit to the UN headquarters, the UVU representative was able to meet representatives of FAO liaison office in New York and UN Women to introduce to them UVU activities and programmes that have a focus on SMD-agenda promotion. Read more
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