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UVU students discuss mountain targets

26.10.2018

On October 5 2018, the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition at Utah Valley University (UVU), co-hosted Mr. Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov, the Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the United Nations at UVU in the USA. This was a follow up meeting on discussions held by UIMF with the Permanent Representative of Tajikistan at the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development which took place July 2018 in New York, USA. Ambassador Mahmadaminov presented on “Tajikistan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” where UIMF members had a chance to highlight their efforts in advocating the three mountain targets both locally and internationally.

The meeting with Mr. Mahmadaminov was moderated by Sam Elzinga, President of UIM. Mr. Hagen Isaacson, a UIMF member gave an overview of UIMF activities for promoting the UN sustainable mountain development agenda. He presented Mr. Mahmadaminov with the official documents from the UN and United States Congress highlighting UIMF’s contribution to the promotion of mountain targets. He focused on Tajikistan and the implementation of SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, particularly looking at mountain target 6.6. Isaacson also proposed that UIMF and Utah Valley University have a collaboration with Tajikistan in 2019 at the United Nations.

Ms. Megan Davis, another UIMF member, discussed the student-engaged learning (SEL) model. The SEL model provides students opportunities to gain experience and professional skills as a group through hands-on activities with faculty, who serve as mentors, with the UIMF representing the SEL model’s core. In the past, the SEL model has allowed students to attend certain UN activities that advocate for the sustainable mountain agenda. Mr. Mark Driggs, one of the UIMF veterans, highlighted UIMF’s recent activities at the UN, specifically during the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW62) in March 2018 and the 2018 HLPF on Sustainable Development. The session ended with Mrs. Marcia Barlow, head of “United Families International,” an NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC, discussing possible joint activities in 2019 at different UN forums on sustainable development.

News by Cory Levin/UIMF

Photo by Hailee Hodgson

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