Through the guidance of UNICEF, a United Nations programme that defends the rights of children across 190 countries, St. Andrews International School Bangkok students will work directly with their communities to raise awareness of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while researching and designing practical solutions to achieve these goals.
St. Andrews International School Bangkok students will focus on two goals:
- Goal 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
- Goal 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
The challenge is part of the World’s Largest Lesson, a global initiative aimed at bringing the goals to classrooms across the world through lesson plans, videos, comics and creative content.
Our students have already conducted initial research on the different individual targets for each Global Goal. They considered which actions could be taken at a national and global level while keeping focus on the most meaningful impact on the local community.
UNICEF has also invited selected students from our school to present their ideas on the SDGs at an event during the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development taking place from 10 to 19 July 2017 at UN Headquarters in New York City. This is a unique opportunity for St. Andrews International School Bangkok students to contribute to the discussion and influence policy at the highest level.
"This year's Global Challenge is a great opportunity for our students to demonstrate that they are the "responsible global citizens" we describe in our Mission Statement. It has been great to see the thoughtfulness and enthusiasm with which the students have identified the specific targets they will be focusing on, and I can't wait to see how their plans develop between now and the end of term. Arnav, Lucy and Oonita, our three student ambassadors to the UN HLPF, will have a lot to share with both the ambassadors from other Nord Anglia Education schools and the United Nations." said Paul Schofield, St. Andrews International School Bangkok Head of School.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by 193 countries in the UN General Assembly in September 2015. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved by 2030. In order to accomplish these goals, the UN has asked governments, private sector, civil society and citizens to participate.
“If the Sustainable Development Goals do not resonate with children and young people around the world in a way that is meaningful and relevant to their own lives and experiences, they will not be achieved. Students are some of the most passionate activists and agents of change on the planet, and it is their passion and determination that will drive all of us towards a more just, equal and sustainable world by 2030,” said UNICEF Agenda 2030 Partnerships Manager Shannon O’Shea.
Search #NAEUNICEF on Twitter and Instagram to see how Nord Anglia Education students are taking action in school and their community.