In 2015, the United Nations worked with its 193 member states and global civil society organizations to come up with a roadmap to achieving the future we want.
In the end they came up with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to reach by 2030 in order to improve social and economic development globally, and to help all nations and communities work toward transforming our world.
The Victoria Foundation is embracing these Sustainable Development Goals to help guide our work and shape our community. Whether it be granting, our youth programs or our Vital Signs report, we are striving to integrating the SDGs with our work and our mandate.
For instance, this year’s Victoria’s Vital Signs report will revolve around the SDGs. Each of the goals and their more specific indicators will be linked to each of the report’s 12 key issue areas, as it assesses the health and vitality of our community.
Of particular interest will be SDG No. 11, which tackles making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. This is a lens through which the capital region, and in fact much our work going forward, will be viewed.
This was front of mind for our recent Vital Conversation: Victoria BC2030 event, which brought together sitting and prospective municipal elected officials, civil society organizations and others. In partnership with the B.C. Council for International Co-operation, we worked to identify concrete actions to connect community sustainability initiatives in the year ahead and explore the role that municipal leadership can play in achieving the SDGs.
This was one of more than 30 events taking place around the province asking British Columbians: “How are we showing leadership on the SDGs?”
The Victoria Foundation is also proud to be a member of the national Alliance 2030, which brings together organizations, institutions and individuals committed to achieving the 17 SDGs by the year 2030. This program, initiated by Community Foundations of Canada, promotes working creatively and collaboratively at the local and global level to reach these goals.
I’m a firm believer in collaboration and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals provide a concrete way for all of us, governments, businesses, non-profits and individuals, to get on the same page. We’re excited to see where our commitment to these goals leads us, and to see where it leads others, as we all strive for a better world by 2030.
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
