Indian Students Commit To Attain Sustainable Development Goals At Harvard MUN

Many Indian schools have already become aware of the fact that sustainability and global citizenship are not optional choices now and students must be made responsible to meet the challenges that awaits future. The entire world is moving towards being more sustainable, inclusive and equal and the same is reflected in school pedagogies. 

In 2015, UN adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which advises governments, businesses and other organisations on sustainable development. SDGs consist of comprehensive framework with 17 goals that achieve the future that we desire, vis-á-vis a world with sustainable climate and social and economic injustices. 

The fulfilment of the goal is equally dependent on the leaders of today and the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore, we need to empower the next generation to deal with these challenges now. 

The Future Leaders' Program presented Indian students from across the country with the chance to do just that by being a part of Harvard MUN (Model United Nations) in Boston, 2019. "To me, the Sustainable Development Goals are synonymous with the hopes for a brighter future," said Uthra Vinod Menon, a student of Bhavan's Vidya Mandir Eroor. The feeling comes with the fact that this is an endeavour taken by the UN, an organisation that has representatives all over the world, he continued the statement. "I feel that an individual can make mistakes, a single nation can make mistakes but 193 nations with billions of citizens won't make mistakes without having to sacrifice their lives for the same. This faith makes me a strong advocate of the SDGs.” Menon added. 

The MUN brought together more than 3,300 likeminded high-school students from around 50 nations around the globe to converse about the greatest challenges world faces today like Reducing Violence and Harassment Against Women to Protecting the Rights of Prisoners of War. 

Students from various schools across India like St.Gregorios High School Mumbai, MSB Education Pune, JBCN International School Mumbai, Indus International School Bangalore, Yadavindra Public School Mohali, Choithram International School Indore, MBS Education Pune, Bhavan's Vidya Mandir Girinagar and Bhavan's Vidya Mandir Eroor joined the MUN.

By: Neha Maheshwari