Annual Report 2015
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ANNUAL REPORT 2015 CIFAL FLANDERS UN TRAINING & RESEARCH CENTRE FOR SMART SUSTAINABILITY TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword 3 United Nations & UNITAR 4 CIFAL Flanders 5 CIFAL Global Network 6 CIFAL Global Network Annual Meeting 7 Launch CIFAL Flanders 8 Team Members 2015 9 Expertise 10-11 Methodology 12 Action Learning Days 13-14 Seminars & In-Company Trainings 15-16 E-Learning Courses 17 Keynotes & Guest Lectures 18 UN Talks 19 UN Day Flanders 20 UN Day EU Brussels 21 Training Results 22 Communication 23-24 Press 25 Governance 26 CIFAL Flanders Public Utility Foundation 27 CIFAL Flanders 2016 28 2 FOREWORD "To me and the Board of Directors, 2015 has been a true milestone for CIFAL Flanders. We started as a small foundation with humble ambitions five years ago, and have now evolved into an agenda-setting authority in the Flemish sustainability landscape. The formal recognition of our organisation by UNITAR as an official CIFAL centre has allowed us to expand our content, our network and our scope of activities. As CEO of one of the founding partners, Antwerp World Diamond Centre, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors, I am proud of what the CIFAL Flanders team has accomplished, and I am also honored to be part of this successful project. The next years look promising as many partners, companies, local governments and other entities will call on CIFAL Flanders to obtain guidance and insights on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the global agenda for the upcoming 15 years." Ari Epstein, Chairman Antwerp-ITCCO - CIFAL Flanders “2015 was a remarkable year for the United Nations. What could be a more precious gift for the 70th anniversary of the UN than the adoption of the resolution „Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development‟, including 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all to be achieved by 2030? And at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal. In that historic context, CIFAL Flanders was launched in Antwerp on October 20th 2015 as a new UN Training & Research Centre for Smart Sustainability dedicated to promoting peace and human rights and implementing the UN declarations, principles and guidelines with focus on local capacity building for Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. This first Annual Report gives an overview of our trainings and public events of last year. I want to thank our founding partners and new training partners, the City of Antwerp and the Flemish Government for their most appreciated support. And last but not least I want to praise UNITAR, the CIFAL-colleagues around the world and my great team for the stimulating work environment, the professional collaboration and above all for your trust and friendship.” Peter Wollaert, Fellow UNITAR - Managing Director CIFAL Flanders 3 UNITED NATIONS & UNITAR STRONG UN. BETTER WORLD. “The 70th anniversary of the United Nations is an opportunity to reflect, to look back on the UN‟s history and take stock of its enduring achievements. It is also an opportunity to spotlight where the UN – and the international community as a whole – needs to redouble its efforts to meet current and future challenges across the three pillars of its work: peace and security, development, and human rights.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message for UN70 www.un.org/un70 UNITED NATIONS INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH “The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is the principal training arm of the United Nations, working in every region of the world. UNITAR's global network of training centres offer innovative training in key areas of development and foster collaboration amongst government authorities, the private sector and civil society leaders. It is a pleasure to welcome CIFAL Flanders as 14th training centre in the Global Network. CIFAL Flanders has been recognised by its professionalism, agility and innovation. Let me thank the CIFAL Flanders leadership and partners for all that they have done to advance our mission, and wish you all continued success in the important work ahead.” Nikhil Seth, Executive Director UNITAR Alex Mejia, Head CIFAL Global Network www.unitar.org | learnatunitar.org 4 CIFAL FLANDERS MISSION CIFAL Flanders is a new UN Training & Research Centre for Smart Sustainability dedicated to promoting peace and human rights and implementing the UN declarations, principles and guidelines with focus on local capacity building for Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. TARGET AUDIENCE Government Businesses NGO & Trade Unions Academia Officials Civil Society ACTIVITIES Action Learning Days Seminars and In-Company Trainings Keynotes & Guest Lectures E-Learning Courses UN Talks Public Events 5 CIFAL GLOBAL NETWORK 15 INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTRES The CIFAL Global Network is composed of 15 international training centres for authorities and leaders in society. The CIFALs are located across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean. Since its inception in 2003, the Network has reached more than 30,000 beneficiaries through over 400 learning events. 4 AREAS OF WORK www.unitar.org/thematic-areas/capacity-agenda-2030 6 CIFAL GLOBAL NETWORK ANNUAL MEETING 28-30 OCTOBER, UN GENEVA: XII ANNUAL MEETING OF CIFAL DIRECTORS 7 LAUNCH CIFAL FLANDERS 25 AUGUST: ITCCO RECOGNIZED AS CIFAL On Tuesday 25th of August in the Antwerp City Hall, Antwerp-ITCCO announced to its partners and network the recognition of the organisation as fully-fledged International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders (CIFAL) by UNITAR. Under its new name, CIFAL Flanders welcomed over 70 attendees in the Leys Hall of Antwerp City Hall for a festive event to celebrate the recognition of the organisation by the United Nations. “As a founding partner of Antwerp-ITCCO, I think this is a logical and needed evolution. In fact, I believe that Antwerp-ITCCO was destined to grow into an official CIFAL centre.‟‟ Ari Epstein, CEO Antwerp World Diamond Centre and Chairman Antwerp-ITCCO Public Utility Foundation 20 OCTOBER: OFFICIAL LAUNCH CIFAL FLANDERS On the 20th of October, CIFAL Flanders organised with United Nations Association Flanders Belgium (VVN) and the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC) a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations and the approval of the SDGs by the UN General Assembly. On this occasion, CIFAL Flanders was officially launched to the general public. The event took place at the Voka - Chamber of Commerce Antwerp-Waasland and was attended by more than 100 distinguished guests. 8 TEAM MEMBERS 2015 Peter Wollaert Jan Beyne Bert Maes Managing Director Programme Manager Project Manager FLANDERS TRAINEE PROGRAMME With help from the Flanders Trainee Programme of the Flemish Government, CIFAL Flanders can count on several interns every year. This Trainee Programme offers a subsidy for graduates and students who whish to do an internship in an international organisation such as CIFAL Flanders or UNITAR. Toep Van Mierlo Kathy Goffin Anne De Keersmaecker Michiel Degraeve 02/09/’14 - 02/03/’15 19/01/’15 - 18/07/’15 05/05/’15 - 04/11/’15 03/08/’15 - 01/02/’16 RESEARCH INTERNS Nicolai Vondracek Gaya Nulens 01/02/’15 - 01/09/’15 09/02/’15 - 12/05/’15 9 EXPERTISE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS With the Millennium Development Goals concluded at the end of 2015, world leaders have agreed on an ambitious long-term agenda to improve people’s lives and protect the planet for future generations: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unlike the MDGs, the SDGs were not drafted by a small group of experts and member states. They are the result of years of negotiations between member states, businesses, NGOs en civil society organisations. On the UN Summit in September in New York, 193 countries agreed on the 17 goals that need to be attained before 2030. 10 EXPERTISE BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS Since the foundation of the UN in 1945, Human Rights have been the starting point for the United Nations. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights In 1948, three years after the foundation of the United Nations, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was the first global expression of the idea that all human beings are inherently entitled to a number of important rights. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were proposed by UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights John Ruggie and endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2011. In the same resolution, the UN Human Rights Council established the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights. The framework proposed by John Ruggie, also known as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), are a global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse impacts on human rights linked to business activity. The framework elaborates on the responsibilities of both states and businesses. SMART & SUSTAINABLE CITIES The Urban Sustainable Development Goal is the 11th of the 17 SDGs. This agenda tries to tackle the ever-growing challenges resulting from global urbanisation, such as urban poverty, the access to infrastructure, housing, and many more. The drafters of the SDGs were convinced that an Urban SDG is necessary to integrate safe and sustainable solutions into the policies on city level. The Urban SDG is key to localise the global agenda. “Urbanization will be the defining trend over the next several decades. Today 50% of the world‟s 7 billion people live in cities and by 2050 this will rise to 70%. Cities are home to extreme deprivation and environmental degradation, causing one billion people to live in slums. At the same time, roughly 75% of global economic activity is urban and as the urban population grows, so will the urban share of global GDP and investments.