Partnerships, an essential element for achieving the SDGs: post-Girona conference reflections

On 10 December, we had the privilege of participating in the round table ‘Partnerships, an essential element for achieving the SDGs’ in the framework of the ‘2nd Conference for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals in the local world’, organised by the Diputació de Girona.

At this table, moderated by Jordi López i Buijs, Sustainable Development technician of the Provincial Council, we shared reflections on the power of alliances to achieve the SDGs from different fields and sectors with Joaquim Salvi i Mas, rector of the University of Girona, Anna Barnadas i López, Secretary for Climate Action of the Regional Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, Joan Roca i Fontané, chef at El Celler de Can Roca and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, and Albert Carbonell i Quer, President of Clúster Èxit and the Mifas Group.

It was a really enriching and wide-ranging debate that reinforces the idea of the ‘common language’ that the 2030 Agenda provides us with. The 2030 Agenda is probably the first tool in favour of Sustainable Development in which all actors, entities, sectors, speak the same language and, although the challenges are different for each entity, the roadmap and the objectives pursued are aligned. By putting together the pieces of the different sectors and areas, we can see that a puzzle is being co-created that is being completed with the efforts of all the sectors. In some cases the effort is focused on education, in others on climate action, or on decent and inclusive work, but what is common in all cases is the importance of partnerships and the great opportunity that the 2030 Agenda offers to create them. The efforts of all the entities committed to sustainable development can undoubtedly contribute to the fact that when we reach the year 2030, we can look back and make a collective balance sheet in which we can observe progress and achievements without leaving anyone behind.

Beyond the enriching experience, the kindness with which we were welcomed, the atmosphere of the day, the trip and the beauty of the city of Girona, this day made us slow down for a moment the speed at which we go on day to day and allowed us to see with some perspective the number of agents and entities that work in the same direction. With this positive energy, we will continue our work, trying to do our bit to achieve the objectives of the United Nations and highlighting the vision that working with diverse agents brings us and, above all, not losing sight of the power of alliances.