By Caitriona Rogerson, Irish Environmental Network
In Dublin, campaigner rallied together on the Global Day of Action, 25 September, in the city centre to highlight the Sustainable Development Goals and Ireland’s efforts to implement them. The event was organised by All Together in Dignity Ireland, in conjunction with members of the DEAR project Make Europe Sustainable for All and Coalition 2030 and focused on the ‘Leave No One Behind’ promise.
An enormous banner reading ’17 Global Goals and a Promise: To Leave No One behind’ was hung from the Rosie Hacket bridge in Dublin City Centre from 7am – 7pm, and throughout the day, a team of volunteers talked to passersby about the goals. In addition, the public was invited to participate in a ‘Humans of Dublin for the Global Goals’ photo challenge, and the result is a photo montage of over 200 citizens holding an SDG.
At 1.17pm (to symbolise the 17 Goals and 1 Promise) over 100 members of the Coalition, alongside government representatives and ambassadors from 7 EU countries gathered for a group photograph on O’Connell Bridge. The whole group then walked to the Garden of Remembrance to hear messages of support from the President of Ireland and the Belgian Ambassador, as well as statements connecting the ‘Leave No One Behind’ promise to each of the 5 P’s – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. Finally two young asylum seekers living in Direct Provision in Ireland gave a spoken word performance.
The day was a great success with #ACT4SDGs and #Ireland4SDGs trending on twitter in Ireland, and in addition it was covered by the Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/rally-hears-calls-for-greater-progress-by-ireland-on-un-goals-1.3640993
The Irish Environmental Network is an umbrella network that works to support environmental NGOs through access to funding and services. It consists of environmental NGOs that carry out their work through practical conservation work, campaigning, lobbying and raising public awareness of environmental and conservation needs.