The UN’s sustainable development goals [SDGs] are the agenda and the international community’s common goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 for the sustainable development of humanity. The international community agreed to implement the 17 goals together by 2030 under an ideology that is to “leave no one behind.” As a part of the plan for the happiness of humanity, ASEZ held forums in order to let all people realize the importance of the SDGs and to explore the role of university students from December 7, 2017 to January 2018 in ten countries: Korea, Argentina, India, Taiwan, Philippines, Nepal, Malaysia, the United States, Chile, and Mexico.
The forum consists of introducing ASEZ activities, topic presentations of the experts from various fields, signing the ASEZ proposal for the implementation of the UN SDGs, and signing MOUs. The university students and the members of all walks of life participated in the forum and had a meaningful time to explore the role of students in regard to environmental problems and universal problems of humanity.
In South Korea, about 3,000 people, including Korean university students, international students, the deputy head of Kenya Embassy, officials from Foreign Embassies in Korea, university professors, representatives of companies, and pressmen, participated in the forum held at the New Jerusalem Pangyo Temple.
Various countries of the world praise this forum. Leni Robredo, Vice President of the Phillippines, sent a congratulatory message-“When young people like you gather to learn more about how we can work on achieving our shared visions of sustainable development, you reassured the world that the future is going to be brighter and better in your hands. Let this be an event your ideas are exchanged and your friendships are strengthened so that together we can work harder to reach our goals as a nation and as a globalized society. To efficiently and effectively work toward achieving 17 sustainable development goals, it is vital that every sector of society is involved. It is inspiring that the student volunteers like you continue to support this effort and persistently explore ideas on how to contribute to making a difference and changing the world. May this forum bring hope to each and every one of you as you continue to work in unity to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all.”
Julio César Zamora, Mayor of Tigre, Argentina, attended the forum and said, “I would like to congratulate the ASEZ university students for their sacrificial service to implement the SDGs. I am deeply grateful to the Church of God that centers Mother in heart. The reason is that the Church of God cares and worries about the earth with Mother’s heart and that all the churches of the Church of God around the world actually practice and put into actions. Thank you all for choosing our town Tigre for this wonderful event. This MOU is not just a piece of paper. The MOU brings the civil society and the government together. All the people who dwell on the earth can make the world better through the SDGs project.”
Through this forum, ASEZ informed about the roles of university students and of all walks of life for the implementation of the SDGs and encouraged their participation. Also, ASEZ signed the MOUs with local governments from various countries and promised a close cooperation.
The sustainable development goals, including termination of poverty, solution for famine, promotion of well-being, promotion of education, gender equality, water and sanitation, energy provision, solution for inequality, and preparation for climate change, clearly reflect the challenges that humanity faces. We need universal love for humanity without discrimination to solve these problems and to achieve a happy life where “no one is left behind” as the UN SDGs aim. ASEZ believes that the source of such love for humanity is “Mother’s love.” In 2018, ASEZ will continue Social service, Awareness raising, Victim relief, Environmental protection [SAVE] movement with “Mother’s love” and will concentrate on making the world bright and hopeful.
