Opinions & Interviews

“The Inclusive Belarus campaign is unique as it is the only campaign the United Nations Development Programme has launched in the region for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. We focus our attention on Belarus’ experience in dealing with social inequalities and take note of the country’s best practices in the area. We wanted to meet with representatives of the civil society, local authorities and talk over these matters,” Yekaterina Paniklova said.

She explained that the Sustainable Development Goals (there are 17 of them) were set forth for all the countries. The countries have different problems. They also have good practices, potential and opportunities to change the situation. “This year we focus on goal No. 10 — reduced inequalities. Perhaps, Belarus is the closest to the essence of the issue as the country which suffered the most during the Second World War, the Chernobyl nuclear accident and managed to restore after all these shocks. That is why it is interesting to learn what this country can offer to the countries in its region and across the globe. Over the last seven years Belarus has remained among the top 50 countries with a high Human Development Index, with its overall access to education and healthcare services, employment opportunities and many more. If Belarus moves up to the 40^th or 30^th place, we will be very happy about it,” Yekaterina Paniklova added.

Vitebsk welcomed the regional campaign Inclusive Belarus: Leaving No One Behind in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals with a number of events. The campaign participants and guests from other cities of Belarus and abroad gathered in the Vitebsk Concert Hall to see the exhibitions of the UN agencies, public associations, local initiatives, and embassies. After the official opening ceremony that was attended by representatives of the UN agencies, the diplomatic corps and local authorities, Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Council of Deputies Vladimir Terentyev, Yekaterina Paniklova, and head of the WHO Office in Belarus Dr. Batyr Berdyklychev signed a declaration on the commitment to Sustainable Development Goal No.10.

The program of the campaign events in Vitebsk will include a seminar on the integrated services center, a table tennis tournament for visually impaired people, the UN film festival, a meeting of the regional press club, an inclusive fashion show, master classes and training sessions (for instance, an IT training to promote goods made by people with disabilities, or a leadership school for women), a roundtable session and an inclusive concert.

The Inclusive Belarus campaign has been organized by the United Nations Organization and the Belarusian government in association with governmental and non-governmental organizations, representatives of the private sector and the international community. It is a continuation of the Express UN 70 initiative in Belarus towards the Sustainable Development Goals is focused on goal No. 10 — reduced inequalities, and assistance to widespread regional discussion of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The regional campaign began in Grodno on 24 November and will complete its tour with events in Minsk on 9-10 December.