Ulaanbaatar, May 25, 2023 /MONTSAME/. Within the framework of the "Education for Sustainable Development" (ESD-II) Project implemented by the Swiss Cooperation Office and Consular Agency in Mongolia, the "Joint Initiative and Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development-2023" National Forum was held yesterday at the "Corporate Convention" center.

The opening of the Forum was not typical; pupils of the schools implementing the project delivered greetings and put questions to the guests and representatives from the Government who came to the Forum.

The pupils of the "Erdmiin Urgoo" complex school of Bayangol district of Ulaanbaatar participated as panelists and reported what they had learned during three years of the project, as well as questioned the guests "Why is education for sustainable development important in society and in your life?" and exchanged opinions.  

Member of the State Great Khural and member of the Standing Committee on Education, Culture, Science and Sports of the Parliament G. Damdinnyam answered the above question, "One of the main goals of sustainable development is to create an eco-friendly environment for residents, and I realized this while studying in Canada, in Vancouver, one of the greenest cities in the world. At that time, my daughter was six years old. When she entered school, the oak tree outside her school was to be removed. My daughter wrote a letter to the city administration, asking “why they do that."

He said, "Following the letter, the city management came and informed that they were moving the tree to another place for the expansion of the school building, promised to regenerate and grow it again. I never forget their lesson delivered to schoolchildren." MP appealed to the pupils for their correct participation and contribution to the society, and emphasized the important role of the multipartite engagement of adults, decision-makers and the Government.

Director of “Temuulen” complex school of Chinggis City of Khentii aimag M. Zolzaya expressed her viewpoint, "People often ask us if the ESD project is funded. Of course, we have been duly financed from the project and local authorities. However, our project is different from other projects that are usually monitored after 3-4 years of funding. As for our project, stakeholders, partners, and implementers are all constantly interlinked at every step, and it is possible to achieve real results with less funding. For instance, as a result of one of the four interrelated projects that we have implemented, children learned the ways to reduce waste by choosing food correctly.”

Head of International Cooperation and Consul in Mongolia Ms. Stefanie Burri summed up in one sentence the results of the "ESD-II" project, "Within our project, the next generation of Mongolia, children and youth, are creating their own eco-friendly environment, and learning to live and work in such an environment."

In the morning, the National Forum "Joint Initiative and Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development-2023" went as "Today's Call for the Future: Teenagers’ Forum" and in the afternoon continued with "Results and Future Goals of ESD-II Project" closing activities.

Management staff, teachers and students of 30 model schools implementing the ESD-II project, representatives of six aimags and two districts of the capital, whcih were selected for the project, international donor organizations, private sector, line ministries, such as the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and public organizations, altogether 300-350 people attended the Forum. The teenagers who will benefit from the project took part in the event, delivered presentations on increasing the opportunities of children and youth to support education for sustainable development, and submitted proposals to policy makers.