Launch of the European Year of Development
26/1/15
2015 European Year of Development Launched in Ireland
The Irish launch of the 2015 European Year of Development was held in Dublin Castle on Thursday 22 January 2015, with President Higgins and Minister Seán Sherlock in attendance.
The conference included a Keynote Address by President Higgins and contributions from Minister Seán Sherlock; Dochas Chairperson, Sharan Kelly; Google Science Fair winners, Émer Hickey, Ciara Judge and Sophie Healy-Thow; and representatives from Ireland’s African community.
The European Year of Development coincides with several important agreements on poverty, development and climate change taking place in 2015.
The European Year of Development coincides with several important agreements on poverty, development, and climate change taking place in 2015.
Negotiations will conclude in September on a set of Sustainable Development Goals, agreed by the world’s 193 countries, and cover every area relevant to human well-being and development – such as poverty, hunger, health, education and environmental degradation. Ireland is playing a leading role in the process, following our appointment with Kenya as co-chairs of the inter-governmental negotiations.
In December, a legally-binding international agreement to tackle climate change is due, as a result of negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The agreement will outline targets and actions that nations will take to deal with the ongoing effects of climate change.
President Higgins said that ‘the choices that will be made at the end of the year in relation to both agendas will have a real impact on this and future generations.’
“2015 presents us with both huge challenges and opportunities. It will require brave and wise decisions from world leaders. It will also require vigilance and activism among Ireland’s NGO workers, parliamentarians, public intellectuals, academics, and beyond, to ensure that our policies are sourced in global welfare and that our policy-makers deliver on their promises.”
Minister Sherlock said: “The European Year of Development is an important opportunity for us to reflect on our place in the world, and how we contribute to ensuring that world is a fairer and more sustainable place for us all to live.”
Read Minister Sherlock's Speech