Room JDE 62 in the Jacques Delors building is full on this 9 October morning. According to Emma Toledano Laredo, Director General for Regional and Urban Policy at the European Commission, this clearly shows the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the topic of the event, for Europeans.
Sustainable development is a "fundamental" principle of the Treaty of the European Union. At the Sustainable Development Goals Summit in 2023, President Ursula von der Leyen said: "Developing countries need more resources to lift people out of poverty and transition to a clean and fair economy. That is why I welcome the Secretary-General's SDG recovery plan.” On 9 October 2024, Emma Toledano Laredo expanded upon this at the session "Bridging disparities: exploring the role of the SDGs in forest cohesion policy in EU regions", saying that the topic is "close to her heart". Peter Kaiser, Governor of Carinthia, added that "the SDGs are a great international agreement, in my opinion the best international agreement to shape the future".
Showcasing Regional Projects and Initiatives
Barbara Garcia Torijano, Minister of the Regional Government of Castilla-La-Mancha, presented the "build to be again" project. This pilot project for 2021 follows the housing crisis in Madrid, which has led to a migration of the poorest population groups to the region of Castilla-La-Mancha. This project, which represents 8.9 billion euros from the European Investment Fund, aims to develop pathways to social inclusion for people in vulnerable situations.
Anne Rudisuhli, Bouche du Rhône Departmental Councillor for European Affairs, presented the Conseil des Jeunes de la Protection de l’Enfance. Its aim is to bring together volunteers aged between 9 and 21 who have been affected by a child protection measure to propose new ideas and reflect with local authorities on "better ways of doing things". Rudisuhli said about this council: “We can be proud of this initiative. Even if it is still new and we can do more with it.”
People at risk of poverty or social exclusion
Cristina Mannetti, head of the Tuscany regional government, spoke about two projects, including the Ati project, which aims to reduce the gender gap by promoting women's employment. Gender equality is at the heart of the Tuscan agenda. Mannetti returned to her region's use of ESF+ funds for gender issues, €36 million of which are specifically dedicated to actions aimed at women.
Cohesion Policy’s Role in Shaping a Sustainable Future
Peter Kaiser stressed the importance of cohesion policy in achieving the SDGs: “We must always work with sustainability in mind."
by Madeleine Montoriol
