Sustainable Development: Local Actions for the Global Good

"Connecting Community Foundations with the Sustainable Development Goals" is the title of the workshop that took place on September 21 and 22 at the headquarters of the Horcynus Orca Foundation in Messina. The event, organized by Assifero and ECFI - European Community Foundation Initiative and included in the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Festival, was attended by a delegation from the Agrigento and Trapani Community Foundation.

The workshop featured expert presentations and group work sessions that brought together and facilitated discussions among various community foundations from across Italy. The workshop addressed several key points, from an in-depth exploration of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to why these goals should be incorporated into the actions of Community Foundations and how to connect them to their projects to enhance their social impact on communities.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (also known as SDGs) and the 169 sub-goals are identified and explained in the United Nations' Agenda 2030, a global action plan for people, the planet, and prosperity. They represent the necessary and fundamental directions to address global challenges: a vision of sustainable development that enables the current generation to meet its needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own, leaving no one behind.

Many valuable contributions highlighted the importance of linking local actions of organizations to global challenges, not only to better recognize the value of their actions but also to increase their impact on the community. Among the speakers were Fabrizio Barca, Coordinator of the Inequalities and Diversity Forum; Carlo Borgomeo, President of the CON IL SUD Foundation; Carola Carazzone, Secretary General of Assifero; Michele Maria D'Ercole, Head of the Territorial Cohesion Agency; Gaetano Giunta, Secretary General of the Messina Community Foundation; James Magowan, Coordinating Director of ECFI; Stefania Mancini, Vice President of Assifero.

The workshop helped participants gain a deeper understanding of the dual nature of Community Foundations, which are both practical and visionary, and are already at the forefront of the collective effort to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.