Mediterranean Civil Society calls for global sustainable development action

Barcelona, 5 June, 2012. –The UfM Secretariat hosted the event “A Generation of We Can: Media as partner for sustainable development”. The workshop, organised by the Group Knowledge for Development (GK4D), consisted of a series of activities on communication and capacity building for sustainable development, with an aim to interact in the preparatory process of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, RIO+20. The conference gathered sustainable development activists and relevant media in the Mediterranean region.

While recognizing the difficulty for both, civil society and the decision makers, to define and understand the concept of Green Economy, the participants agreed on the essential need to enhance education, dialogue and the exchange of information among society, while avoiding empty talks and general concepts within the global communication scene. The important role of the media and social networks was highlighted as a powerful vehicle for action and exchange among activists, scientists and communicators. It was acknowledged that online platforms like Twitter and Facebook can leverage the visibility of important initiatives on sustainable development, from a global to a local scale.

In the words of Farooq Ullah, Executive Director of the Stakeholders Forum for a sustainable future:  “The UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20 is not the end of a process, but the beginning of one, which will help build green economies and produce new jobs as well as pushing reforms at the governance level”.

The event took place on the occasion of the World Environment Day (WED), commemorated every year on 5 June, and prior to the UN Conference for Sustainable Development, Rio+20.

Read More: Call to Action report