Education Impact
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UN Sustainable Development Goals

Representatives from the Americas meet to address education for human health and the environment

Posted by Holly Brough
Director of Communications

While climate rallies were occurring in New York and across the globe, Shelburne Farms--together with the University of Vermont and the City of Burlington--was honored to host representatives from North, Central, and South America to address issues at the cross-section of human health and climate change.

Held September 22-25, 2019, it was the 8th annual gathering of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for Sustainable Development, a United Nations distinction for regions known to be conducting innovative initiatives in this area. This particular gathering was for the 16 RCEs located in the Americas, of which the Burlington area is one. The work in our region is coordinated by the Greater Burlington Sustainability Education Network (GBSEN). RCEs across the globe are collectively working to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) in their regions.

Hosting the international event allowed us to elevate and highlight the Greater Burlington region’s work in Education for Sustainability. This included visits with students in the Burlington City & Lake Semester at Burlington High School, an exploration of Shelburne Farms’ Cultivating Pathways project at the Coach Barn, and more.

Like most annual gatherings, the focus is on networking, discussing, and sharing the work that everyone has been doing to advance the SDGs. It’s the less glamorous, but critical work that Shelburne Farms is deeply committed to: working in relationships and partnerships to educate for a sustainable future.

Here are some photos capturing the RCE event. 

 

Jen Cirillo, Shelburne Farms; Signe Daly, teacher with Burlington City and Lake Semester; Diego Adamson, RCE Cuenca del Plata, Argentina; Pablo Llerandi Roman, Candidate RCE, Puerto Rico -- at Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center. Photo: Brian Jenkins
Students in the Burlington City and Lake Semester Program at Burlington High School share a few of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that they focus on in their studies. Photo: Brian Jenkins
Students from Crosset Brook Elementary School in Waterbury, VT presented their student-created, student-run coop project. The idea for this project emerged out of Shelburne Farms' Cultivating Pathways event. Photo: Sarah Webb.
RCE delegates at their session at the Coach Barn. Photo: Sarah Webb.

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