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UVic events to support the UN SDGs

Colour composite of sustainable goals

UVic is committed to providing educational opportunities and outreach activities for our local community and beyond that bring attention to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and that promote the work and research that advance the goals.

On this site we present a small selection of the many events held during 2023 directly related to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals at UVic:

During its second year of operations, CIFAL Victoria connected the region with the global community and supported international knowledge-sharing and partnerships in advancing the SDGs. From over 709 hours of training and dialogue in 18 events, the 719 participants engaged in multisectoral dialogue with 20 partners across the globe.

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The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Sciences hosted an evening reunion with Bob McDonland, host of CBC's show 'Quirks and Quarks', where he shared hiw about the focus towards global energy sources, an optimistic perspective to counteract the sense of doom hanging over most discussions of the environment.

 

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A student-led initiative where members of the University of Victoria and local high schools embarked on a creative exploration and sharing of their experiences concerning life amidst climate change through dialogues, workshops, art exhibits and field excursions that revolve around several Sustainable Development Goals.

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The Global Talks are weekly discussions/presentations in the Center for Global Studies where participants we are able to listen to presentations from researchers within CFGS, the university more broadly and also invited guest speakers. On this sessions, we learned about many different ways in which UVic researchers are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals across different disciplines, locally and abroad.
 

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the Student Wellness Center developed a set of dinners for all students, particularly those from abroad, to feel more welcomed at the University and find comfort in cooking and eating with others, practicing mindfulness and other a holistic approaches that combine the body, mind, and heart.

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The Center for International Students organized multiple sessions with guest institutions who provide learning opportunities for students to study abroad, go for an exchange program or participate in field schools in multiple areas and countries that advance sustainability and contribute to a healthier planet. 

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A sociologist and bioethicist, Dr. Monica Casper gave a Landsdawn Lecture on the subject of infant death in the context of quantitative governance of health disparities, asking how we might better understand – and respond to – preventable infant mortality. 

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UNITAR together with CIFAL Dakar and CIFAL Newcastle gave a presentation about the Global Breastfeeding Education Initiative, featuring speakers such as Mr. Nikhil Seth, UN Assistant Secretary General and Executive Director of UNITAR, Permanent Representatives at the United Nations Office in Geneva from Senegal, Gabon, Mali, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, as well as scholars from the University of Newcastle, Utrecht University, Spanish National Research Council, FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences and the National Breastfeeding Commission of Germany.
 

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CIFAL Victoria offered a symposium on Indigenous perspectives on enacting/embodying climate justice via Indigenous-led resurgence for planetary health. The multi session event enabled knowledge exchange between academics, activists, researchers, students, and civil society to advance Planetary Health collaborations in research, the arts, and activist practice.

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In this talk, the guest speaker from Queen's University, Dr. Lee Airton, reflected on the Canadian K-12 teacher’s changing experience as schools endeavour to enact ambitious gender diversity policy while anti-transgender movements and discourses gain steam across Canada.

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Guest speaker from Lafayette College, Dr. Lindsay Soh, shared a lecture about different design opportunities to improve solvent sustainability across various life cycle stages, making them less harmfull for the environment, health and safety with their use and disposal. 
 

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“Oil & Water” featured the debut of four new electroacoustic percussion compositions by Ocean Networks Canada artist-in-residence & composer Colin Malloy. Inspired by ocean data & discussions with ONC researchers, Malloy performed pieces created during his residency, based in his own practice rooted in music technology and the Caribbean steelpan. 
 

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The Soul of the Fraser (2022) was screened at the Center for Global Studies to celebrate World Water Day, followed by a conversation with Sarah Nathan (British Columbia Manager of Provincial Operations, Ducks Unlimited Canada), Lindsey Jay Wilson (Hereditary Chief, Hwlitsum First Nation), Chris Jenkins (Co-Director, The Soul of the Fraser), and Fin Donnelly (Parliamentary Secretary for Watershed Restoration, British Columbia).
 

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The Global Community organized multiples events fore students to engage in sustainable initiatives on and off campus, like this activity at the Campus Community Garden where participants worked the land with sustainable garding practices.  

 

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The Institute for Integrated Energy Services hosted a free seminar with Dr. Tom Murphy, on the challenges for the transition to a sustainable energy future. Dr. Murphy discussed how astrophysically-inspired perspectives on space, time, energy, and ecology can help frame our period, and promote penetrating reflections on what we aim to do as a civilization.

 

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Erica Gies, a multi awarded journalist and author, was the host of the UVic Southam Lecture, sharing experiences around water and climate change.

 

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The Polis Water sustainability Project hosted a panel where emerging researchers and young professionals discussed experiences of youth engagement and community resilience in watershed in a changing climate.

 

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The University of Victoria, Ocean Networks Canada and Camosun College partnered to bring Science Rendezvous to Victoria, a free educational festival for K-12 and beyond promoting STEM–Science, Technology, Engineering and Math–in Canada, with a strong focus on sustainability.

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The Department of Pacific and Asian Studies hosted a free lecture with Dr. Charmaine Chia from the University of California, Santa Barbara, about the phenomenaof reshaping of the global supply chains by organizing goods movement through a politics of just-in-time circulation. 

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Drawing on examples ranging from biodiverse tropical coral reefs to productive northern fisheries, Dr. Loren McClenachan demosntrated the ways that historical documents like photographs and nautical charts have been used to describe ecological change, and what has been learned by this marriage of ecology and history.

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