The UN and WALD signed a Declaration of Intent

The UN and WALD will continue their joint efforts regarding the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN in Turkey and the World Academy for Local Government and Democracy (WALD) have signed a declaration of intent to conduct joint activities concerning the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The declaration was signed by UN Resident Coordinator in Turkey Alvaro Rodriguez and WALD Chairman of the Board Mehmet Duman during a ceremony held at the foundation's headquarters in Sultanahmet on May 10, marking WALD’s 29th anniversary.

Speaking at the ceremony, UN Resident Coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez stated that the declaration of intent holds great significance for joint efforts toward the Sustainable Development Goals within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. Rodriguez emphasized the vital importance of working with municipalities at the local level to achieve the SDGs.

WALD Chairman of the Executive Board Mehmet DUMAN also expressed their commitment to implementing various projects aimed at localizing the SDGs—such as creating smart cities, combating climate change, promoting renewable energy, ensuring gender equality, addressing the needs of disadvantaged groups, and fostering decent work and working environments—while striving to add value to people's lives through a rights-based approach.

Duman said, "Through the WALD E-Parliament Youth Platform we established, university students from many different countries come together with their peers in Turkey and gain the opportunity to engage in discussions with leaders from Türkiye and around the world on a wide range of topics, from education and health to the environment, climate change, the economy, and politics." The second E-Parliament session was held in Istanbul on May 11, with the participation of representatives from UN Türkiye, Beykoz Municipality, the WALD Foundation, the EU Delegation, and the Turkish-German University. The session, chaired by Mehmet Duman, Chairman of the Board of the WALD Foundation, focused on "Sustainable Cities"—one of the priority topics of the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Resident Coordinator for Turkey Alvaro Rodriguez, Beykoz Mayor Murat Aydın, EU Delegation to Turkey representative Angel Gutierrez, and Prof. Dr. Burhanettin Aykut Arikan and Prof. Dr. Elif Nuroğlu from the Turkish-German University met with young people during the session.

Students from various countries also participated online in the meeting, which was held in a hybrid format.

UN Resident Coordinator for Turkey Rodriguez, stated that, given the massive scale urbanization has reached globally today, effective planning and management in all countries are crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.