The European Sustainable Development Week (ESDW) will be held in Latvia and other European countries from 18 September to 8 October 2024. This is the tenth year that European countries are organising concurrent events to foster international cooperation and create a platform for developing sustainable solutions. Latvia is also part of this initiative and demonstrates its commitment to the global debate on building a sustainable future.
During ESDW week, thousands of events are held across Europe, including Latvia, by companies, institutions, public organisations and individuals. This year Latvia will implement various initiatives with a focus on sustainable development issues, promoting resource efficiency and sustainable solutions. The activities organised by public, private and non-governmental institutions cover issues that encourage the implementation of sustainable development principles.
These events also demonstrate Latvia’s commitment to promote the implementation of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals by sharing best practices and promoting responsible approaches to environmental and resource management. The initiatives underscore the sustainable solutions and the involvement of society in order to promote positive long-term change.
A list of upcoming events that are part of the initiative:
- September 19 – Registration is open for the series of seminars "Circular Economy and Effective Waste Management: Challenges and Opportunities" in Rumbula, Stopiņi parish. These seminars are held within the framework of the "Life Waste to Resources IP" project and focus on current issues of the circular economy. Local government, waste management and environmental experts will participate in the cycle to share their experience and look for effective solutions to the challenges of the circular economy, paying special attention to the improvement of waste management.
- September 19 – 12th grade pupils from Riga International High School will develop scientific projects on one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, adapting it to the local context. As part of the project, a trip to Jūrmala will be organized to collect data, which will later be analysed in the school's laboratories.
- September 25 - The ‘Elektrum’ company organizes an online webinar "En Route Towards a Sustainable Office", which will provide a comprehensive insight into how to make the office more environmentally friendly and sustainable. The webinar will cover topics such as the ‘green office’ concept, waste reduction, employee motivation and creating sustainability ambassadors. Participants will have an opportunity to get practical advice on how to reduce the ecological footprint of the office and promote the implementation of environmentally friendly practices.
- September 26 - The Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) will hold a webinar "How will the Green Deal Change the Working Environment and Skills of Employees?". The webinar will discuss how the European Union's Green Deal will change the working environment and what skills will be required in the future to adapt to these changes.
- September 27 – Educational event "Clothing and Textile Waste " in Valmiera, where participants will gain practical knowledge about textile recycling and sustainable fashion. During the event, a representative from JSC JA Power Recycling will provide information on the impact of textile production on the environment, while stylist Ineta Zariņa will conduct a practical lecture on creating a sustainable capsule wardrobe. At the end of the evening, Evija Tiltiņa will lead the master class "Recycling Men's Shirts", where the participants will create a new robe dress.
- October 3 – The international conference "Development Cooperation of Latvia 25" will be held aimed at providing an overview of Latvia's achievements in the field of development cooperation over the past 25 years. The conference will highlight examples of good practice and their impact, as well as hold a discussion on current development cooperation priorities related to the foreign policy of Latvia. The event will bring together the representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and development cooperation institutions of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, as well as representatives of the Baltic Assembly, NGO platforms, local-governments of Latvia, private and academic sectors, public institutions and the media.
- October 7 – The Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS) organizes a think-tank on digitization as a driving force of economic growth . The think-tank will analyse the impact of digitization on the labour market and employee skills. The discussions will focus on changes in the working environment in Latvia and the world, as well as challenges related to automation and artificial intelligence technologies, such as ChatGPT.
In order to raise awareness of sustainable development activities and strengthen cooperation at international level, we encourage all interested parties to participate in the European Sustainable Development Week and to register their sustainable development activities on the ESDW platform before 8 October by filling out the application form at www.esdw.eu.
By registering your initiatives, you will not only strengthen their visibility at international level, but also promote the exchange of experiences between European countries. This will give other countries the opportunity to draw on new ideas and examples of good practice in achieving the SDGs, deepening understanding of how global trends can be successfully integrated into local development strategies.
ESDW week in Latvia is coordinated by the State Chancellery, which is responsible for planning and monitoring sustainable development in Latvia. "Let us all use this opportunity to lend a shoulder of support and initiative to strengthen the sustainability of our country. Every step towards sustainability is an investment in our common future," says Raivis Kronbergs, Director of the State Chancellery.
This week provides an opportunity for both organisations and individuals to engage in discussions and events, as well as to highlight their initiatives on an international scale, making a lasting impact.
