SDGs

Few people that didn't work in the charity and development sector had heard of the Milennium Development Goals, but hopefully after the events of the last few days, many more people will have heard about their successor, the Sustainable Development Goals, which also have 15-year targets. Holding concerts with celebrities, getting the pope to talk about them, and bringing 150+ heads of states to the UN tends to help get some attention.

Here in New York there were more than 150 side events related to different aspects of the 17 goals, and discussing how to implement them. I went to a couple focused on the role of businesses (attended by the UK Minister for International Aid amongst others) and on health (attended by the Minister of Health from Ethiopia for example) and also with the former Prime Minister of Norway listening. She led a UN Commission more than 30 years ago which was the first global recognition that we were leading an unsustainable lifestyle, using up too much of the earth's resources and needed a new approach to development that could be sustainable. She coined (and defined) the term "sustainable development" which these goals are aiming to achieve.

In some respect, and the media always forgets this, we have actually made tremendous progress in the last thirty years. Things have got worse in some areas, such as environmental degradation, but most people are living healthier, longer, more productive lives - and lives that they are in control of. And there are all kinds of things the world has prevented from happening or gettin worse which we just can't measure. In some respects it is a credit to the international community that it has taken this long until Europe faced such a dramatic migration crisis. One hopes that quickly attention will focus back on solving their plight in thei rhome countries than just resettling them all, which doesn't really help anyone.

You can read a lot about the goals and why they are meaningful; not just in the media but in the tons of special reports launched by companies, consultancies, charities, governemtns and everyone that has some angle on how to achieve the goals and what they mean. I was not in the UN as they held the vote but the side events were inspiring and well attended by a high level of participant which was very useful for my work. Unfortunately they were mostly the typical attendees, and the events were very much "preaching to the converted" but that's ago. These are just events in New York. One hopes that more people--including the public--will be involved in implementing and monitoring the goals across the world.

The Chinese President spent a while in the US before attending the meeting, he's much more engaged in the World nowadays compared to his predecessors (he has no choice), though very few Chinese companies are. Hopefully this will change somewhat. The Chinese President is also very active making committments which is great; he is not restricted by useless media or selfish politicians. It is great to see the Pope more involved in the agenda too; maybe he can help influence some of the critics and bring them around. Though at the rate the US is going at it might need to see how the goals matter to it more than the developing world (for example, by reducing information for women on contraception as well as restricting the availability of contraception methods and abortions -- something which is ludicrous and an insult to women, science and individual rights).

Despite the craziness of US politics, on the ground, the country is still a great place of course. And no better to see and enjoy the US than from the running track around Central Park, which is still the best place in New york: the lakes, playgrounds, fitness options, horse-drawn carriages, nature and role the Park plays in life.Shenzhen also has a Central Park, which is nicely designed but missing many of the elements that make a Central Park central to people's lives.

Stories and Water

After 2 weeks in Europe I then spent 2 weeks in China - alone. It was immediately a strange experience having so little noise and so much time to myself. Thankfully it was a useful chance to get back into exercising to burn off all the deserts and did not last long anyway.

For then I was off to Beijing--a wonderful place to go during major sports or political events--where there was no traffic, blue skies, warm temperatures and some excellent athletics to watch in the Bird's Nest. It did not disappoint: Lots of tension and unknowns, though the same outcome in the races that mattered with a certain Jamaican ruling the roost. It was great to see the Mo win and wonderful to experience the atmosphere as the Chinese competed and did quite well in some events. It was also a chance to run around town and catch up with old friends since I'd not been to Beijing for more than 6 months.

After a 5-day work trip to Kenya it was time to be reunited with the girls in my life: one of which had decided she wanted to start walking, though still needs one hand of support for a little while yet, another who has decided she can now remember what has been happening during the day and wants to talk about it in a delightful high-pitched girly voice that she has developed.

Indeed Hannah is now in the next class up in kindergarten, attending dance class twice a week (its good for her to have some strict routines to follow and more friends to play with), and remembering how to speak Chinese again. We're slowly weaning off of Peppa Pig and trying to focus on stories again, though just like when she was a toddler, she still loves the same book over and over again!

Leah's now entered the next phase of her life, where she can decide what she wants to eat (by pointing), where she wants to go (by walking), and what to play with (by crawling/grabbing). She seems to understand some of what is being said now, is finally getting teeth number 3 and 4 and very much enjoying the outdoors. During the recent 3 day holiday we managed to spend each day at a water park, by a beach, or at water fountains so the two girls could cool down, play with us, and even play together.

Whether there was really a need for the public holiday to be created as a one-off to celebrate the "end of Japanese aggression 70 years ago" is another question altogether (was it for internal political purposes, internal reputation purposes, or for external reputation purposes?). Well we didn't complain.

Hannah's always loved hugging her sister, and trying to carry her around; but now that Leah can play back everything becomes much more interesting: the games of hide-and-seek, for example. The two of them playing on the bobby cart together. Once Leah does start walking on her own, then things might get even more fun.