Last month, a team of librarians from around the world engaged with governments at the UN in New York, building understanding of the role of libraries in development, and creating new links with decision-makers - including a national president! This article shares lessons and reflections from the team who attended.
A strong delegation of libraries engaged actively at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. In addition to building links with senior decision-makers, they gained valuable insights to share with colleagues, contributing to building a more sustainable library field.
We're already well into the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York, with our team of librarians from four different continents hard at work ensuring that governments understand the potential of libraries to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. But what goals did they have in coming to the Forum?
IFLA has prepared analysis of the set of Voluntary National Reviews of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals being presented at this year's UN High-Level Political Forum. It has been another year of above-average numbers of references to libraries, linked to a wider range of SDGs than ever before.
Libraries are well represented at this year's UN High-Level Political Forum! With librarians from four different contents, including six countries which are currently undertaking Voluntary National Reviews, we're in a great position to share experience from the ground, as well as the values that shape our field as a whole.