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In its second event at the High Level Political Forum, IFLA, with the kind support of the Argentine Mission to the United Nations, held a discussion about how to extend the success of the Buenos Aires Declaration to more countries, and around the world.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals place a strong emphasis on partnerships, within and across countries. These, the UN argues, are essential for spreading ideas, reducing inequalities within and across countries and improving the effectiveness of development policies. Libraries are well suited to participate in and support these partnerships, as was made clear in an event held at the UN Library on 16 July.
The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals provide a global roadmap towards lasting and equitable growth. The annual High-Level Political Forum is the opportunity to measure progress, and share ideas for achieving them. IFLA is there, underlining what libraries can do.
The first selection from the SDG Book Club, in all official UN languages, is now online. This offers an excellent starting point to get discussions going around SDG1 – no poverty.
IFLA President Glòria Pérez-Salmerón visited Taiwan, China on 9-12 January 2019. In a series of speeches and meetings, she shared the message that libraries can be motors of change, and discussed how IFLA and the library field can become more inclusive and effective.
In September 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 6th Information Seminar on Art was held, with the theme "Art, Culture and Information in the Perspective of the 2030 Agenda". The IFLA President, Glòria Pérez-Salmerón, was the guest of honor of this event, organized by the Network of Libraries and Art Information Centers in the State of Rio de Janeiro (REDARTE/RJ), with the sponsorship and support of the Cervantes Institute of Rio de Janeiro.
IFLA representatives played an active role in the Global Alliance for Literacy Policy Forum, a meeting of ministers and senior officials responsible for literacy organised by UNESCO on 13-14 November.
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda underlines the importance for development of many key library activities. In 2019, there will be a particular focus at the UN on education, employment and equality – as well as access to information.
Over the ten days of this year’s High Level Political Forum, IFLA engaged intensively with governments, UN officials, experts and partners from civil society. By ensuring that decision-makers understand the contribution libraries and access to information make to development, IFLA supports its members in their work to guarantee recognition and support for libraries.
The UN High Level Political Forum takes place on 9-18 July 2018 in New York, discussing global challenges and defining a path to sustainable development. IFLA is there, raising awareness among ministers, officials, experts and civil society of how libraries are leading in this effort as essential partners for development.
At a time of rapid change in our economies and societies, there has never been a greater need to keep learning throughout life. The 5th conference of the Lifelong Learning Platform provided an opportunity to share stories from the rich experience of libraries in this field, and build relations. Anette Mjöberg, Secretary of the Public Libraries Section attended for IFLA.
IFLA is encouraging the library community across the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region to share their views on a draft declaration on libraries, access to information and development. This, the result of close collaboration between IFLA and the Hernán Santa Cruz Library of the UN Economic Commission for LAC, aims to send a strong, unified message to ministers in 2019.
Faced with major challenges around literacy and making best use of information and knowledge, the Arab world needs its libraries as much as ever. With them, development can work for everyone. IFLA attended the Arab Sustainable Development Forum (AFSD) 2018, underlining that political discussions had to be followed with practical action, and that in this, libraries were key players.
On 19 April, during the Second Meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development in Santiago, Chile, ECLAC’s Hernán Santa Cruz Library hosted a side event in partnership with IFLA: “The importance of access to information to achieve sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean”. As a highlight of IFLA’s participation at the Forum, is the inclusion of access to information and culture in the text of the Civil Society declaration read in the afternoon of the same day.
Libraries promote an inclusive model of development by giving all individuals the information they need to learn, find work, and live healthy lives. This requires the right policies not just globally, but also at the regional, national and local levels. This is the message IFLA will be bringing to the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2018, held in Santiago de Chile, Chile, on 17-20 April 2018.
This practical guide was designed to help librarians and library advocates in telling compelling stories about library activities, projects and programmes, showing their impact on communities and people’s lives.