Mayo County Council embraces Sustainable Development Goals Week

SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Week is taking place from September 20 to September 29.

Mayo County Council, who has been selected as Sustainable Development Goals Champions for 2024-25 by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, will be embracing SDG Week with several in-person events and a social media campaign to promote the work the council is doing to achieve the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

On Tuesday, September 24, in St. Mary’s Hall in the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Castlebar campus, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mayo County Council, in conjunction with ATU, will be hosting a morning of creativity and discussion on the title of ‘Exploring the Sustainable Development Goals’. The event will include a print workshop from 11 a.m. and a world café discussion from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On Friday, September 27, also in conjunction with ATU and Leave No Trace, a breakfast event will take place in ATU from 9 to 10 a.m. with speakers including Kevin Kelly, chief executive of Mayo County Council, speaking on ‘What being an SDG Champion means.’

Maura Kelly from Leave no Trace will give a talk on Leave No Trace’s SDG Champion role and opportunities and activities. Also speaking at the event will be Dr. Deirdre Garvey from ATU Mayo who will discuss sustainability and the SDGs.

Throughout SDG Week, Mayo County Council will be rolling out a social media campaign to promote its role as an SDG Champion and the work it is carrying out to implement the SDGs in its work, with video messages from the cathaoirleach, Councillor John O’Hara, along with directors of services Tom Gilligan, Catherine McConnell and John Condon. The Mayo Library Service have also recorded a video to showcase how they implement the SDGs into their day-to-day work.

Councillor O’Hara said: “The SDGs provide a blueprint for a better world, addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation.

“As a Sustainable Development Goal champion, we are committed to integrating these 17 goals into our policies, programmes, and decision-making processes. By working together, we can create a brighter future for Mayo and the entire world.”

Deputy chief executive of Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan, added: “We are working extremely hard in relation to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. We are absolutely delighted and honoured that Mayo County Council has been chosen as a Sustainable Development Goals Champion.”