The YKCenter’s SDG Israel Impact Project convened an Inter-Generational Dialogue (IGD) on Peace and Sustainability as part of the Global Peace campaign of convening 100 dialogues across 100 cities. The event, held on 22 October 2019 was a unique endeavour, as it was a “Travelling Dialogue” held in two cities on the same day: Haifa, the northern port city in Israel known for being a multi-cultural hub, and the vibrant Tel Aviv, the economic and tech hub city in the center region of Israel.
The “Travelling IGD” together with the first dialogue out at sea, in partnership with Peace Boat, reflect that there are certainly no limits for the locations to host a conversation between young leaders and their decision-makers. The events of the Traveling Dialogue were symbolically held in two spaces that embody the nature of each city. In Tel-Aviv, the group met at the “Taglit Innovation Hub,” a place showcasing Israeli Innovation in technology towards advancing the world. In Haifa, the group met at the “Beit Hagefen,” a space for cultural events Jewish and Arab people convened from throughout the city to create art in the heart of Downtown Haifa.
Various organizations, as well as activists, academics and partners to peace and sustainability participated in this a unique conversation and to get to know others in their field of work. Some of the organizations in attendance included: Strike for Future Teens, Eco-Peace Teens, The Mediterranean Sea People, Israeli Salad, Anu, Beit Hagefen, as well as representatives from municipalities. The dialogue promoted inclusion by bringing a diverse group of attendees from varied backgrounds, and beliefs to share different insights and to come together for a discussion about the future of people within Israel and within the global context.
SDGIsrael highlighted that approaching global challenges in a complex and holistic way is the essence of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the pathway to a better and more sustainable future. The discussions confirmed that there are inherent links between Inequality (SDG #5, #10), Poverty (SDG #1), Peace (SDG #16), Environment (SDGs #13,#14,#15) and Partnership (SDG #17), and shared their deep concerns for the future and their hopes and visions for a better tomorrow. A highlight of the discussions was the issue of climate change as a wake-up call and a call to action. The group drew attention to the issue, stating that “peace isn’t an option we can choose to work towards or choose to ignore, it is the only pathway to be sustainable. Nature knows no boundaries, and if we want to survive in nature, we must play by its rules”.
We would like to thank our organizers at SDGIsrael and the YKCentre for their cooperation in convening yet another successful IGD, and for assisting in mobilizing the youth to work together for a better world.
