B-CU Is 1st University To Sign UN Sustainable Development Goals Agreement

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Daytona Beach, FL - Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach is set to be the first university to sign the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals agreement at the UN headquarters in New York City.

This agreement is the first and only of its kind with a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The agreement will touch on the 2030 Agenda items that include 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 other related targets.

The agreement will entail a collaboration with the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and 67 member countries on educational goals like study abroad programs, research, developing curriculum and grant proposals. For its first program, B-CU and the IHRC have chosen to focus on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal and Republic of Guyana.

“Bethune-Cookman University is uniquely positioned to assist in this transformation, and the IHRC believes in the institutional capacity, creativity and innovative partnerships to accomplish the 2030 Agenda outcomes through educational outreach initiatives and programming,” says the special Diplomatic Adviser on behalf of the World Chairman, Foday Mansaray.

Mansaray says that an initiative that gathered more than 600 participants from 40 different countries in support of empowering women included a collaboration between:

  • Dr. Gale Gibson Gayle of Bethune-Cookman University
  • The Borough President of Manhattan
  • The Head of UN Women
  • The Minister of Women
  • Children and Gender Affairs of DR Congo and Madam Charlotte Malenga
  • The Head of Chancery and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Ms. Noella Nsawan of Karibu Global Initiatives

“Dr. Edison O. Jackson, we at the IHRC are confident that your current leadership at this great institution of higher learning with a defined transformative agenda will continue the legacy of a premier Historically Black College and University," said an IHRC letter to B-CU President, Dr. Edison O. Jackson. "Together, we can foster partnership on a mutual benefits basis throughout Africa, the Caribbean Islands, and South America through structured and beneficial recruiting program.”

For additional information about this agreement, contact the Associate Provost and Dean of University College, Dr. Gale Gibson Gayle, at 386-481-2064 or via email at gayleg@cookman.edu or the Executive Director at the Office of Internationalization, Dr. Barbara Davis, at 386-481-2351 or via email at davisb@cookman.edu.

Photo courtesy of Dragana Stojanovic and Shutterstock.com.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.