The Bridge 47 network, coordinated by Fingo Finland, met in early November in Helsinki for the Envision 4.7 event to discuss European agenda alignment with the SDG goal 4 and its Target 4.7. 

Target 4.7 postulates that:

“By 2030, [we should] ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.”

The meeting outcome is a roadmap co-designed by participants. The Lifelong Learning Platform had an active role in the drafting process of the roadmap and it is happy to share the same commitment that the main organisers have shown throughout the process. 

The meeting in Helsinki gathered stakeholders from all sectors and levels of policy and decision making both from the development cooperation sector and the education and training sector. The participants have been calling for more synergies between stakeholders and stronger commitment of EU Member States as well as regional and local level authorities to achieve target 4.7. LLLP holds that more cooperation and dialogue between different stakeholders is key to adapt and meet challenges that arise in modern societies. 

The meeting served a long-awaited purpose: to create a real bridge between the education and the development cooperation sectors and stakeholders, something that is today possible. While civil society commitment is clear and sustainable, a lot still needs to be done by the European and international institutions, by Members States and all policy-makers.