As president, VU Amsterdam coordinates all activities within SDSN Netherlands, appoints new members, maintains the strategic relationship with SDSN Global and brings science, policy and society together around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Working together on sustainable solutions
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is coordinator of SDSN Netherlands and also hosted the Summit. In doing so, VU Amsterdam underlines its ambition to actively use science for social and global transitions. Led by Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Breakthrough Technologies Bart Bossink, VU Amsterdam brings together external partners around urgent themes such as climate adaptation, social inequality.
For VU researchers, the network represents an opportunity to link scientific insights directly to policy, practice and society. It stimulates interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration between universities that pool their knowledge, publish it jointly and actively share it with government, social organizations and the business community. In this way, VU Amsterdam as a guiding university contributes to translating research into concrete solutions for a more sustainable and just society.
Summit as kickoff
The Summit for Future Generations marked the symbolic and substantive start of SDSN Netherlands. Three thematic sessions focused on climate, peace and youth participation. World-renowned economist and president of SDSN, Jeffrey Sachs, kicked off the Summit with a powerful keynote on urgency, moral leadership and hope. He called on the Netherlands to once again play a guiding role internationally, especially in the areas of climate and water management: "Sea level rise is one of the biggest global threats - and no country has more knowledge than the Netherlands."
Forward-thinking speakers gave direction on pressing social issues and emphasized the need for cooperation across generations and borders. Speakers such as Bernice Notenboom, Jan Rotmans, Aniek Moonen, Jan Jorrit Hasselaar, Pius Mosima, Rens Holtkamp, Marc Dullaert and John Thwaites called for action and connection. Thus, the Summit became a powerful kickoff for a movement committed to sustainable, equitable change - in the Netherlands and worldwide.
What the Netherlands has to gain
With SDSN Netherlands, VU Amsterdam wants to contribute to a society that is better prepared for global challenges. The network focuses on integrating the SDGs into education and research, fostering collaboration across sectors and strengthening youth voices in policy and practice. Connecting knowledge to action works toward structural, sustainable change.
Join us
Governments, knowledge institutions, civil society organizations and young people who want to contribute to a just future are cordially invited to join SDSN Netherlands (see UNSDSN Netherlands website for more information). Because the future does not start tomorrow, but today.