This time last year the first snow of winter was falling in Helsinki, Finland, and over 200 delegates from 54 countries were coming together for the Envision 4.7 conference.
The two-day event focused on co-creating a policy document, building on the collective expertise and insight of the selected attendees, that set out a series of recommendations for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal Target 4.7 in Europe. The resulting Envision 4.7 Roadmap is a testament to the dedication of all who took part in the event.
Reflecting on the year since Envision 4.7, Anna Kyung Hwa Chung from APCEIU, said that as someone who has “been involved in designing training programmes for educators for several years, participating in the Envision 4.7 was a novel and extraordinary experience. The format of the parallel sessions was really challenging, but at the same time really effective in that I was able to see different perspectives shared by the participants from diverse backgrounds. Envision 4.7 was a truly enriching experience and an engaging platform of actors working towards a similar goal to make this world a better place.” The conference was recently awarded Silver by the International Association of Facilitators for facilitation impact recognising the work of facilitator Camilla Gordon.
In November of 2019, there was little indication of the disruption the Covid-19 pandemic would have on the year ahead. The reality of our current situation demonstrates the importance that transformative education has in response to the global problems we face. Speaking during the event, Jo McAuley of GENE summarised this point effectively stating, “all the different educations that promote social change are one the few things that are adaptable enough to respond to the current challenges in the world.”
In the year since the event, Bridge 47 has adapted to the change in circumstances and made progress to advance the recommendations of the Roadmap. A series of in-person and online events have taken place that expand on specific recommendations, including the establishment of a dedicated SDG 4.7 European policy working group. The activity of this group has resulted in the core recommendations of the Envision 4.7 Roadmap being broken down into six European-focused policy papers on topics including: Transformative Education, Cross-sectorial Cooperation, Indicators for SDG Target 4.7, the Importance of Lifelong Learning, Competencies for SDG Target 4.7 and Resources for SDG Target 4.7.
Rilli Lappalainen, Bridge 47 Founder and Chair: “Looking back at Envision 4.7., I feel grateful to all participants for bringing their expertise, insight and imagination to the roadmap. This past year has challenged us all but also reiterated the importance of transformative education. Our hope for the year ahead is to build on the momentum we created and continue to strengthen the role of Target 4.7. in European policies and actions.”
Join the Bridge 47 Network to engage with the Envision 4.7 Roadmap further and be part of making the recommendations a reality.
The Target 4.7 snowman was created on scene
