RCE Greater Atlanta Awarded Three Global RCE Network Awards in 2023

RCE Greater Atlanta, a regional multi-stakeholder network affiliated with United Nations University (UNU), is proud to announce that it received two global awards from the UNU, and an honorable mention, as part of the 2023 RCE Awards for Innovative Projects on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Two awards were received in the category “Acknowledged Flagship Project,” with one award being given to the SDG Futures Fellowship, a year-long fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates, aimed at education about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), leadership, and professional development. The second award was received for the Multi-Institutional Network Coordination Team, which brings together 10 higher education institutions across the Greater Atlanta Region to collaborate with government agencies, businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations, and community-based organizations to advance ESD.

An honorable mention was received in collaboration with the RCE North Texas, for the joint project of Localizing the UN SDGs through Education, Training, and Collaboration. This virtual course is aimed to create a local/regional knowledge base to support ESD actors, and promote four major goals of ESD in a resource-effective manner.

Commenting on the success of the RCE’s coordination team, Tyra Byers, Director of the Interdisciplinary Sustainability Certificate, Office of Sustainability, University of Georgia, said:

“The development and implementation of the UN RCE Greater Atlanta Coordinators Network has provided an exciting opportunity for our institutions and students to partner on education for sustainable development. Through regular communication and collaboration, coordinators and interns have leveraged individual and collective strengths to make positive impacts on their own campuses and in the greater Atlanta area. I’m grateful for this recognition of the UN RCE Greater Atlanta’s commitment to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and for the incredible team I’ve had the opportunity to work with.”

Dr. Chavonda Mills, Dean, School of Science and Technology, Georgia Gwinnett College, had similar words of praise for the SDG Futures Fellowship:

“By engaging with the SDG Fellows program, our students are actively participating in meaningful projects that contribute to sustainable solutions. This invaluable experience of transferring theory into practice equips them with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to be leaders in sustainable development, both locally and globally. Especially significant for GGC, the most ethnically diverse college in the Southern region, the program's distinctive perspective of examining sustainability through the prisms of equity and justice aligns with our commitment to ensuring that sustainability initiatives are inclusive and have a meaningful impact on all communities.”