How can your local government better communicate the work you do around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? How can local or regional government associations support their members in raising awareness among citizens of the SDGs and their contributions towards them?
The Sustainable Municipality Week has been organised by the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG) since 2018. It’s an annual public campaign aimed firstly at raising awareness of the SDGs among the general public in Flanders, and secondly at providing Flemish local governments with concrete tools for long-term sustainable and co-creative local policies. During the campaign week, participating municipalities will hang out an SDG flag at the town hall and highlight their ‘sustainable heroes’. These heroes are local citizens, schools, businesses and associations who contribute to one or more SDG(s) in their work or daily life and therefore become the local faces of the 17 global goals.
VVSG wrote a paper on the approach and strategies used in organising the campaign, and the lessons learned after 5 editions. VVSG wants to inspire local government associations and other organisations worldwide to set up similar campaigns, in which both local governments and SDG ambassadors are involved to get things moving on the local implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The publication is available in Dutch, English, French and Spanish with great examples and useful tips.