Overview: This agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and
prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. We recognize
that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme
poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for
sustainable development. All countries and all stakeholders, acting in
collaborative partnership, will implement this plan. We are resolved to free
the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our
planet. We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are
urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we
embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing
today demonstrate the scale and ambition of this new universal Agenda. They
seek to build on the Millennium Development Goals and complete what these did
not achieve. They seek to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender
equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. They are integrated and
indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the
economic, social and environmental.
Directions: Please visit The Global Goals for Sustainable Development website below. Find 1-2 goals you would like to explore this year. Explain why your choices would be important to you. How do you see this playing out in the literature we read?
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs
Also, Check out Global Goals Week at: http://globalgoalsweek.org/
Also, Check out Global Goals Week at: http://globalgoalsweek.org/
I'd like to explore goal 16-peace, justice, and strong institutions, because that is a goal that is very important to me. It is also a goal that is prevalent all over literature. For instance, Dickens' A Tale Of Two Cities, Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, and Weisel's Night, all explore the theme of justice. Similarly, O'brian's In the Lake of the Woods and The Things They Carried, as well as Golding's Lord of The Flies all make an argument for peace. I think most, if not all, of the books we will read this year will explore this goal.
ReplyDeleteI agree that peace, justice, and strong institutions are very prevalent in nearly every novel we have read. I would expect to explore this topic even further this year through the dozens of works we are reading, from the James Baldwin pieces we are beginning to the Beloved by Toni Morrison. Whether we are discussing the systemic race inequalities in non-fictions or dystopian novels, there is certainly a connection to the real world today that will have valid, important applications to make us more better global citizens.
DeleteThat looks great, Lekhya! The literature connections are perfect!
ReplyDeleteI decided to select two sustainable goals for the 2018-2019 school year. Almost two years ago, I decided to become a vegan after watching a documentary called “Food Choices,” which inspired me to make the life change and read a series of books, scientific articles, and interviews about the food industry and its impact on not only animals, but the environment. Therefore, I want to focus on “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.” I not only have switched to a vegan diet, but started to only wear clothing that is environmentally sound and cruelty free.
Further, my work this year with Sustainable Global Goals and Teaching Global Classrooms extended from last year’s Fulbright program. With our class blog and new grading system, I am hoping to promote genuine learning and change the way we view school and testing. With the implementation of global initiatives to enrich our literature units, I hope students will feel the immediacy of literature and make the books more meaningful. Further, TGC hopes students will become global citizens who take action to the world’s needs. I look forward to taking action with all of you. Therefore, my other focus will be “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
I look forward to working with all of you this year!
Mr. P. ;)
One goal I would like to explore is goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This is a goal that I would like to incorporate in my own life and is one I see important in society as well. Not only is living a healthy lifestyle with moderate exercise and a balanced diet important, but mental health is often overlooked as well. As a student, I often find that myself, along with many others, struggle to put their mental health before their school work and other responsibilities. Mental health is very important in one’s health and many people, especially teenagers, tend to neglect this side of health. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in teens, often because many suffer with their mental health and do not seek out help. In my own life, I want to work on finding stress relievers and other ways to improve my mental health. In literature, we see how important maintaining a healthy lifestyle/mental health is in the development of characters. For instance in novels like The Hours, we see characters like Laura Brown and Virginia Woolf live with a constant struggle in terms of their mental health. I think health and overall well-being is an important factor in how a character is built and contributes to the complexity of a character.
ReplyDeleteThis year, I would like to explore quality education and reduction of inequalities among countries. I believe that proper education is critical for individual and economical development. Education symbolizes possibilities and the potential to change the world. Along with quality education, minimizing (and hopefully eradicating) inequalities would also contribute to global development. Inequalities act as a barriers between humans and block off the potential for the world to prosper. In order for the world to reach greater heights, we must come together with our differences and work with them. Through the diversity of literature we will encounter this year, I can already see connections through the history of racism we are revisiting, and the knowledge necessary for the country to understand in order to learn from its mistakes. For example, as we view I Am Not Your Negro, our understanding for inequalities widen as we dive into the information before us. These steps towards our greater knowledge for this topic also demonstrates how proper education holds a strong connection with diminishing inequalities.
ReplyDeleteI would like to explore the goal of “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions”. This sustainable goal revolves around the majority of books that we read at school, along with outside novels as well. During freshman year, we read the book Tale of Two Cities. A recurring theme in this novel explored the unjust nature of tyranny in an aristocratic society. With the prevalent high taxes and unfair laws, the main cause for the French Revolution was the citizens desire for freedom and justice. During sophomore year, we read the novel The Lord of the Flies. Many of the characters grapple when trying to form an functional society without the presence of professional leadership. They struggle when creating rules and enforcing them when people sway from justice. Junior year brought 1984 in which a society is forced to obey extremely strict laws that impose on the many freedoms we enjoy in modern America. Throughout my years of high school, almost every book has some form of a connection to the concept of justice. This theme is consistently used, even more so in modern novels, as advancements in society have shown to restrict our freedoms. This goal is very important to me because I have always believed that every person has an equal right to the things that our society has to offer. I expect this theme is continue to show throughout the majority of pieces of literature that we read because it has been frequently incorporated in past novels and stories. When thinking about this goal, it is important to consider how our freedoms are restricted in a way that takes away the justice that America is portrayed as having.
ReplyDeleteSusan Matteucci
DeleteI related your post to the the short story we read earlier: "the Zebra Storyteller". The novels you are giving help us understand how important your goal is. These authors are teaching us how to be thoughtful and careful when it comes to government and justice. I think it's really cool how you made these connections.
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ReplyDeleteThis year I would like to explore the sustainable development goal. This is making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Sustainability is a really important idea because we as a whole society need to work towards maintaining a balance in our resources while looking ahead to the future generations. This is really important because what we are doing now is going to affect future generations so it is our job to make sure that it is a positive impact and not a negative one. The website has a set of targets and goals they want to have by a certain year. One of these goals is that by 2030 to provide a “universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities”. This is important to me because I want to potentially live in the city when I am older and so to see that there is a group that is trying to improve the living conditions in a area that almost half our world population lives in, is a really special idea. Through the literature we are going to read this year I can see the idea of trying to make improvements in the future and trying to reach a goal that will help the future generations.
ReplyDeleteThe goal you chose is very important, especially considering our society as it advances. With the many achievements of modern civilization, we are seeing our resources quickly diminish. With the ominous threat of global warming and deforestation, we are seeing many of our natural areas in harm. The targets that this goal aims to pursue can better the chance of future generations when it comes to having enough resources.
Delete"We have to wake up to the fierce urgency of the now." (Jim Yong Kim on Climate Change - President, World Bank)
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The goals I decided to focus on has to do with the 3rd Level, Biosphere; Goals (13) Climate Action: to, "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*", (14) Life Under Water: to, "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development", and (15) Life On Land: to, "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss" respectfully. It is vital for us to take care of our world around us, as without it, a lot of things we recognise will disappear. (Although less is more, in this case, since all three goals cross on the same plain, each goal can be taken together as one common target).
Mental and physical health play an important role in the structure of society, both in obvious and subtle ways. Therefore, I believe Good Health and Well-Being is a goal I would like to focus on this year. The more healthy people in our world, the more potential we have to collaborate on and cultivate ideas. Things like public hospitals can be taken for granted in countries like ours, yet for others it is a standard they are far from reaching. With healthy bodies and minds comes a healthier society as a whole, down to the kindess people have towards strangers throughout their day. In literature, I often see the well being of characters diminish as the hardships of their lives wear on. In “1984” by George Orwell, many of the characters show signs of mental and physical instability due to Big Brother, especially Winston. This eventually leads to his loss of individual identity, a sign of his internal death. Of all the omens within “1984,” this one struck me the most. As I examine society today, I see can see internal and external deaths occuring not only in faraway places but in our own town. Globally, we must work together to preserve individual worth and value each others opinions. We must also continue working to improve public healthcare and medicine so that everyone has access to the assistance they deserve.
ReplyDeleteWhat I thought was really interesting in your response was the connection you outlined between physical and mental health. I definitely see this in the world today. In health class, we were looking at the physical effects of stress, and I was really surprised to find out that stress is a cause of high blood pressure, obesity, and many of the other health crises we are facing today.
DeleteI liked how you stressed the importance of physical and mental well-being, citing that the more healthy people we have in a community the greater potential we have to improve and collaborate. This is extremely important in our society today, for I agree that the more we can take care of ourselves the more we can take care of each other. As a result, in order to address many of the other global issues, this is certainly one that must be taken care of.
DeleteI also find it interesting how you differentiated internal and external death. Like you highlighted in 1984, internal death is more loss of individualism and personal rights; not having the rights to express your opinions freely.
As our world continues to globalize, it's important that we don't leave others behind. This year I want to explore the quality of education and decent work and economic growth. Through the Global Engagement program at Andover High School, I will be conducting research on indigenous tribes in Peru, and how globalization has affect their right, education, and economic opportunities. In Peru, many women in indigenous groups are reliant on profits from weaving, spinning, and knitting, but, however, are excluded from the global market. Education, books, and a school close to home are aspects of our lives that we've never had to worry about, but we must be aware these are a rarity and even a luxury for many around the world and even close to home. How can we make schools more accessible in rural areas? How do you help increases the number people that can read or write? In "Recitatif" by Toni Morrison, Roberta cannot read or write, which causes her to struggle and fail classes at St Bony's. Twyla, while literate, also fails many classes. This raises another point about not just having an education, but the quality of education, in which all students are in an environment where they feel safe, and are pushed to blossom and thrive. In "Hard Times" by Charles Dickens, in the grimy English school described, children are stripped of imagination and creativity, and instead have definitions shoved down their throats. How does Andover High School promote an excelling learning environment? How can these values and practices be applied to new or developing education in our country and in the world?
ReplyDeleteI believe education is a number one for most of the other goals. Education has the ability to change a groups mind and inform people that their acceptable way of thinking is flawed. Education points out problems and allows people to see. In Hard Times by Dickens, we see this, even in the adults, as their children are brought up with new thoughts, and the adults are forced to either change or be left behind. Furthermore, education doesn't always necessarily mean a formal lesson, often it is more the journey of finding a new truth to a changing reality. I think education can prompt change for every other category. It is the catalyst of change for a world of things.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I have intentions of becoming a professor after college. I think higher education is a learning experience not only for students but also for teacher. I think it would keep me in the present and not stuck in the same space I'm going to be after I graduate. Education in a schooling context is often neglected so that everything you learn is in 2D, yet it's so important that both student and teachers engage to contextualize their education and allow it to be more universal.
DeleteI believe goals 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities) are good choices to focus on because they are very broad in nature and I feel that these issues are possible to near-completely solve and maybe already should have been. At this time in our technological and social development, I think we should definitely be focusing on raising the standard of living for people and groups all around the world. I think literature ties into these themes nicely because the way these topics are portrayed in literature throughout the years is a representation of the standards and goals at the time. We can observe how these things have evolved over the years. If we are to look back on Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron we can learn about the health quality of the 1300s, (not great). Similarly we can read the writing of famous abolitionists to get a taste of the state of inequality as America evolved to a more inclusive country. It seems many of the selections we will be looking at this year will address these topics.
ReplyDeleteThis year, through literature and class discussions, I hope to explore the global goal of reduced inequalities. I believe that this topic is very relevant in our current society, with the recent protests of the Black Lives Matter movement and other inequalities faced overseas. As the global goals website illustrated, these goals explore the issues outside of the United States, focusing on the rights and social justice of migrant workers and other affected people. As we live in the United States, I believe that we typically do not think of these issues that occur around the world. I look forward to learning, thinking, and discussing more about those who continuously face inequalities. With such constant change occurring in the society around us, I would expect literature to highlight both the good and the bad of inequalities; demonstrating the ugly truth yet also highlighting the improvements being made. For instance, in "Recitatif" by Toni Morrison, the readers have trouble determining the races of characters. Morrison intentionally does not reveal the races of her characters to pull out the racial bias and stereotypes of her readers. As a result, we understand that we do too often judge people based off a "single story." Are there any novels in the past that effectively illustrates racism, tension, and inequalities? How can we connect literature to that of the real, global world? As we live in the small town of Andover, how are we going to learn about the topic of inequalities and consider those who face them everyday?
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you used "Recitatif" to show the relevancy of race in not only literature but everyday life. If I look deep enough into most novels, I can find many signs of tension; that's what makes for a good story. This may be in the form of racism, sexism, social class, etc. From these tensions arises progress, progress that is often slow and subtle in many ways. This can be related into everyday life. Although progress may not seem to be occurring at a satisfying pace, we are now addressing many topics head on in ways we have not done in the past. Even in our own lives, we can try to detect the tensions we feel within ourselves, towards others, and towards society and find ways to work through them. At the root of these tensions are often some form of imbalance. Sometimes these imbalances are easy to fix, while others may be hard and heartbreaking.
DeleteOne goal I’d like to explore is quality education worldwide. Education is something I take for advantage for in my daily life and until recently I haven’t understood how poor it is in other countries. We are constantly complaining about how much we hate school and don’t realize that people in other parts of the world are begging to receive an education like ours. I now have a greater appreciation for school and understand how important it is for me to receive an education. I hope that we can continue to bring schooling to countries that are not fortunate enough to have it in the upcoming years. In the summer before freshman year, I read “I Am Malala,” her autobiography explaining her fight to receive an education. Seeing how brave she was and how hard she fought for what she deserved made me grateful for the things I have and wanting her to feel the same. She should not have had to fight so hard to receive something that should be a fundamental human right. All humans around the globe should receive the same educational opportunities.
ReplyDeleteI would like to explore the goal of Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. I find this theme very interesting as peace, justice, and strong institutions are all very important in creating a healthy and effective society. This goal is a main drive of main characters in past books I have read. In Lord of the Flies, the boys on the island find challenges in instilling peace on the island. In 1984, Winston wants an end to the oppressive government, and wants justice for the freedom they are taking from the citizens. And over the summer, when reading In The Lake of the Woods, justice found John Wade for the terrible things he did in the Vietnam War. Throughout the entire plot of that book, the detectives and John himself were searching for justice for what happened to Kathy Wade. Reaching a goal of peace, justice, and strong institutions, is very important because if you reach that goal, you create a strong society that can now be geared towards reaching all the other goals. Once this goal is reached, it is a pedestal to reaching further goals. Reading texts in which characters are attempting to achieve this goal interest me as they are good examples of what we should do in life.
ReplyDeleteSusan Matteucci
ReplyDeleteEducation has always been important to me. It might have something to do with the fact that both of my parents work in education. I decided to focus on Sustainable Development Goal #4. There is a universal understanding that the more children we educate the more every country will thrive. The person who finds a cure for cancer could be in a school system right now. They will have a better chance of getting the jobs and opportunities they need with a full education. However, “in the least developed countries, the ratio is only 4 in 10” for primary school. In less privileged countries, six in every ten children do not go to elementary school. Imagine what those children could have done for the world if they had been taught math or science.I thought that these statistics would be from very few countries, but these stats are “on the basis of data from 65 developing countries”, and those were just the ones that gave data.
My first thought was what would happen in these less-funded schools if a student had a learning disability. They would probably drop out of school very quickly, since there are so few kids in school anyway. Albert Einstein had dyslexia. Imagine if schools had given up on him. I have dyslexia. I know that, if not for Andover’s excellent early reading classes I would not be where I am today. I would not be in an AP class and I would probably not be going to college.
Every child from every part of the world has the capability to do great things, but only if they go to school. So we need to strengthen the education systems of poorer countries. The next cure for cancer is out there somewhere.
Although many children are being provided with education, there is a drastic difference in the type of education given. We live in a society where money and connections can play huge roles in education. This is evident in the demographic statistics of every school. The wealthy and priviledge are afforded a better education while the less prividlege and often times minorities, deal with the below- average education given. Before we can judge other developing countries' lack of quality education, we need to evaluate whether quality education is accessbile for all in America. Education has a significant effect on my life especially throughout high school. The decision to leave my high school in the Bronx and attend Andover High has got to be the biggest decision I have ever made. Here, I am in a school where I am not the top 10. Instead, I am forced to study hard in order to do well academically. The culture and academics were a big shock to a girl from The Bronx who was actually in the top 10 of her class and believed she was well prepared for high school. This goes to show how the environment in which one is raised in can be a determining factor in the type of education a student receives.
ReplyDeleteBased on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, I’m interested in Goal 16, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. This term encompasses a variety of issues, including corruption, human trafficking, homicide, political instability, representation in institutions, and human rights. This topic piqued my interest because it is used often in literature. Books like Animal Farm by George Orwell show the consequences of power and corruption in an unstable environment. The pigs that assume control of the farm, without supervision or balancing from the other animals, become as dishonest and greedy as the farmer they replaced. Similar books, like Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie, shows the other side of political turmoil and violence. The main character’s family loses their jobs, their hope, and their home, eventually moving to the United States. With this in mind, I also want to explore Goal 16 because it is essential to the development of the other goals. In violating human rights, whether through political censorship, closing of public buildings like schools, or blockage of democracy, the progress of a community comes to a halt. The focus shifts from creating a better world and more on surviving under their new circumstances. Violations of human rights are a global issue that we should all prevent.
ReplyDeleteA goal I would like to explore this year is number 4 - the sustainable development of quality education. This is a very important goal to me, because I believe that proper education is the most important thing in creating a better world. When people are properly informed, they can know more about what is happening in the world around them, and even within their own country. We are lucky to have the educational system we have in The United States, and especially in Massachusetts. The literature we read impactions our education greatly, with opportunities to read from authors like Jhumpa lahiri. We can read books and reflect on our own life experiences and conceptions, not playing into the single story.
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