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A Sri Lankan woman stands in her retail shop
Uthayakumar Lembert in her retail shop in Vankaalai village, Sri Lanka.
Credit: ECLOF International
Published On: January 29, 2024
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Join us as we kick off International Development Week in Canada!

From February 4 to 10, The United Church of Canada, together with the Canadian Government, civil society organizations, and communities across Canada will celebrate International Development Week. The week’s activities focus on sustainable development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a shared plan for building a healthier global future for people and the planet by 2030.

Sustainable development calls for the world to join together in efforts to build an inclusive, just, sustainable, and resilient future for all peoples and all creation.

Join us as we share stories from across the church about our accompaniment with Mission and Service partners in contributing to a just, equitable, and sustainable world. Learn about how the United Church and global partners work to address inequality, hunger, climate change, and poverty, and work to increase well-being on a global and local scale.

For more information on how your community of faith can learn more, participate, and #goforthegoals! follow United Action for Justice’s Facebook page and Storiesof Our Faith.

Why Are the Sustainable Development Goals More Important Than Ever?

With only 6 years left to achieve the SDGs, reaching them is becoming more urgent. The impact of climate change, geopolitical conflicts, growing inequality and the lingering effects of COVID-19 have set back any gains made on the SDGs. Now more than ever, nations need to refocus their commitments to align with the SDGS in order to meet the goals by 2030. Learn more about this in the United Nations 2023 SDG Report on the Sustainable Development Goals.

What Does Sustainable Development Mean to The United Church of Canada?

Our faith inspires us to be active participants for a just world. Right relationships are central to the nature of God and the Spirit calls us to live in relationships reflecting Christ’s character of justice and love. The NewCreed calls us to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil. These central commitments of our faith resonate with the SDGs.

The United Church works with over 74partners in God’s mission around the world, working toward deep changes for just economic and social systems and a world transformed by love.

For More Information Contact

Thi Van Hoang
Program Coordinator, Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Response
thoang@united-church.ca