Role in promoting UN values and implementation of the 17 SDGs

This year, March 2 will mark the 32nd anniversary of Kazakhstan's accession to the United Nations. In 1992, Kazakhstan became the 168th member state of the UN. On April 15 of that year, the first permanent representative of Kazakhstan to the UN - Akmaral Arystanbekova - was appointed by the Decree of the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. And a year later, on February 16, 1993, the UN office in Kazakhstan was opened in Almaty. The UN is the only universal international organization, and this date was and remains a significant date in the history of our country.

Having become a member of the UN, we have received the right and a real opportunity to fully participate in the development of solutions to problems, primarily those that are in the sphere of vital interests of the Republic and the whole world. Over these years Kazakhstan has firmly occupied a worthy place in the international arena and contributes to ensuring stability and security in the world.

Along with this, I would like to emphasize the role of higher educational institutions, namely Al-Farabi KazNU, which has become the main driver of sustainable development in the country. Kazakhstan's activity as an active member of the international community has expanded the opportunities and universities, their scientific, academic and human potential. The UNAI program allowed to actively use the potential of our university.

UNAI - "Engaging with Academia" is an initiative aimed at enhancing the UN's cooperation with higher education institutions in the process of realizing its goals and mandates, among which are the observance and protection of human rights, access to education, sustainable development and conflict resolution. Since 2010, UNAI has built an active and diverse network of students, scholars, scientists, academics, researchers, think tanks, higher education institutions, continuing education institutions and educational associations. There are more than 1,300 member organizations in over 130 countries, reaching millions of people in the education and research sectors worldwide. Since its inception, some thirty international networks of universities and other institutions of higher education and research have supported UNAI and encouraged their members to join, representing a global diversity of regions and thematic diversity of disciplines.

Al-Farabi KazNU was the first among the universities in Central Asia to join the Academic Impact Program - UNAI in 2011. Currently in Kazakhstan more than 25 universities have joined the program "Academic Impact" UNAI, including with the assistance of KazNU. The Alliance of Universities of the country was created, which will help to unite the intellectual potential of academia and youth initiative, energy of students on the way to the realization of the 17 goals of sustainable development of the UN and the solution of global problems. Participation in this initiative for KazNU as a global hub for sustainable development for the third time sets new goals and objectives for the university in the field of sustainable development, becomes a powerful impetus for integration processes of education and science for the benefit of a safe and prosperous future. The work on realization of 17 SDGs is carried out within the framework of educational, scientific and educational component of the university functions, through the implementation of international cooperation, promoting the importance of SDGs and their implementation.

KazNU has a Regional Resource Center for support and information about the UN at the Faculty of International Relations. The Center was established in 2012 in honor of the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's accession to the UN in accordance with the memorandum signed between the United Nations and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Academic Impact Program. The initiative to establish the Center belongs to Ms. Akmaral Khaidarovna Arystanbekova, Ambassador-at-Large, First Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN. The Center was established to promote the objectives of the UN and to facilitate the dissemination of information of UN agencies in Kazakhstan. Since 2015, the center has been promoting all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The university also has two UNESCO Chairs on sustainable development. The result of active work of the university was the opening of the Ban Ki-moon Institute of Sustainable Development at KazNU in May 2018, the activity of which focuses on promoting partnership for the realization of sustainable development goals through educational, research and international cooperation activities. Scientists of KazNU are involved in solving global challenges of the world community both at the national and international levels, thematic seminars, conferences are held, international scientific and educational projects are realized. Educational programs of the university are also aimed at the implementation of 17 SDGs.

Youth, our main force, is actively involved in this process. One of the successful and effective projects, in my opinion, is the Model UN project. Model UN is a combination of a scientific conference and a role-playing game, during which students and high school students reproduce the work of the UN bodies in several official UN languages, acquire diplomatic, leadership, oratorical and language skills and the ability to come to a compromise. This mini-model of the UN is focused on raising awareness of young people about the format of the UN work, the problems of the modern world through the promotion of the 17 SDGs, as well as the international activities of our country - the Republic of Kazakhstan. Moreover, the Model UN allows gaining invaluable experience as a participant of multilateral diplomacy in the process of imitation activities in one of the main UN institutions.

In the year of 90th anniversary of KazNU as a flagship university of the country is full of plans and ideas for further fruitful cooperation with the United Nations Organization. Every year more than 20 international students have an internship in the UN Plaza in Almaty, where they actively work on projects on 17 SDGs. For the current year activities are planned with promotion of important projects on realization of SDGs and strengthening of cooperation with all UN agencies in our country and abroad.

Leyla Delovarova,

Dean of the Faculty of International Relations,

PhD in International Relations