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Millennial development goals: a generation worries sick about the SDGs

In a world burdened by inequality, poverty and climate change, one generation created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while another will try to live them out. What matters has changed.

With species extinction, mass flooding and severe drought happening around the world, existential fear around survival is causing serious climate change anxiety. Generational gaps, ever-evolving technologies and cultural variances have brought new views on work–life balance, consumerism, sustainability and ethical choices. How are these cultural shifts affecting the health and well-being of a generation?

At the same time, the way in which young people are responding to the SDGs in general and mobilizing in relation to climate change and inequity may in fact be an important sign of resilience and strong mental health. Do the worries many young activists are feeling lie less in the nature of the challenges than in the feeling that they are not being heard?

Join us for the upcoming Culture and Health webinar to explore these and similar questions.

The webinar panel was moderated by Nils Fietje, Technical Officer in the Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit at WHO/Europe.

Members of the panel included:

  • Caroline Hickman, Climate Psychology Therapist, Researcher and Lecturer in the Department of Social and Policy Sciences at the University of Bath (United Kingdom);
  • Emilia Aragon de Leon, Technical Officer in the Sustainable Development and Health Programme at WHO/Europe; and
  • Ane Aurora Skjølberg Serreli, Norwegian Youth Delegate on Climate Change towards the UNFCCC, BSc student in Political Science at the University of Oslo, former Vice President of the youth organization Spire.
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