An exhibition on Sustainable Development Goals has opened at the Nur-Sultan airport

SDGs are 17 interrelated goals developed in 2015 by the UN General Assembly as a global strategy combining social, economic and environmental issues.

Official opening of the exhibition of installations on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was held on August 18 in Nur-Sultan on the territory of Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport JSC. This event was held within the framework of cooperation between Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport JSC and Economic Research Institute JSC with the support of the United Nations Development Program.

Exhibition consists of 16 art objects, each of which is a representation of one of the SDGs. According to the designer's idea, SDG 17 "Partnerships to achieve the Goal" is presented by the people visiting the exhibition.

All installations have a description in three languages. Many art objects are interactive: for example, the installation for SDG 11 "Sustainable Cities and Communities" includes a notebook with children's drawings about the cities of their dreams, so you can watch them and leave notes.

Description of some of the art objects of the exhibition.

The installation for SDG 1 "No Poverty" demonstrates that all people in the modern world are interconnected thanks to digital technologies, and gradual elimination of poverty is possible only through joint efforts. It is also no coincidence that the image of a child is chosen, because children are the bridge to the future, and, at the same time, they are the most vulnerable category of the population. (Note: The art object is a metal statue of a child with wires symbolizing physical, mental and digital links).

The art object for SDG 2 "Zero Hunger" reflects the endurance and solidarity of our people in difficult times, that even such a dairy product as kurt can save many lives of prisoners of prison camps from starvation. (Note: The installation of a hand holding a kurt on a sunny tray recalls the heroic act of the Kazakhs in the 30s, when people, risking the lives of their own children, threw kurt at the exhausted women prisoners of A.L.ZH.I.R. (Akmola Concentration Camp).

The installations were made by Kazakh ecodesigner Aigerim Akenova for the First Regional Summit on Sustainable Development Goals Financing.

Sustainable development is possible at balance of three main components: economic growth, social responsibility and environmental balance, said Bauyrzhan Mukan, the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Economic Research Institute JSC at the official opening of the exhibition.

Environmental problems, global climate change, social and gender inequality are only part of the systemic crises and global challenges that countries, corporations and people faced at the end of the 20th and in beginning of the 21st century. This clash led to a revision of the global view of the world and an awareness of the importance of sustainable development.

The speaker stressed that the opening of the exhibition on SDGs is also notable for the fact that it takes place in the year of the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's Independence, the 60th anniversary of Economic Research Institute and the 90th anniversary of the International Airport.

According to him, sustainable economic growth in modern conditions requires wider involvement of the population in addition to rapid and well-coordinated steps.

"Therefore, all presented installations can serve as a signal to people about the need to take care of the limited resources of our planet," the speaker noted.

"All the presented installations on SDGs have a deep meaning associated with our history, and current challenges of our time. I think the opening of the SDGs installations exhibition is a good start for our further steps towards sustainable development with our partners," the speaker concluded.

"Today's pandemic and consequences of climate change, which we have fully felt this year, have highlighted the links between the environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainable development, while significantly slowing the achievement of the SDGs in all countries of the world. In this regard, well-coordinated partnership activities of the government, private sector, civil society and citizens is more important today than ever to make sure that we will leave a better planet for future generations. In turn, the UNDP, as the leading UN Development Agency, is ready to continue supporting national efforts to implement the SDGs in the country," Vitaly Vremish, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, said in his speech.

According to the speaker, work on the 2030 Agenda in Kazakhstan began in 2015.

"The climate change indicator is the biggest challenge both for Kazakhstan and for the whole world. Recent Global Climate Change Report indicates that the temperature of the planet is changing at a high rate. We urge everyone to take into account all conclusions of this report and think about how each of us can make a personal contribution to sustainable development," Vitaly Vremish stressed.

"As the leading airport in the country, we cannot stay away from environmental problems, as well as issues related to achieving sustainable development. For example, our airport complies with the principles of the new Environmental Code adopted recently in Kazakhstan. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals depends on each of us," Daulet Khamzin, First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport JSC, has summed up.

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On September 25, 2015, world leaders, including Heads of State and Government, adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda at the UN Headquarters in New York, which includes a list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals aimed at eliminating poverty, combating inequality and injustice, and addressing climate change.

Kazakhstan, as a country that has committed itself to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, is actively working in all directions and is ready to contribute to successful achievement of global goals. 

The Coordinating Council for Sustainable Development Goals, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was established on the instructions of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated August 15, 2018. The Ministry of National Economy is the coordinating body of the Council's work. Economic Research Institute JSC acts as the Secretariat for SDGs, providing an expert and analytical support.

On June 7, 2021, Economic Research Institute JSC was officially approved as the Secretariat of the Coordinating Council for Sustainable Development Goals by the order of Askar Mamin.