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Buddies Without Borders: Local Actions for Global Goals Online Forum participants explained why they chose their respective SDGs to focus on in their country. The best essay came from Ana Campos (SEK International School Global Campus) on the importance of SDG 16 in Spain: Peace, Justice and Strong Institution.
"According to Turismo de Portugal (2023), tourism consumption in 2022 represented 15.8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), surpassing the pre-pandemic period, meaning that tourism and the provision of services has been the engine of the Portuguese economy and a sector in which a lot of effort has been invested. With tourism has come the need for more construction, an expansion in supply, an excessive increase in properties made available for local accommodation and consequently greater visibility for the country abroad, attracting many foreigners who want to own property in a country with a mild and safe climate. ..With this new reality in the country, public policies were implemented to make it easier for foreigners to enter the country, to help its growth and labour force. These measures eliminated bureaucratic immigration processes, opening the country's doors to those who wanted to come and work and leading to an unprecedented influx of foreigners into Portugal.... ... what this scenario hides from us is a reality that has haunted the country in the shadow of the important contribution that foreigners make to the Portuguese economy, which is the exploitation of the flexible rules for attracting workers and companies by human trafficking networks and drug trafficking networks from South American countries. According to the report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, human, drug and arms trafficking are the main criminal threats in Portugal (Público, 2023) and Europol's first report flags Portugal as a route for criminal networks and places the country as a target and base for several of the 821 most dangerous groups in Europe (JN, 2024).
... The situation is fracturing public opinion and is even being exploited by more radical parties, who are trying to convince the population of the direct link between immigration and violence... Could this impasse be avoided if the institutions were strong enough to maintain control of immigration and the increase in crime in the country? Is the timing of the Portuguese institutions' action and reaction too late, given that part of society is beginning to struggle not to associate the increase in immigration with the increase in crime in the country?"
To embark on the journey of figuring out "how," we must first understand the needs of our stakeholders, assess our capabilities and build our assets to support change.
The guest speaker who will share her journey of figuring out her "how" this weekend is Laeia Riddock-Washington.
Laeia was the Chair for Everyone Can Code, a partnership between Apple and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Delaware Chapter (NCBWDE100), which works to bridge the digital divide in underrepresented communities.
As an Executive Board Member of NCBWDE100 and an active member of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League Young Professionals, Laeia founded Delaware’s First State Fashion Week in 2015, creating a dynamic platform for emerging models, designers, and creatives to showcase their talents.
Laeia's journey as a mentor and activist began in 2009 when she realized the tremendous need to build confidence, leadership and academic success in young women in her community. As a result, she founded Make Me Pretty: Developing Beauty from the Inside Out which impacted more than 100 girls in her community. From 2012 to 2015, Laeia served as the President for the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Middletown, Delaware.
When we know our "why," we can find our "how." Please join us in wishing all the participants good luck as they launch into their feasibility study this week.
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