Once again this year, the SDG-Forum delivered on its promises. An inspiring plenary session, 26 workshops on a variety of topics, the first SDG Awards ceremony and a networking reception. Everything came together on 13 October, offering the nearly 500 participants a space for discussion, debate, knowledge-sharing and collaboration on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event brought together an audience from all backgrounds: the political world, the business sector, NGOs, academia, government departments, civil society organisations and international organisations. Everyone was able to share their experiences, network and explore practical solutions to work together to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs, with four years to go until the 2030 Agenda deadline.
An informative plenary session
A cross-cutting approach and shared responsibility
The opening address was delivered by Adly Manseri, Deputy Chief of Staff to Jean-Luc Crucke, Federal Minister for Sustainable Development. He emphasised the importance of a cross-cutting approach, as well as the shared responsibility of governments, businesses, organisations and citizens to make progress towards implementing the seventeen SDGs. This requires funding, close cooperation, measurable results and targeted support for vulnerable groups.
Migration: a driver of sustainable development
Through his speech, punctuated by interactions with the audience, Jean-Nicolas Beuze, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative for European affairs, offered us a fresh perspective on refugee crises, far removed from the clichés all too often portrayed in the media. Through real-life anecdotes from Bangladesh to Sudan, via Ukraine and Lebanon, he demonstrated in particular why refugee reception policy is inextricably linked to sustainable development, and how refugee movements can be seen as opportunities to invest in more sustainable societies for everyone, rather than as sources of short-term expenditure.
SDG Barometer
Finally, Lars Moratis, professor at the Antwerp Management School and an expert in corporate social responsibility, presented the fifth edition of the SDG Barometer, which focuses on how Belgian organisations are implementing the SDGs. He summarised the key findings of this research report, using titles of famous films to illustrate the major challenges facing businesses and organisations in an international context characterised by interrelated economic, environmental and political uncertainties. The presentation was followed by a round-table discussion moderated by Luc Van Liedekerke (professor at UAntwerpen and KULeuven), which brought together perspectives from the private sector, represented by Vanessa Biebel (VBO-FEB), and the public sector, represented by Marie Bourgeois (SPW), on the progress of the SDGs in Belgium.
We invite you to read our article "Baromètre SDGs 2026 : des ambitions aux changements concrets" to find out more about the SDG Barometer.
A range of workshops
The SDG-Forum gave everyone the opportunity to take part in three workshops of their choice from a range of no fewer than 26 workshops organised by FISD and its partners. Whether in small groups or in lecture halls, through discussions or talks, participants were able to explore a very wide variety of topics related to sustainable development – from global to local issues, from consumption to social impacts, from partnerships to international policies, including the perspectives of young people, the stakeholders of tomorrow’s world:
- planetary boundaries, climate and data integrity, water protection, agriculture and food security;
- addressing the SDGs interactively, reconciling actions with reality, the post-2030 period, ‘sufficency’, integrating sustainable development into a project;
- sustainable housing and poverty, sustainable housing in rural areas, local climate resilience;
- circular strategies, the impact of digital technology, stakeholder engagement, impact financing, responsible events;
- the contribution of networks, social dialogue, inclusive citizen participation, partnerships;
- the international implications of national policies, migration;
- quality of education, co-creation with young people, the UN and young people.
Most of the presentations are now available on our website sdgforum.be. Browse through the section Programme and select the workshop you want to download the presentation for.
SDG Awards
A highlight of this year’s event was the first ever presentation of the Belgian SDG Awards. At the request of Minister Jean-Luc Crucke, the FISD created these awards to recognise organisations that are taking concrete action to help achieve the SDGs.
Four winning organisations
Organisations were recognised across four categories for their commitment to sustainable development. The winning organisations were chosen by the public, who were able to vote live during the SDG-Forum.
The winning organisations in this first edition are:
- GoodPlanet Belgium – ‘Civil society organisations’ category;
- UCLouvain – ‘Educational institutions’ category;
- City of Harelbeke – ‘Municipalities, towns and counties’ category;
- Revive – ‘Businesses’ category.
The other nominated organisations also deserve praise for their commitment and inspiring initiatives: L’Arbre qui Pousse, HOGENT, the Province of Antwerp and BelOrta.
Throughout the SDG-Forum, participants were able to learn about the projects and best practices of the eight nominated organisations and see how the SDGs are being put into practice across various sectors and at different levels.
Special mention for CIFAL Brussels
In addition to the four winning organisations, the jury awarded a special mention to CIFAL Brussels, formerly CIFAL Flanders. As a Belgian training and expertise centre affiliated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), CIFAL Brussels has for many years been helping to improve knowledge of the SDGs and their implementation in Belgium. The organisation also supports various civil society actors and encourages cooperation amongst them.
From ambition to action
Through the SDG Awards, FISD aims to highlight inspiring initiatives and encourage other organisations to incorporate the SDGs into their activities. The nominated organisations demonstrate how concrete actions and cooperation contribute to sustainable development.
Find out about the winning organisations, CIFAL Brussels, and the organisations nominated on the SDG Awards page.
Relive the SDG-Forum
If you were unable to attend, or if you’d like to relive the event, we invite you to view the presentations from the plenary session and the various workshops, as well as the videos featuring the organisations nominated for the SDG Awards. You can also view photos from the day in the ‘Gallery’ section.
More info
Copyright for the main image: Andy Vermaut - indegazette.be
