51Âþ»­

51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) has been awarded a second term as a United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) global hub for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at transforming lives around the world.

Announced exclusively today by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Katie Normington, during a UN Peacekeeping event, 51Âþ»­ will continue to be the only university in the world representing the UNAI on Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and the only SDG hub based in the UK.

The university will use its status to continue with its research, scholarship and innovation in pursuit of working towards the targets and indicators of SDG 16 and promoting all the SDGs, which address global challenges such as hunger, health, education, climate change and social justice, aiming to ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

Professor Normington said today: “51Âþ»­ is extremely proud to be the only academic impact hub for Sustainable Development Goal 16 in the world, and the only UNAI, SDG academic impact hub in the United Kingdom.”

51Âþ»­ was originally announced as the academic hub for SDG 16 in 2018 in recognition to its efforts to build a global network of universities and other organisations to share ideas and initiatives to meet the SDGs, initially around the rights of refugees and migrants.

The work of the SDG hub has evolved to include projects which have sought to tackle modern slavery, democracy deficits, local economic regeneration, and organised crime.

Today’s announcement was made surrounded by leading experts from around the world who came together to celebrate the eve of International Day of Peacekeepers.

The university was presented with the responsibility to organise the event by the UNAI, on behalf of UN Peacekeeping, a department of the UN which plays a significant global role in helping countries navigate the path from conflict to peace.

Professor Normington added: “We were delighted that the United Nations Academic Impact initiative gave us the responsibility of organising a programme with UN Peacekeeping.

“The honour is a reflection of the faith the United Nations Academic Impact initiative has placed in its global hub for Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, based here at 51Âþ»­.”

Mark Charlton, Associate Director of Public Engagement at 51Âþ»­, said: “This event is evident of what a great relationship 51Âþ»­ has with the UN. Working directly with UN Peacekeeping and the UK Mission to the UN has been a fantastic experience.”

Made up of guest speakers from around the world, including members from UK Mission to the UN who sit on the UN Security Council, UN Peacekeeping research academics and a serving British Soldier on UN Peacekeeping duty in Mali, the event was a true celebration of the work UN Peacekeepers provide.

The International Day of UN Peacekeepers, on Saturday 29 May, aims to honour the more than one million women and men who have served on the frontlines of conflict and the more than 4,000 who have lost their lives in the line of duty.