United Nations representative visits UVU, addresses sustainability

Stacia Howes

November 7, 2018

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The Office for Global Engagement hosted a conference on Saturday Oct. 28.  Non-Governmental Organizations, from all over Utah were invited as well as Jeff Brez from the United Nations.

The conference kicked off with Brez addressing the sustainability goals set forth by the UN and what they hope to accomplish. He stressed the importance of the conference, and how excited he was for the turnout of NGOs.

The NGOs gave presentations on how they were working towards the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN for 2030. The goals include: no poverty, zero hunger and gender equality.

“Our mission is to heal, rescue, and lift our brothers and sisters in Africa,” said Jennifer Hogge, executive director of Engage Now Africa. ENA works in different regions of Africa to help promote literacy for men, women and children.

Rebekah Ellsworth a representative of Globus Relief, a Utah-based NGO that works to provide medical equipment to poor countries, showed photographs of the inadequate medical equipment being used in North Korea.   Equipment such as single-use needles are washed and reused, plastic gloves are being reused, and glass bottles with tin foil are being used as IV bags. Globus Relief collects donations from hospitals and families with surplus medical supplies to donate to places in need.

“The mission of Globus Relief is to improve the delivery of healthcare worldwide by gathering, processing and distributing surplus medical and health supplies to charities at home and abroad,” Ellsworth said.

Concluding the conference was Sam Elzinga quoting Dr. Suess’ Lorax. “Unless someone cares a whole awful lot, it’s not going to get better, it’s not,” Elzinga said.

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Instagram: @_johnny.morris_

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