SDG Flag Raised at Netherlands Embassy in Colombo to Mark SDG Flag Day

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with the United Nations and the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka, today celebrated the international SDG FLAG DAY by hoisting the SDG FLAG during a ceremony at the embassy premises.

Wiebe de Boer, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka, Mr Marc- André Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka and Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chairman of the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka jointly raised the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) flag at the embassy premises marking the SDG Flag campaign in Sri Lanka. Colombo-based diplomats and key representatives of the civil society contributing to Sri Lanka achieving SDGs attended today’s event.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador de Boer said that “By raising the SDG flag together we draw attention to the enormous importance to continue striving for the Sustainable Development Goals. All around the world, in many countries the SDG flag will be raised at many buildings, companies, educational institutions, libraries and municipalities to show the importance of implementation of SDGs towards 2030.”

Mr Marc-André Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka said that “When multilateralism is under threat, a shared framework like the Sustainable Development matters more, not less. It gives government, civil society, the private sector and partners a common language and shared metrics to track progress transparently. It also supports planning that outlasts electoral cycles and connects domestic effort with international support at a time when fiscal space is constrained.”

The SDG flag-hoisting event at the embassy was followed by a discussion between the diplomatic community and the civil society representatives critically looking at where Sri Lanka stands in their journey towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. 

The animated discussion focused on what Sri Lanka has achieved so far as well as challenges ahead for the country and opportunities available towards the Agenda 2030, the global action plan adopted by all 193 United Nations member states in September 2015 to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.