National conference on building a sustainable future in Bengaluru

St Joseph’s University’s School of Social Work hosted a national conference on Wednesday to enable a dialogue and an exchange of ideas to build a sustainable future.

The conference on ‘Participatory Perspectives Towards Sustainable India’ was inaugurated by environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka. Civil rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila recounted her experiences of struggle and encouraged the gathering to act sustainably.

Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy, Bengaluru; Friedrich Birgelen, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bengaluru; and Katsumasa Maruo, Deputy Consul of Japan; discussed partnership programmes to further sustainable development in the country.

Birgelen encouraged the students to continue persisting on the path of sustainable environmental work, regardless of any resistance they may face. “History is on your side. We are talking about a climate emergency; there is nothing more important than a tree or a lake or an electrical engine,” he said.

Tagliaferri emphasised the importance of building bilateral relations and cross-border collaborations to work on sustainability.

“Sustainability must be everybody’s priority today. As a country of very few resources and advanced manufacturing, we are very happy to share our know-how in terms of producing in a greener way using lesser materials,” he told DH.

The conference featured presentations and panel discussions related to sustainable development, including environmental sustainability, social justice, and community empowerment.

Fr Dr Augustine Lourdu, dean, School of Social Work, said: “We hope that this conference will inspire collaborative action towards a more sustainable future for all.”