Knowledge Sharing on Sustainable Development

Seminar Background Sustainable development is the overarching paradigm of the United Nations. The concept of sustainable development was described by the 1987 Brundtland Commission Report as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". The sustainable development framework rests on four pillars – society, environment, culture and economy. Thus, it envisages a future in which there is a balance between social, economic, cultural and environmental objectives. The recently concluded United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, agreed on a range of measures to establish Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. The SDGs will define the way forward for the international community on all issues related to sustainable development, and, it is hoped, will help set national and local agendas for the future.

The future is a matter of concern for all of us. And since we have to find new, better ways of doing things, it is clear that information and education on some of these issues is critical. Libraries will be called upon to provide information on a variety of sustainable development themes, and furthermore, they will be required to ensure that such knowledge is easily accessible.Open data and open knowledge are crucial to this effort, and libraries will need to find ways to collate a range of information – backgrounders, statistical data released by countries at the central and local levels, as well as by public policy think-tanks, corporations, international organizations and institutions. Increasing awareness among librarians on sustainable development themes is also essential if library users are to make sense of the information that already exists, and which will necessarily continue to evolve. The workshop will seek to discuss the way forward in this important endeavour.

Photo Gallery of Knowledge Sharing on Sustainable Development Seminar

Programme

9.00 a.m. Registration
Inaugural Session
10.00 a.m. Welcome Address
Welcome Address: Dr. Ramesh C. Gaur, University Librarian, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Introduction to Seminar: Dr. R.K. Sharma, Librarian, UN Information Centre
Inaugural Address by Chief Guest: Prof. S. K. Sopory, Vice-Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Roadmap Address: Mrs. Kiran Mehra-Kerpelman, Director, UN Information Centre
Vote of Thanks: Dr. Manorama Tripathi, Dy. Librarian, JNU

Session I Understanding Sustainable Development- A Rapidly Changing Idea-scape
11.30 a.m.Chair: Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative
Speakers:
• Prof. Pranav N. Desai, Centre for Studies in Science Policy, School of Social Sciences, JNU
Sustainable Development: Challenges for India
• Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, Country Director, UNDP
Sustainability at the Global Level- What can we do?
• Dr. Peter Kenmore, FAO Representative in India
Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture
• Prof. Amitabh Kundu, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, JNU
Sustainability in Cities

12.45 p.m. Open Discussion

Session II Sustainable Development: Open Data and e-based Knowledge Resources
1.45 p.m. Chair: Dr. Ramesh C. Gaur, University Librarian, JNU
Speakers:
• Dr. Sanjaya Mishra, Director, Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia and former Programme Specialist at UNESCO, Paris
• Dr. Anup Kumar Das, Centre for Studies in Science Policy, School of Social Sciences, JNU
Collaborative Knowledge-Sharing Platform for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of UN Solution Exchange Communities
• Mrs. Kiran Pandey, Programme Director-Library & Information Management, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi
Access to Data, Information and Knowledge on Environment/Sustainable Development
• Mrs. Sunita Malhotra, Librarian, World Bank, New Delhi
Sustainable Development: Open Data and e-based Knowledge Resources

3.30 p.m. Open Discussion

Session III Panel Discussion on Knowledge Sharing on Sustainable Development: Role of Libraries
4 p.m. Panel Discussion on Knowledge Sharing on Sustainable Development
Chair: Dr. R.K. Chadha, Additional Secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat
Speakers:
• Dr. Prabir G. Dastidar, Scientist/Director, Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Dr. Saradindu Bhaduri, CSSP, School of Social Sciences, JNU
• Mr. Shahid Hasan, Associate Director, Knowledge Management Division, TERI
• Mr. Nitin Sethi, Assistant Editor, The Times of India

5 p.m. Open Discussion and Seminar Concludes

Ref: Workshop on Knowledge Sharing, 11 & 12 July 2011 - Speakers' presentations

Sponsors:
Emerald Group Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd.