The Stella Maris Sustainable Development (SMSD) Students Hub inaugurated its largest initiative “The TN SDG Girls’ Championship” in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) Students Program and United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth (UN SDSN) on campus to accelerate solutions for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals modelled by the United Nations.
This event was ideated as a tool to amplify the tremendous energy and capabilities of young girls in generating broader buy-in for the SDGs, in continuation of the SMSD Students Hub that was launched on 13 September 2022 on campus.
The Championship was conceptualized by the collaborative efforts of the UN SDSN Youth, UNSDG Students Program, Stella Maris College, and the Stella Maris Sustainable Development Students Hub (SMSD) Students Hub. With the tagline, ‘The Changemakers’ Conference’, the Championship provides a platform for young women who can meet the world’s need for synergetic endeavours and envision a better tomorrow.
The Championship Launch was presided over by the Chief Guest, Thiru T Mano Thangaraj, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, who was received and greeted by the Principal, Dr. Sr. Rosy Joseph and the Secretary, Sr. Judith Anita Gonsalvez. The Hon’ble Minister in his address highlighted the changes in the kind of questions we ask about sustainability as time progress and the impact of culture on environmental preservation.
The Guest of Honour, Mr Josh Foulger, Country Head and Managing Director of Bharat FIH Limited in his address emphasized on the crucial role of women in the industry and the prominence of Tamil Nadu state in the Indian manufacturing landscape.
Dr. Sulthan Khalifa Haroon Al Rashid, SDG Students Program Regional Officer for Asia Pacific, UN SDSN – Youth expressed his support for the SMSD Students Hub and its efforts to spotlight women in socio-economic development. Dr. Ellen Dixon, Project Lead, SDG Students Program, UN SDSN – Youth participated in the event.
The Championship considers the State under eight zones in order to extend outreach to diverse changemakers. The representatives of the eight zonal collaborative partners – Ethiraj College for Women, Kumaraguru College of Liberal Arts and Science, Lady Doak College, Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women, Bon Secours College for Women, Bishop Heber College, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College and Auxilium College – also partook in the launch ceremony.
The Championship launch also brought collective commitment to the foreground with a group resolution towards upholding the SDGs. Dr. Rebecca Devaprasad, Stella Maris Sustainable
Development Students Hub (SMSDSH) Faculty Advisor stated, “With the support of numerous zonal collaborative partners, this Championship aims to create student-inspired pioneering solutions by connecting local action with global advocacy. The entire event is to be executed in an environmentally conscious manner; the TN SDG Girls Championship will be a paperless event. It is an initiative to reach nearly 200+ colleges and impact 10,000+ students. Over a period of 3 months, the Championship will progress in phases – orientation, zonal level, college level, and the Grand Finale at the state level, held at Stella Maris College, Chennai.”
The SMSD Students Hub has also debuted successful sustainability projects including Project C – a clothing drive followed by setting up a day’s boutique in Semmenjeri; Know your SDGs series featuring breaktime presentations including awareness videos and demonstrations across the campus; a Mental Health Awareness Week and The Climate Change Outreach Program which aims to mould Climate Warriors to carry the cause of climate change literacy forward. The Championship will thus buttress the SMSD Students Hub’s continuing efforts to advocate for a cleaner, brighter tomorrow with the support of state-wide zonal collaborative partners.
The event was overseen by the SMSDSH Faculty Advisors, Dr. Rebecca Devaprasad and Ms. Jumie George.
About Stella Maris College:
Stella Maris College (Autonomous), Chennai is a Catholic Minority College run and governed by the society of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. The College is affiliated to the University of Madras, Chennai and was founded in 1947. The College aims at empowering young women from all backgrounds through holistic education thereby promoting social change and responsible citizenship. The institution also aims at fostering an inclusive community by bringing together different cultures and making the learning vibrant and nourishing.
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