Graduation at UNU-LRT

On Thursday 17 September thirteen fellows graduated from the UNU-LRT six-month training programme; seven women and six men. The graduates come from Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Namibia, and Uganda in Sub-Saharan Africa, and from Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia in Central Asia.  At the graduation ceremony the UNU-LRT Director, Dr Hafdis Hanna Aegisdottir, the Permanent Secretary of State, Mr Stefan Haukur Johannesson, and the Chair of the UNU-LRT Board, Mr Sveinn Runolfsson, addressed the fellows and guest. Addresses were also given by two graduating fellows, Ms Uuganzaya Myagmarjav from Mongolia and Mr Emmanuel Chidiwa Mbewe from Malawi, who spoke on behalf of the 2015 cohort of fellows.

A common theme in the addresses at the graduation was the importance of UNU-LRT efforts in halting land degradation and restoring degraded land.  The fate of the human population is closely tied to the land, as is reflected in Goal no. 15 of the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development, which will be formally adopted later this month. Halting and reversing land degradation will also help achieve many of the other Global Goals, including increased food security, poverty reduction, better water management, as well as mitigating climate change.

The Land Restoration Training Programme was launched in 2007 and since then 76 experts have graduated from the programme, 37 women and 39 men. These experts have come from partner institutions of UNU-LRT in 11 countries in Asia and Africa. UNU-LRT firmly believes the work of these professionals, once back home, is very important for reaching global goals on halting and reversing land degradation.

The UNU-LRT team congratulates the fellows on their achievements and looks forward to hearing about their future endeavours.