opening the long nights 2021

September 6

‘Cultural Diversity and Sustainable Development: The Example of Central American Countries’

ICDO’s Official Facebook page @icdo.at

The panel discussion is a unique celebration of 200 years of Independence of Central American countries and opportunity to further strengthen bilateral relations with Austria, highlighting the milestones that countries from the most biodiverse region in the world achieved in the last 2 centuries.

HE Ms. Julia Villatoro Tario, the Ambassador of El Salvador to Austria underlines that the 200 year anniversary reminds her of the importance to

“…preserve freedom and sovereignty in order to empower people [of El Salvador] and to make them feel proud of their country”.

She considers it as her task as a diplomat to promote El Salvador’s culture, sports, gastronomy, innovation and digitalization while simultaneously preserving cultures, languages and gastronomy of El Salvador’s ancestors.

HE Mr. Manuel Estuardo Roldan Barillas, the Ambassador of Guatemala to Austria highlighted the importance of cultural diplomacy in building relations with key players from different sectors, emphasizing its role in bilateral relations between Austria and Guatemala for the last 150 years.

Mr. Roldan Barillas added: “…cultural diversity not only enriches, but describes Guatemala.”

For Costa Rica and HE. Mr. Alejandro Solano Ortiz, the Ambassador of Costa Rica to Austria the 200 year anniversary “means an opportunity to include everyone who is currently excluded from the model of improvement.”

His Excellency underlined the role of inclusion and equality in implementing sustainable policies:“…it is important to recognize the role that youth, women, indigenous peoples and all the civil society has in this process.”

The Charge d’Affaires a.i. of The Republic of Honduras, Ms. Lesly Amalia Sanchez-Moncada emphasized the role of cross-cultural collaboration in promoting sustainable development and added:

“[The inhabitants of Honduras] are suffering from climate change, but we are not producing [many] greenhouse gasses… We need to be part of the decision board of the Green Climate Fund to advocate for the urgency of sustainable development.”

Central American countries, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world are highly affected by climate change but also at the forefront of fighting it. Therefore, the cross cultural collaboration between different stakeholders is crucial in achieving our joint goal-contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The role of the nonprofit sector is important and needed in building a global culture of peace and equality.

“This is the message of embracing cultural diversity in sustainable policies, so we, as a world, can ensure that all knowledge that already exists among different communities will be used to create better sustainability strategies and prepare us to face the effects of climate change.” Josipa Palac, ICDO President