“Your fresh perspectives and your knowledge are incomparable; critical thinking is more necessary today than ever before,” declared Cristina Gallach, a high-ranking official of the European Union and former Undersecretary-General of the United Nations for Communications and Public Information, in the inaugural lecture of the 2017-2018 academic year at ESADE.

In a speech entitled “Young People: Actors and Mobilisers for the 2030 Agenda”, Ms. Gallach reviewed the objectives of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals, accepted by the 193 UN member states in September 2015, undoubtedly “add legitimacy, embrace ambition and define objectives”, according to Ms. Gallach. “The 2030 Agenda is a new business model that goes beyond corporate social responsibility and philanthropy,” she noted. “The funding needed to mobilise and implement the agenda all over the world is the highest we have ever seen. Initial estimates suggest that achieving these goals will require $3 trillion in public and private investment each year. Public-private partnerships are essential to making this happen.”

Climate change, threats and inequalities

During the inauguration of the 2017-2018 academic year at ESADE, Ms. Gallach also spoke about climate change generally and the “crucial importance” of following the Paris Agreement. “With globalisation, the nature of power changes,” she added. “The exercise of power becomes more challenging than ever.” This notion, she said, ties into the rise of terrorism and cyber-terrorism, “another expression of the new threats that increase our vulnerability”.

“Despite global progress, inequalities have continued to grow, both between states and within regions,” Ms. Gallach stated. “It is now clearer than ever that economic growth is not enough to reduce poverty: we must adopt a more global perspective that encompasses the three dimensions of sustainable development.”

Current European context

Ms. Gallach contextualised the present moment in Europe with “episodes that will have a transcendental impact for Catalans, Spaniards and Europeans” and called on the students in the audience to “always remember to take a wide-angle view, analyse the state of the world and identify, among the multitude of opinions, those which will lead us to the profound changes that we need.”

In her remarks, Eugenia Bieto, Director General of ESADE, called for peace, dialogue and inclusiveness “to address the crisis of our collective life and the social fracture that threatens us”. She also stressed the importance of respecting the rule of law: “Respect for the law gives us stability and legal certainty, both of which are necessary in order for the economy to function properly and bring about prosperity, progress and social welfare.” She added: “Here are ESADE, we are ready and willing to do everything in our power to support and contribute to this effort.”

In addition to Cristina Gallach, the event featured the participation of Eugenia Bieto, Director General of ESADE; Joaquín Uriach, President of the ESADE Foundation Board of Trustees; and Carlo Gallucci, Vice Rector of International Relations and Students at Ramon Llull University.