15 August 2025
On August 15, 2025, the Vitebsk Regional Forum on Sustainable Development “Sustainable Development: from concept to Implementation” was held in Orsha, which became a platform for exchanging experiences and demonstrating the achievements of Vitebsk region in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) localization, as well as discussing promising areas for sustainable development in the region.
During the Forum’s plenary session, participants discussed the Regional Sustainable Development Strategy of Vitebsk region for the period up to 2040, reviewed practical examples of the SDGs localization in Vitebsk region, as well as the contribution of citizens and organizations to the process of the SDGs achievement.
The Forum was opened by Deputy Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, National Coordinator for achieving the SDGs Sergey Khomenko. In his welcoming speech, he highlighted that Belarus is demonstrate significant progress in achieving the SDGs and is making every effort to ensure that present and future generations live in a peaceful and developing country.
Chairperson of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies Dmitry Demidov noted the significant efforts of Vitebsk region in promoting the SDGs.He underscored that the SDGs are integrated into the strategic and programming documents of the region, the Vitebsk Regional Group on Sustainable Development has been established, and the achievement of the SDG list indicators is being monitored. Special attention is paid to the involvement of public organizations, business representatives, youth and the public in the implementation of local initiatives aimed at sustainable development. Dmitry Demidov stated that the Forum allows not only to analyze the results achieved, but also to discuss current challenges and promising areas, as well as to develop a common understanding of further steps to strengthen the sustainable development of the region.
The UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Belarus Rasul Baghirov stressed that Belarus is demonstrating steady progress in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Agenda for the period up to 2030.According to the third Voluntary National Review, the SDG achievement rate is 80.5%, that reflects the country’s high degree of commitment to international obligations. Special attention is paid to such areas as poverty and hunger eradication, decent work, infrastructure development, health protection and gender equality. The country has made significant strides in the field of healthcare, including reducing maternal mortality and the availability of high-tech medical care.
In her speech, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Republic of Belarus Renfei Liu, emphasized the special contribution of the UNDP to the development of local entrepreneurship, environmental protection, and strengthening the health and social protection system of Vitebsk region.She noted that the Regional Sustainable Development Strategy of Vitebsk region for the period up to 2040, developed with the support of the UNDP, defines an innovative, environmentally friendly and inclusive future for the region and considers the region as a place where history and traditions are respected, nature is protected, and a high quality of life is provided for all.
In her welcoming speech, the Deputy Representative of UNICEF in the Republic of Belarus Kristin Ganibe said that UNICEF is actively working with Vitebsk region, implementing sustainable initiatives that have great impact and directly benefit children. Among them is the global initiative “Cities friendly to children and adolescents”, which has already been joined by five cities of Vitebsk region (Novopolotsk, Polotsk, Orsha, Braslav and Vitebsk).
The UNFPA Head of Office in the Republic of Belarus Olga Atroshchanka noted in her speech that the activities of the UNPFPA in Vitebsk region are focused on three areas: demographic sustainability, gender equality and ensuring equal rights and opportunities for men and women, and reproductive health.
The Counselor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Belarus Roman Khasiev addressed the participants of the Forum with a welcoming speech. He stressed that the term “sustainable development” is a guideline for creating favorable living conditions for citizens. Relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are developing within the framework of allied cooperation based on long-standing historical ties and common integration interests. Cooperation covers a wide range of areas, from economics and energy to the humanitarian sphere, and is implemented through the mechanisms of the Union State and other regional platforms.
The key topic of the plenary session was the presentation and discussion of the Regional Sustainable Development Strategy of Vitebsk region for the period up to 2040, developed with the support of the UNDP in the Republic of Belarus. The strategy is a social consensus agreement reflecting the desire of Vitebsk region’s population to live in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.
The Deputy Chairperson of Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Chairperson of Vitebsk Regional Group for Sustainable Development Angelika Nikitina noted that the Strategy, considering regional specifics and competencies, defines key tasks and directions for the further development of Vitebsk region, and the slogan of the Strategy “The future belongs to technology in harmony with nature” is associated with achieving the SDGs.
The main result of the successful implementation of the Strategy will be the preservation and increase of human capital, the real realization of the slogan “Return to your small homeland!”. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to concentrate resources in the most promising areas of economic activity and the cooperation of all stakeholders: government authorities, enterprises in the real sector of the economy, public associations, deputies, and the population.
During the plenary session, organizations of Vitebsk region shared practical examples of SDG localization. Thus, the Chief Technologist and Head of the Technical Department of Vitebsk Carpets Oksana Przhevalskaya presented the experience of implementing ESG to achieve sustainable work results. The educational program for mastering ESG practices and tools based on online learning technologies was presented by the PhD in Economics, Associate Professor of Economics and e-Business at the Higher School of Economics Kristina Kraenkova. The Director of Vikop-Fagus Sergey Ryskov informed about the introduction of the principles of circular economy and resource conservation. The Deputy Chairperson of the Braslav District Executive Committee Elena Babinskaya presented information on the development of inclusive tourism in Braslav district using the example of pilot SDG initiatives implemented in Vitebsk region with the support of the UNDP in the Republic of Belarus.
An important contribution to the sustainable development of Vitebsk region is made by the involvement of citizens in the process of the SDGs localization, including through their implementation of local initiatives. The Executive Director of Vitebsk Regional Association of Local Councils of Deputies Ekaterina Lazovskaya stressed that conditions have been created in Belarus for the self-realization of the personal potential of every citizen and noted the important role of civic initiatives to improve the quality of life. In 2025, the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies received more than 60 such initiatives, 11 of them became winners, including initiatives to provide Sennensky district with clean drinking water, to develop the tourism potential of the Shumilinsky district through the geological monument of nature of national significance “Bolshoy Kamen Boulder”, to develop the tourism potential of the Shumilinsky and Polotsk districts, to create a sport section in Vitebsk “Football on electric wheels”, to develop crafts in the Sharkovshchinsky district and others.
The youth of Vitebsk region also contribute to the SDGs achievement. Ilya Maltsev, Second Secretary of the Vitebsk Regional Committee of the NGO “BRSM”, noted that the NGO “BRSM” is working to involve young people in several areas at once and implements projects aimed at quality education, good health and well-being, decent work, sustainable partnership and others.
The plenary session ended with an awards ceremony for organizations and citizens for their contribution to achieving the SDGs.
After the plenary session, the Forum continued in three sections:
An important part of the event was an exhibition and fair organized at the Forum site, where innovative projects and achievements of Vitebsk region in the fields of ecology, energy efficiency, agriculture and digitalization, tourism, etc. were presented.
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The Forum is organized by the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee and the Orsha District Executive Committee with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Republic of Belarus as part of the Joint Project “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of SDGs” funded by the Government of the Russian Federation.
This article includes photographic materials from the official website of the editorial office of Arshanskaya Gazeta.
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