On the afternoon of 23 October, the 154th Mingde Forum, hosted by the School of Public Policy & Management(SPPM) of Tsinghua University and organized by the Inistitute of Sustainable Development Goals of Tsinghua University (TUSDG), was held in Room 302 of SPPM. Mr Khalid Malik, Special Representative of the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO), former United Nations System Coordinator in China and former UNDP Representative in China, delivered a speech on the topic of "Sustainable Development Goals and Fairness and Justice". Peng Zongchao, Professor and Secretary of the Party Committee of SPPM, chaired the forum, and Dr Lu Lei and 30 other Tsinghua teachers and students attended the forum.

Starting from the background and meaning of the SDGs, Mr. Khalid Malik outlined how global governance could be achieved through the improvement of the legal system and how global goals could be integrated with national actions. He emphasized that justice was the basis for achieving sustainable development; in this context, there were two principles for realizing the SDGs: firstly, that all people had the right to life on an equal footing; and secondly, that the disadvantaged groups should be given more assistance, taking into account the different social backgrounds of the different groups. Finally, he looked forward to more dialogue and discussion on sustainable development in China.

Speech by Mr Khalid Malik

Moderated by Prof Peng Zongchao

Faculty and students participate in the forum

During the meeting, students from various countries actively asked questions and interacted with Mr. Khalid Malik. After the meeting, Peng Zongchao expressed his gratitude to the speaker on behalf of the SPPM and presented a gift to the guest of honour on behalf of the organizers, and the two of them took a group photo together.

Students from different countries actively asked questions and exchanged ideas

Khalid Malik (left) and Peng Zongchao (right)