Dresden's City Hall Brings Together the Community for Conversation that touches on 2 SDGs
On October 29, 2024, Dresden City Hall’s Plenary Hall hosted United Nations Day, themed “Prospects for Growth,” in conjunction with the 25th Lokale Agenda Award ceremony. This year’s theme was anchored in SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), reflecting pressing economic concerns in Germany.
This year’s UN Day achieved record attendance, attracting policymakers, academics, business leaders, and the wider public. The evening kicked off with welcoming words from Jan Pratzka, who serves as Dresden’s Mayor for Business, Digital, HR, and Security.
“As the only UN entity in Dresden, UN Day offers UNU-FLORES and various partners a platform to engage with the community on critical topics of shared interest,” remarked Juliane Dziulma, a member of the organizing committee.
Member of the German Council of Economic Experts and UNU-FLORES Director Frame the Discussion
In setting the tone for the discussion, UNU-FLORES Director Professor Edeltraud Guenther drew on the Pact for the Future which was endorsed world leaders during the 2024 UN Summit of the Future. She emphasized its vision to redefine global governance by replacing GDP-centric metrics with measures that capture human well-being and environmental health.
Prof. Ulrike Malmendier, a member of the German Council of Economic Experts also emphasized this approach in her video message to the audience. She highlighted that economic growth (in terms of GDP) is not the sole objective of economics. Rather, societal welfare —covering both physical and mental health, social equity, and ecological sustainability— should also be central to economic goals. Growth and welfare are not opposites but should be seen as complementary to foster a sustainable and inclusive future.
A Panel Unpacks Prospects for Growth
This year’s UN Day had a robust panel discussion to weigh in on the theme from various perspectives. The panel consisted of:
- Dr. Dennis Eversberg (Professor of Sociology with a focus on Environmental Sociology at Goethe University in Frankfurt a. M.)
- Prof. Dr. Christian Leßmann (Chair of Economics, esp. International Economics, TUD Dresden University of Technology)
- Nina Treu (Co-founder of Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie)
- Johannes Zieseniß (Scientific Advisor of Mission Wertvoll)
The event also included the 25th Lokale Agenda Award ceremony, which recognized outstanding local sustainability initiatives and community-driven efforts.
