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Regional and City Planning Professor Featured in IEDC Webinar
- In the News
- Aug 9, 2023
- 2 min read
This article was originally published by the University of Oklahoma's Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture news. View the original article here.
James Collard, professor of Regional and City Planning and director of planning and economic development for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, was invited to speak at the “Making Global Goals a Local Affair” webinar. The event took place on Aug. 10 and was hosted by the International Economic Development Council.
The IEDC is a non-profit organization that serves economic developers through training courses, webinars, conferences and publications. This webinar was a part of the IEDC’s Global Opportunities series and focused on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The webinar featured a panel of international stakeholders and leaders in sustainable development to discuss how communities can thrive by engaging with SDGs. According to the IEDC, adopting and advancing the UNs’ SDGs is imperative for communities that want to grow and retain a talented workforce and create a lasting impact. While the scale of global goals is unprecedented, the IEDC believes all business communities can contribute to SDGs.
Collard was joined by David Aduama, communications manager for the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, and Clare Barnett, director of economic development for the City of Brampton Economic Development Office. The panelists discussed the 17 SDGs and explored a variety of related topics, including:
New business growth opportunities and emerging industries
How partaking in the SDGs has become an important factor in the ‘war for talent’
How quality of life may further strengthen within communities that take action to advance the SDGs
How to leverage existing strategies and goals around the SDGs
