#iAMvol7: Make the Global Goals Famous
By: Stephanie Scott

As a recent graduate in the international development field I am so pleased to be currently involved as a volunteer editorial board member for iAM. iAM, which stands for Ideas Actions Movements, is a multi-media e-magazine published by the Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC) that promotes an increased awareness and understanding of international development concerns. It is targeted towards post-secondary students and professionals, and encourages active discussion and engagement.

I am a Winnipegger that temporarily moved out east to complete my Masters at the University of Guelph in Ontario. It was shortly after moving back home to Manitoba after graduation that I become a member of iAM’s editorial board. My interest in journalism and international development seemed a perfect fit for this position.

Last year OCIC published a volume on Global Health, positioning health as a critical focus of international cooperation efforts. What I particularly liked about this volume is the way that the contributions presented more than just your typical narrative of a medical crisis, but instead told the stories behind work being done in mental health, traditional medicine, psychosocial care and international responses to serious outbreaks such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS and Malaria.

The next volume of iAM is centered on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the newly adopted 17 Global Goals and its associated 169 targets. Our intention is to make the Global Goals famous. The goals were adopted in September 2015 by more than 191 world leaders. Acting as the successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) the 17 Global Goals target the following areas: poverty, food, health and well being, education, gender equality, water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, economic growth, infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, consumption and production, climate action, marine conservation, ecosystems, peace and justice and sustainable partnerships. This is a large scale and ambitious universal agenda that seeks to build on the MDG’s and complete what they did not achieve. Furthermore, the Global Goals cover three important dimensions of sustainable development that some critics say the MDG’s failed; the economic, social and environment.

Volume 7 of iAM is expected to be released later this month (March 2016) and will consist of written and photo essays, info graphics and videos contributed by colleagues and practitioners from around the world. These pieces will share information from Uruguay, South Africa, Nepal, Colombia and Nicaragua.

As a international development practitioner I invite you to read the magazine online and join in the conversation using #iAMVol7.

You can also follow OCIC on Facebook  and Twitter @ocictweets to get more updates!