Based on the ESDN Proposition on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the ESDN has been organizing Peer Learning Platforms since 2016. These Platforms facilitate the exchange of experiences and good practices between policymakers in national ministries who are responsible for the 2030 Agenda implementation process in their respective country. A unique aspect of the ESDN Peer Learning Platforms is that they take place under the Chatham House Rule, which ensures the identity of participants is not revealed, allowing for deeper exchanges of experiences, the success and challenges, to take place in an informal setting.
The 9th ESDN Peer Learning Platform took place in Bucharest, Romania on 22-23 October! The title of this year's Peer Learning Platform was "Sustainable Culture and Circular Economy: Building Resilience for Tomorrow". It was organized by the ESDN in cooperation with the Romanian Prime Minister’s Office – Department of Sustainable Development.
The Peer Learning Platform began in the morning on Tuesday, 22 October. The entire day was devoted to the topic of sustainable culture, and featured a mix of keynote presentations with experts, a panel discussion, and good practice examples from governments using culture for sustainable development. The day ended with a visit to an art gallery, so participants can see culture and sustainability in action.
Day 2 of the Platform began in the morning on Wednesday, 23 October. Day 2 will focus on Circular Economy and featured keynote presentations on the topic, from the Hungarian Sustainable Development Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the OECD, as well as featured country good practice cases from Romania, Luxembourg and the EESC.
This event was open to European civil servants and sustainable development experts, who provided many of the keynote presentations over the course of the two-day event. The Platform took place under the Chatham House Rules.
A look at the history of the ESDN reveals that ESDN Peer Learning Platforms have played a prominent role in facilitating policy learning between European policymakers dealing with sustainable development. This section of the website provides a one-stop-shop documentation of all ESDN Peer Learning Platforms so far. Please click on one of the Platforms for more details: