Summer school is first for Skibb hub Ludgate

THE Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen last week hosted what it hopes will be the first of a number of international summer schools. 

Partnering with University College Cork (UCC), University of Massachusetts Lowell in Boston and the National University of Colombia (UNAL), Ludgate welcomed students, academic staff, and sustainability practitioners from Colombia, USA, El Salvador, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Germany and Ireland.  

The theme was ‘Global Goals, Local Actions: Making Sustainability Work’ and it took an interdisciplinary approach to exploring themes of sustainability at local, national and international level. The school focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how society can ‘make sustainability work’ through incorporating people, planet, peace, prosperity and partnership. 

A particular highlight was an evening at Ludgate with former Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore who is now the EU Peace Envoy to Colombia. Eamon told a fascinating story from his firsthand experiences in Colombia, exploring how local and global development agendas were included in the peace accord and how the SDGs link with peace building efforts in that country.

 Ludgage chief executive Adrienne Harrington said Ludgate was very proud to participate in the first summer school with UCC and associated partners. ‘There are so many wonderful examples of sustainability at work in West Cork, and sharing these with participants from such a wide range of backgrounds contributed to a rich learning environment this week. Sustainability is very much at the heart of Ludgate, with our goal to facilitate the creation of 500 sustainable jobs across West Cork,’ she added.