New York, The Quality of Life Program, one of the initiatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, organized several events on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City from July 8 to 18. The events highlighted the Kingdom’s contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the program’s role in improving the quality of life in the Kingdom in line with the goals of Vision 2030.
The first day’s session, entitled “From Vision to Impact: Integrations for Achieving Sustainable Social and Environmental Change,” focused on raising awareness of Saudi Vision 2030 and the initiatives of the Quality of Life Program and their role in achieving the SDGs. The session also reviewed the most important urban challenges, how to address them using advanced data and innovative practices, and the impact of cooperation, participation, and exchange of experiences on achieving local, regional, and internat
ional goals.
On the second day of the forum, the program held an event on “Quality of Life and Its Link to Sustainable Development,” which included panel discussions and interactive lectures. Experts and officials from within the Kingdom and worldwide attended the event.
At the opening of the event, Quality of Life Program chief executive Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Baker delivered a speech in which he emphasized the program’s role in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and sustainable development, stating that the program is working to improve the quality of life for all individuals in the Kingdom through a variety of initiatives that focus on key areas such as arts and culture, sports, tourism, urban development, entertainment, hobbies, security, and safety.
“We seek to find innovative solutions and create a knowledge system that redefines the concept of quality of life. Our cooperation with global partners such as the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) strengthens our efforts to achie
ve the Sustainable Development Goals,’ Al-Baker said.
At the end of his speech, Al-Baker called on the attendees and participants to cooperate and actively participate in the discussions and efforts aimed at achieving sustainable development, stating that by exchanging ideas and experiences, effective solutions can be found and implemented on the ground, contributing to building a sustainable and prosperous future for all.
The sessions covered various topics, such as the importance of urban data in planning and policymaking, the challenges facing modern cities, and strategies for enhancing quality of life through innovative urban interventions. The program’s achievements in areas such as increasing green spaces, improving municipal services, and supporting security operations to achieve safer communities were also presented.
The events witnessed the participation of representatives from several government agencies, including the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Fore
ign Affairs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture,
Also attending were representatives from the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC), the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC), the General Food Security Authority (GFSA), the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, the Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate, the Al Madinah Region Development Authority, and the Qassim Urban Observatory.
Academics and representatives from civil-society organizations were also present, reflecting the great importance that the international community attaches to Quality of Life initiatives and programs.
The participation of the program in the HLPF, organized by the United Nations, comes within the framework of the goals of Vision 2030 to transform the Kingdom into a leading global model in various fields and to emphasize the Kingdom’s commitment to achieving the SDGs by improving the quality of life
for its citizens, residents, and visitors, and ensuring the provision of opportunities and infrastructure that enable everyone to live a life full of security and well-being.
Source: Saudi Press Agency