From 18th until 25th of September 2019, the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG)  will for the second time organise the ‘Week of the Sustainable Municipality’. During this week, more than 90 Flemish municipalities (almost 1 out of 3 Flemish municipalities) will hoist the SDG-flag at their city Halls and put their ‘sustainable heroes’ in the spotlights. The heroes are citizens, schools, companies and organisations who contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals in their own daily lives and work. They become the local faces of the 17 global goals. The timing of the campaign is not random: September 25^th was the third anniversary of signing the Agenda 2030.

The participants are spread across Flanders and their size vary from less than 10.000 inhabitants to more than 250.000. In 2018, together, the 80 sustainable municipalities nominated more than 650 sustainable heroes. The heroes were given free campaigning material (SDG-pins, -stickers and -chocolates) to make themselves visible in their communities, and together they spread more than 48.000 brochures –printed on growing paper– about the important role local authorities have to play in the Agenda 2030.

The heroes and their inspiring daily activities are spotlighted on the campaign website www.duurzamegemeente.be, in the Flemish press and on VVSG’s social media channels.

Through this widespread public campaign, local authorities are not only given the opportunity to show their willingness to take on an exemplary and leading role in the Agenda 2030. It is also a unique chance to work together with engaged citizens, companies, schools and organisations within the municipal area, to give them the credits they deserve and to familiarise them with an internationally binding story: Their local actions contribute to global challenges!
This year, VVSG also stimulates participating municipalities to integrate the SDGs into their new multi-annual strategic policy plans which are being written this year.