UN Sustainable Development Goals
Project-Based Research—Waipula village, Yunnan, China
Background and Overview
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were unanimously adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, calling on the world to act together to eliminate poverty, protect the planet, and improve the lives and future of all people.
In accordance with the requirements of global competence, this project is guided by professional instructors, through 6-day immersive and participatory rural surveys and research, to guide students to master social survey methods, understand the UN sustainable development goals, form a research report, and propose to promote sustainable development Practical actions to achieve the goal.
The Chinese experience has become an indispensable link to solving global problems. While focusing on European, American, and international education, young people should also improve their understanding of local culture, characteristics, and governance capabilities, combine international discourse with their own national development and participate in youth advocacy actions. So as to truly have an international vision and Chinese experience and lead the future world development.
Why do we need to participate in Project-Based Research in a rural area?
KEYWORDS
– UN Sustainable Development Goals
– Sustainable Development Research
-Minority Culture
– Map of Rural Communities
– volunteer service
– research report
Project Description
Waipula village, located in the south of Yijiu Town, Yongren County, Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, is a Yi Nationality Village built in the Yuan Dynasty. It was listed as a national level traditional village protection in 2014. In July 2017, Waipula village was listed as the first group of the pilot project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme at the village level to achieve the goal of human sustainable development. There are endless terraces, magnificent and beautiful mountains, and dwellings full of Yi characteristics.
In recent years, Waipula village has conducted substitute planting, Yi embroidery handicraft training, residential reconstruction, festival restoration, etc. with the support of the United Nations Development Programme and China International Economic and Technological Exchange Center and other institutions. A sustainable poverty alleviation road has been opened up without changing the characteristics of national minorities.
Learning the Methodology of Sustainable Development
Understanding the background, content, and practical significance proposed by UN sustainable development goals, preliminarily studying the methodology of Social Sciences, the design method of investigation and research, the method of comparative analysis, the method of field investigation, and the method of group study. Conducting the project design in groups according to the advanced international learning method—Project Based Learning method.
Project Research Topics
Immersive and Participatory Investigation and Research
Under the guidance of the tutor, the students are divided into groups to investigate the following aspects, including village geography, ecology, living environment, villagers’ livelihood, education and minority cultures. Moreover, students should consider the following issues, such as the challenges faced by ecological planting and substitute planting and how to solve the challenges? How to promote the spiritual civilization during the process of Rural Revitalization? How to protect and utilize the traditional culture? How to improve the education quality of rural children?
Besides, students are supposed to understand the ecological cycle process and environmentally sensitive areas through drawing the map of rural communities, and think about the effective measures of waste reduction and waste classification, master the field research methods and carry out the practical operation. Moreover, the members will experience Yi’s embroidery, ethnic costumes, mountain streams, Tuyao bread making, etc. In addition, the members should provide suggestions for rural tourism, fabricate publicity pictures and videos, and act as volunteers to build a beautiful Waipula village.
Project Proven Results
A set of advocacy programs
design a set of advocacy programs for Chinese youth to participate in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals, organize advocacy activities in their own schools or communities, and participate in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Global Youth Leadership Initiative.
A research report
Participants will be led by experts and scholars from Peking University, Beijing Normal University, and other universities, international organizations, or social organizations, combine their own interests, write research reports in groups, to collect information and literature on gender equality, resilient communities, production, and consumption of the directors, educational equity and other topics or fields. Moreover, they are supposed to write research reports, propose thinking, interpretation, and suggestions based on the survey and interview. The complete academic training process will lay a foundation for project research and learning.
A certificate of participation
An official certificate jointly issued by the local official department and a public welfare foundation, which can be used for further studies, social practice certification