On March 7, UNAVEX hosted the second Virtual Exchange (VE) Day under the theme “Sustainable Development in Politics.” The plenary speech was delivered by former President of Finland, Mrs. Tarja Halonen. Following her speech, President Halonen answered students’ questions on equality and SDG goals. Mrs. Halonen addressed the importance of social justice in our societies. This was a rare opportunity for students to listen to and ask questions to a high-level politician. Nice comments from the audience were posted during the session like “So insightful and empowering to hear you speak President Tarja Halonen, thank you”…” Absolutely agree! So inspiring”. Thank you for this talk and all your effort towards a better world”. The event was chaired by Dr. Laura Riuttanen from the University of Helsinki.
Initially, over 2,000 students from universities across Europe and Africa expressed interest in participating in the course. However, 350 students officially registered and confirmed their participation. On the second day, the Zoom session reached a peak of 180 participants.
The VE week program consists of five interactive sessions, each lasting about three hours. Participants use DigiCampus, a dedicated online platform, to access course materials and submit assignments for credit.
The UNAVEX Virtual Exchange aims to connect students worldwide and deepen their understanding of sustainability. Upcoming VE Sessions and topics:
- March 14, 2025 – Ecological Sustainability
- March 21, 2025 – Social and Economic Sustainability
- March 28, 2025 – Cultural Sustainability
The next Virtual Exchange Week will be held in the fall semester of 2025. Stay tuned !