Training  & Certificate Programs in Sikkim, India

Multiple parallel training sessions were organized by Civil 20 India Working Group Sustainable and Resilient Communities and the UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation and Development. The training sessions were centered around Sustainable Development, Disaster Resilience and Energy Literacy. The training drew participants from college, university and school level. A total of 200+ participants attended the training sessions and certificates were handed over to all the participants. 

A 2-day certificate training workshop was conducted in the area of Disaster Resilience at Sikkim to build civilian/community resilience with the collaboration of UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development, Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), International Consortium on Landslides (ICL), International Program on Landslides (IPL). The training drew a total of 85 participants from Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College (55), Deorali Govt Girls’ Senior Secondary School (15), and Tadong Senior Secondary School (15) in Gangtok, Sikkim.

A Level I training session on Sustainable Development: Concepts, Frameworks and Tools was conducted as part of the Sustainability & Resilience Communities Conclave where SDG literacy, sustainable development concepts, sustainability assessment, and participatory sustainability measures were imparted to school teachers. The training was conducted at Janata Bhavan Hall in Gangtok. 

This was a 2 day session which oversaw the participation of 34 teachers from leading schools in Sikkim such as Modern Senior Secondary School, West Point Senior Secondary School, Sir Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary School, C S Rai Secondary School, Sikkim Government College, Burtuk Secondary School, and Sichey Senior Secondary School. The faculties were from various disciplines such as English, Science, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Social Studies, etc.

The Sustainable Development topics covered during the session ranged from its introduction, evolution, SDG formulation, to understanding ecology & ecosystems. The session also included aspects of assessing community sustainability and resilience through Participatory Engagement Methods where methods such as Participatory Rural Appraisal were introduced to assess community resources. The session further progressed to understand various methods to assess sustainable development where the indigenously developed platform Sustainability and Resilience for Community Engagement and Empowerment (SREE) was introduced as well as government’s efforts of sustainability assessment through NITI Aayog. 

A certificate of completion was awarded to all the training participants on behalf of UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development and Secretary, Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Government of Sikkim. The event was a grand success and has led to one of the esteemed participants Mrs. Ranjana Lama (TGT, Arts), conducting a Sustainable Development awareness session in her school – Modern Senior Secondary School where she addressed the students and faculties regarding the need to bring in a change in their daily practices to ensure sustainable development.