On 25 January at UN Headquarters in New York the IDeA Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations held a joint event, entitled “Ideas for Impact: Mobilizing Investment for Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs).

The event, attended by representatives of the UN Member States, the UN system, leading philanthropists and impact investors, civil society, diaspora organizations representatives, explored the ways and opportunities to accelerate solutions and innovations contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.

The distinguished panel included Inga Rhonda King, President of ECOSOC, Mher Margaryan, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, Ruben Vardanyan, co-founder of IDeA Foundation and Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, Noubar Afeyan, board member of IDeA Foundation and co-founder of Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, and Paolo Galli, Senior Regional Adviser at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia

In his opening remarks, Mher Margaryan, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations highlighted the added value of partnerships for sustainable development. “We are determined to continue to work hand in hand with all partners who are committed to ideas for impact, and, in this context, I would like to thank the IDeA Foundation for commitment and dedication to the UN global goals and the projects implemented in support of the SDGs”.

The discussion focused on the role IDeA Foundation can play as a development partner joining efforts with other stakeholders to accelerate and scale up business solutions/innovations contributing to the achievement of SDGs in Armenia, and the role of diaspora in creating effective development cooperation.

Now on the board of Armenia’s UNDP-supported National SDG Innovation Lab, IDeA is working with Armenians from all walks of life – from local communities to the Armenian diaspora – to strengthen the country’s economy and living standards while preserving its culture and ancestral traditions.

“IDeA makes its long-term impact on people; lives are changed, enriched, and empowered by the projects that it launches. Ultimately, the most accurate measurements of prosperity and identity are ones that assess our contribution to the human condition”, Ruben Vardanyan, philanthropist, social entrepreneur, co-founder of IDeA Foundation and Aurora Humanitarian Initiative said.

In Armenia, UNDP has developed a wide range of innovative initiatives that will help the country “leapfrog” rather than “catch up” in the achievement of the SDGs. 

“Learning by doing, bringing in platforms of different partners, such as IDeA Foundation, scaling up solutions and bringing in blended financing are key factors to increase success in development in the 21st century,” said Paolo Galli, Senior Regional Adviser at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia.

The Armenia National SDG Innovation Lab, the first of its kind, is a unique platform for multi-stakeholder partnerships between the government, UN agencies, foundations, research institutes and the civil society for the acceleration of the SDGs.

Here is the link to UN webcast.