On 4 March, the global engineering community marks the first ever World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, write Engineers Australia National President Chris Champion and CEO Dr Bronwyn Evans.
To be held annually from now on, the World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development is a valuable opportunity to celebrate our proud profession.
Engineers are vital in creating sustainable, secure, healthy, just and prosperous communities in Australia and around the world.
Top of mind right now is the role the engineers, the broader engineering team and field staff are playing in the bushfires and recovery, including those working in local and state government, public works, the utilities and the defence forces.
Engineers Australia is participating in the National Bushfire Recovery Peak Bodies Forum and is supporting Partner Housing Australasia’s register, and we stand ready to offer further assistance.
Engineers also have a crucial role to play in driving a lower carbon future, as well as mitigating and adapting to the effects of our changing climate with solutions for our communities. We recently held a Leadership Round Table on climate change, and members can expect to see actions flowing from that in coming months.
The World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development has been adopted by the United Nations, which set its 17 Sustainable Development Goals to achieve by 2030.
To mark the occasion, we have showcased each of the 17 goals with one feature every day on our social and digital channels in the weeks leading up to the day. You can also see features on the day throughout the website and on our social media channels.
The sustainable development goals address global challenges in health and wellbeing, water and sanitation, food, energy, transport, sustainability, climate and gender equality.
March also sees the celebration of International Women’s Day. Engineers Australia will again mark the occasion with a series of events to celebrate and support women in engineering.
In Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth we will hold lunches featuring men and women leading the charge for a more diverse engineering profession, as well as keynote speaker Nadine Champion, a World Cup-winning kickboxer, author and entrepreneur.
We spotlight on 10 women who are emerging as engineering leaders and their views on the benefits of diversity, what is needed to promote it — including changes to systems, structures, leadership and culture — and how they would like to see World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development celebrated.
We’re looking forward to this — a month to celebrate all engineers, male and female — and hope you share our pride in being part of this great profession. Happy International Women’s Day and Happy World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development!