Gabi-Williams Advocates African Voices in Sustainability

Why this is here: The Living Sustainably project intends to translate its volumes into multiple languages to broaden its impact across the African continent and beyond.

Olatoun Gabi-Williams of the Living Sustainably project spoke in Lagos, Nigeria, urging increased African input into global sustainability discussions. She emphasized knowledge as foundational to human development and called for Africans to share local perspectives on international issues.

The Living Sustainably project, currently focused on Nigeria, plans to expand across Africa and eventually reach a global audience. Gabi-Williams highlighted the importance of cultural sustainability and knowledge infrastructure for national development, framing knowledge itself as a vital form of infrastructure. She also advocated for interdisciplinary learning in schools, wanting students to apply knowledge to solve real-world problems.

Gabi-Williams noted a need for better communication between government and civil society organizations in Nigeria. She believes collaborative, participatory governance can help address local challenges, such as the issue of out-of-school children. While acknowledging challenges, she also observed growing interest in book clubs and curated reading platforms, suggesting a continued appetite for knowledge.