“Why It Matters,” a United Nations-sponsored conference at Utah Valley University (UVU), brought nearly 1,000 people from around the world to UVU’s Orem Campus, and another 700+ people attended online. Sessions were livestreamed in 80 languages.

“This has been amazing — the welcome, the coordination, the teams. We could not have dreamt of anything like this,” said Felipe Queipo, UN communications officer. “The quality and the diversity, the inclusion, the components like the service project, the fashion show. The support from UVU has been a dream.”

The three-day conference welcomed academic experts on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals include no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation, and infrastructure; reduced inequalities; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace, justice, and strong institutions; and partnerships.

Conference organizer and UVU Chief Information Officer Baldomero Lago said the participation was “amazing.” “The quality of the panelists — it didn’t matter which panel I attended — it was just mind-blowing,” he said. “It was fantastic. Overall, I am very happy about it.”

Maria Delfino from Universidad de Piura was among more than 70 presenters, and she said she also gained new insights at the conference. “This is an opportunity to learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals and learn more about the 2030 global agenda,” Delfino said. “I have made friends. I have had the opportunity to speak with well-known references from different sectors. I think this is the first academic conference, but I hope it's not the last one.”

In the conference's final session, it was announced that the UVU “Why It Matters” conference would not be the last. The next will be held in Spain.

Queipo said the UVU conference set the bar high for those that follow. “We could not have dreamt of a better start than this,” he said. “Everyone is saying the same thing. We have professors from England, Spain, Uganda, from Cameroon — from everyone, the comment is: this is so unique, and this is so much better than any other academic conference we have ever attended.”

Queipo said much of the success is attributed to the humanization of the conference. “We have given a human component to academia,” he said. “People have sensed that humanity and the importance that it is about people; it is not about data, it’s not about charts, it’s about ‘why,’ because people are struggling and suffering. People are behind all of those needs. It is not about the 17 Sustainable Goals. It’s about the people behind those goals. We have repeatedly said to leave no one behind. That’s ‘Why It Matters.’”