On Friday, 9 May 2025, the United Nations Local2030 Coalition Secretariat and the United Nations Joint SDG Fund hosted an informative breakfast with the press at the Coalition Secretariat’s office to present the upcoming Bilbao Local Finance Design Sprint, which will be held from 14–16 May in Bilbao, Spain.

This international event, co-hosted by the Basque Government, the UN Joint SDG Fund, and the UN Local2030 Coalition — with key partners such as the World Rural Forum, Bilbao City Council, BBK Foundation, and UN Etxea — will bring together representatives from the United Nations, governments, financial institutions, and global experts. Together, they will co-design innovative local financing solutions for food systems and green economy transformation, contributing to the Road to Seville: the Local Way process in the lead-up to the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4).

During the breakfast, speakers shared key insights into the strategic importance of the workshop and Bilbao’s role as a global model for localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sébastien Vauzelle, Head of the UN Local2030 Coalition Secretariat:
“By combining the Joint SDG Fund’s catalytic financing expertise, the Local2030 Coalition’s localization expertise, and the Basque Government’s hands-on experience in territorial development financing, this workshop aims to lay the foundation for scalable solutions in food systems and green economy transformation at the local level.”

Mikel Hidalgo, Advisor at the Basque Government’s Directorate of Social Innovation:
“This Bilbao workshop represents a strategic opportunity to showcase the Basque model — characterized by its territorial approach, collaborative governance, and deep-rooted values of democracy, human rights, social cohesion, and environmental commitment — and inspire other territories in their own SDG localization journeys.”

Kristian Prieto, Director of Kuna, BBK Foundation:
“BBK’s support for the Local2030 Secretariat here in Bilbao reflects our deep-rooted commitment to the sustainable development and well-being of Bizkaia. This financing workshop is a clear example of how we translate that commitment into concrete action.”

Eider Inunciaga, Councilor Delegate of the Basque Language, Citizen Attention and Participation, Agenda 2030 and International, City Council of Bilbao:
“Bilbao is proud to host the Local2030 Secretariat and events like this. The participating countries could have taken the quick path and worked alone, but they chose the longer, collaborative route — something we deeply value, especially in times when individualism seems to dominate.”

Arantza Acha, Director of UN Etxea:
“This workshop is key to building a strong multi-stakeholder, multi-level ecosystem where civil society plays an essential, irreplaceable role.”

From the agricultural sector, Martín Uriarte, President of the World Rural Forum, emphasized that empowering family farmers — who produce over 80% of the world’s food — is indispensable for transforming food systems and achieving the SDGs.

The breakfast set the stage for a high-impact, interactive workshop that will demonstrate how local action, supported by strategic partnerships and innovative financing, can drive meaningful progress and advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.