A De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) delegation travelled to New York earlier this week to share research on environmental protection for woodland at a United Nations (UN) conference.
University students and staff attended the 21st session of the UN Forum on Forests at the UN headquarters, to present a new study which demonstrates how revaluing trees for their ecological value, rather than just their worth in materials, can encourage investment and be used by countries to pay down their national debt.
DMU alumnus and Fashion UK Chief Executive Gurdev Mattu originated the work from his book 2035, and the concept became a research project through DMU’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Impact Hub.
The policy brief created through the SDG Impact Hub – called Unlocking the ecological value of forests: An international Green Sovereign Wealth - was the first issue investigated by a team of academics, students and public sector officials working on DMU's CAPsule Policy Research programme, which aims to harness academic research for policy influence on real-time sustainable development problems and challenges.
DMU is the UK’s only academic hub for one of the UN’s 17 SDGs, SDG 11, SUstainable Cities and Communities. Head of DMU’s SDG Impact Hub, Dr Mark Charlton, said: "Sharing this work with the UN Forum on the Forest recognises the value of the work being carried out on this policy research programme, which aims to influence policymakers across the world. It is excellent to be able to share that work at the UN and also helps to strengthen our university's unique relationship with the United Nations."
For two DMU SDG Student Fellows, the visit to UN headquarters represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — the chance to step inside one of the world's most iconic institutions and share their work directly with the leaders of United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI).
First-year Law student Alice Bettinson presented her work volunteering on the Project Atefa refugee programme, while second-year Footwear Design student Damari Kota shared the impact of her project in Tanzania — where she led shoemaking workshops for women and girls, teaching more than 40 participants how to craft sandals through a volunteer initiative focused on preserving and sharing shoemaking skills within local communities.
Recognising the limited vocational training opportunities and high unemployment in the region, Damari partnered with a local leather supplier to support the regional economy and translated instructional materials into both Swahili and English to increase accessibility. Her work reached more than 1,800 people and concluded with a graduation celebration for participants' newly developed skills.
Both Alice and Damari are part of the DMU SDG Student Fellows programme, which provides opportunities for students working to promote the SDGs and sustainability. DMU is home to more than 40 SDG Student Fellows and holds the distinction of being the UN Academic Impact SDG Hub 11 Chair, as well as the recipient of the Sustainability Institution of the Year 2025 at the Green Gown Awards.
Alice said: "This is my first time in New York and to get the chance to go to the United Nations and share what I have been doing with the UNAI SDG 11 Hub is incredible. I have been volunteering with Project Atefa and taken part in hub events. I never imagined it could lead to this and I would urge others to become SDG Student Fellows because you never know where it will take you."
Damari added: "I feel like this visit is part of a journey I am on to make a lasting difference with my shoe-making project. To be at the UN and learning from others is inspiring and gives me hope that I can make a success of my plans to make a difference to those who need it most."
A spokesperson for UN Academic Impact said: "UN Academic Impact looks forward to continued collaboration with DMU and its global network of SDG Hub partners to build more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities worldwide."
Posted on Thursday 14 May 2026