KKU Spins the Wheel of Sustainability: Collaborates with Government and Private Partners to Launch “Sustainability for All 2025” Driving Community Products Toward Sustainable Income

23 July 2025
11:31

On Tuesday, 22 July 2025, Khon Kaen University, in collaboration with the Khon Kaen Province Agriculture Extension Office, the Provincial Community Development Office of Khon Kaen, the Khon Kaen Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security, the Khon Kaen Thai Fabric Promotion Association, and other government and private sector partners, hosted the opening ceremony of “Sustainability for All 2025: Co-create, Co-develop for a Sustainable Future” at the Activity Court, 1st Floor, Central Khon Kaen. The event was presided over by Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University, who was joined by university executives, faculty members, network partners, and members of the public.

In his address, Assoc. Prof. Charnchai emphasized that Khon Kaen University recognizes the importance of creating a platform for learning, knowledge exchange, and collaborative action, while providing opportunities for communities to showcase and promote their products in appropriate spaces. This initiative aims to advance the concept of sustainable community and social development, improve quality of life, and enhance the well-being of people in the Northeast by generating jobs, creating income, and opening new business opportunities. These efforts contribute to strengthening both the economy and society. He reaffirmed the University’s commitment to its core value of Social Devotion, stating that KKU will continue to drive academic knowledge toward sustainable community and social development without end.

The opening ceremony featured a symbolic activity in which the President, together with Prof. Thidarut Boonmars, D.V.M., Ph.D., Vice President for Enterprise and Societal Sustainability, Asst. Prof. Suksanti Waengwan, Ph.D., Assistant to the President for Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, and partner organizations turned a traditional spinning wheel. This act reflected the local weaving culture and symbolized collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that formed the guiding principles for the event. These include No Poverty (SDG 1), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).

The ceremony also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Khon Kaen University and the Khon Kaen Thai Fabric Promotion Association to preserve Thai fabric heritage and develop innovations based on local wisdom. This collaboration integrates arts and culture with technology and market-driven approaches to enhance value, preserve traditions, and extend opportunities for sustainable development at a global level.

The atmosphere of the event was lively and engaging, drawing many visitors who came to support products from community enterprises, small-scale entrepreneurs, and special groups including persons with disabilities and the elderly. More than 40 vendors offered goods such as silk and textiles, five-star OTOP products, and handmade souvenirs. The event also featured the “Edible Insects: Food of the Future” exhibition, hands-on workshops, academic talks, cultural performances, mini-concerts, Thai fabric fashion shows, culinary competitions using insect-based ingredients, and creative contests such as the Cricket Queen Pageant and youth band competitions. Interactive zones allowed visitors to taste and try products, participate in prize-winning games, and take advantage of special discounts, creating an atmosphere that combined learning with entertainment.

Among the many entrepreneurs who benefited from the program was Chanitdaporn Waikham, a 53-year-old vendor from Ubolratana District. She shared her experience, saying that she previously sold basic insect-based snacks such as fried crickets, but after joining KKU’s product development workshops, she created new products including cricket chili paste and cricket cookies, adding value and increasing her income. She expressed her gratitude to KKU for opening new career pathways and providing opportunities to reach new customers through the Sustainability for All 2025 event, which she described as a milestone for sustainable income generation in the future.

The event “Sustainability for All 2025”, which runs from 21 to 23 July 2025 at Central Khon Kaen, aims to showcase sustainable development in action and strengthen the partnership between academia, government, and communities. For more information, please visit the Enterprise and Societal Sustainability, Khon Kaen University Facebook page.