Summary
At moments of profound crisis, optimism is a precondition for success. This rapid-fire roundtable is a platform to energize participants to take the first next steps towards better global governance.
Description
The much anticipated Summit of the Future is on our doorstep. Representatives from Member States, the United Nations System, and Civil Society concurrently express hope and concern, encouragement and hesitation, optimism and doubt regarding the Summit and its outcome documents, including the Pact for the Future. Hundreds of recommendations have been directed toward the Pact and its related processes, representing significant consensus around the need for change. Yet, success will be measured by how this Summit is able to prevent and respond to complex and growing risks. The challenges are well-known, yet it is hope and a commitment to the wellbeing of humanity, ultimately, that will sustain our efforts. We need a shared, optimistic narrative, alongside a sophisticated understanding of the challenges we face, in order to overcome inaction. As was learned at the UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, this is a prerequisite on the path toward a future of peace and prosperity.
Far from an exercise in idealism, the aim of this event will be to highlight and connect common aspirations and concrete suggestions in order to catalyze future action beyond the Summit itself. This event, to be hosted during the Action Days of the Summit of the Future, will provide an opportunity for Member State representatives, UN officials, and Civil Society actors to contribute to a narrative built on evidentiary optimism. Representatives from various areas of the international system will share what it is from the Pact for the Future that brings them hope in the face of the very real challenges before us. They will offer their reflections and reasons for optimism, highlighting one or two actions that they think have particularly strong potential and proposing next steps to take that action forward.
Side Event organized by: United Nations Futures Lab, United Nations University Center for Policy Research, Permanent Mission of Chile to the UN, Permanent Mission of Vanuatu to the UN, Baha’i International Community, Buddhist Tzu Chi, Citizens for Global Solutions, Climate and Sustainability, Climate Governance Commission, Club de Madrid, Coalition for the UN We Need, Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Geledes, Global Governance Forum, Global Governance Innovation Network, GWL Voices, International Alliance of Women, International Environment Forum, Oxfam International, Pathfinders for Peaceful Just and Inclusive Societies, Plataforma CIPO, Project Starling, SDGs Kenya Forum, Stimson Center, World Federalist Movement
***
To generate additional opportunities for the engagement of all actors, the Secretary-General of the United Nations is convening the Summit of the Future Action Days on 20 and 21 September 2024 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Bringing together representatives from Member States, civil society, private sector, academia, local and regional authorities, youth, and many more, the Action Days will provide an opportunity for broad engagement and inclusion. These stakeholders have all played a key role in shaping the Pact for the Future and will be critical to its implementation.
Side events provide further insights and opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaboration.