Making the world fairer, safer and more sustainable for everyone was at the heart of the bold, new ideas put forward during the final session of the Future Action Day Summitwith messages of hope and change from young changemakers for the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
“Looking out, I see world leaders. I see mayors and lawmakers. I see civil society, the private sector, academics, artists, activists and young people,” the UN chief said at the opening of the day’s session in the General Assembly Hall. “You come from every corner of the world, every generation and every walk of life. This is what multilateralism looks like, effective, inclusive and connected.”
“Four years ago, we began the process that brought us here today because we saw a world in trouble, torn by conflict and inequality, threatened by climate chaos and unchecked technology and with Sustainable Development Goals “The (Sustainable Development Goals) are in jeopardy, with many countries now mired in debt and cost-of-living crises,” he said.
“We have therefore embarked on a journey to reform and renew the international system to make it fit for today and the future,” Mr. Guterres said.
Watch the opening session of day two of Summit of the Future Action dates below:
Young people making change: ‘Something needs to be done’
Global Youth Ambassador Oluwaseun Ikusika from Nigeria speaks United Nations News Why was she at the United Nations Headquarters on Saturday?
“I’m taking this opportunity to really call on world leaders to step in because when you look at what’s going on right now, there are high rates of genocide, femicide everywhere,” she said. “So it’s really important that they really commit to full protection. For us to move forward, for us to achieve whatever we want to achieve by 2030, something has to be done.”
Hannah Ettelstein, a youth activist from the United States, spoke about her hopes for change.
“I hope people will have difficult conversations,” she said. United Nations News“I hear a lot of conversations like, ‘Oh, we want to build this future, we want to include you.’ But that’s a lot of talk, and I want to see what actions the United Nations has taken to actually make change and include us in conversations beyond a week-long conference.”
Selfie with UN News reporter and Game of Thrones actor and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
‘Don’t hold yourself back’
United Nations News also caught up with the Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldaubest known for his starring role in the HBO series Game of Thronesis a passionate advocate for climate action and gender equality and a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“The United Nations is an amazing organization, founded after World War II in the hope that we could stop screwing things up on such a scale,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing to have 190+ countries working together, but still making progress. Is it slow progress? Yes.”
However, he said things were moving in the right direction although inequality that existed across the world was the biggest challenge and had to be addressed. To address the issue, it was important that all generations were involved and represented to have different perspectives, he added.
“I believe in humanity, and we all want the same thing,” he said. “We want a better tomorrow and a better future for our children.”
To achieve that, he has a message for today’s youth: “Don’t hold yourself back.”
Overview of the opening ceremony of the Future Action Day.
Opening new paths, from digital to security
Saturday’s sessions focus on three priority topics: digital and technology; peace and security; sustainable development and finance.
Throughout the day, leaders, experts and civil society shared ongoing developments and presented plans for what lies ahead.
Discussions and numerous side events have covered game-changing actions such as reforms to make multilateral development banks bigger, better and bolder, as well as proposals for a global solidarity tax to help finance underfunded global investments in a fair and transparent way.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres opens the second day of the Future Action Summit.
Sustainable future for all
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed calls today’s event “a platform for bright minds” to share their ideas, from academics developing new proposals, civil society members working directly with communities, and policymakers addressing policy and regulatory barriers.
“We come at a critical moment,” she said, noting that only 17 percent of targets are on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General says with just six years to go, the rallying cry of Agenda 2030 because Sustainable Development – leaving no one behind – is “seriously flawed”.
At the same time, hunger is on the rise, fossil fuel use and global temperatures are rising while conflict is spreading and the fight for gender equality is faltering.
A former Colombian fighter is now a community leader following a 2016 peace deal with the government.
‘We need bold new ideas’
“This cannot go on,” she said. “We need bold new ideas.”
Over the past nine months, she said member states have been negotiating Treaty for the future and the current state of development were at the heart of the discussions, looking at emerging and future challenges from artificial intelligence to modern weapons that prompted thinking about how new technologies can drive development and how implementing the Sustainable Development Goals can build a foundation of global solidarity.
The world needs equally strong investments in all areas including food security, green energy and digital connectivity, but the challenge is not simply a matter of money, she said.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is helping women farmers adapt to climate change and achieve sustainable farming goals.
Treaty of the Future
The international financial system cannot provide the safety net that many countries – especially developing countries – need today to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals, Ms Mohammed said.
The Treaty of the Future sends a clear message: it is time for urgent reform of the international financial architecture, including to provide effective and equitable support to countries during systemic shocks and to respond to the urgent challenge of climate change.
“The ambition and momentum do not stop today,” she said. “At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development next year, we must continue this momentum to deliver a new financing framework that can achieve the goals and take us into the next decade. I hope you will join me in committing to investing in hope, investing in sustainable development, and investing in a better future for all.”
Summit of the Future
The Future Summit will be held from September 22 to 23, just before the start of the annual general debate at the United Nations General Assembly Hall.
On Saturday, General Assembly President Philémon Yang presented Treaty for the future with the world body after meeting and consulting with member states in recent days, according to his spokeswoman Sharon Birch.
“He called on all Member States to support the adoption of the Treaty and its Annexes by consensus at Summit of the Future Tomorrow, Sunday, September 22, 2024,” she said.
“This is a historic moment to commit to a better future for everyone, everywhere,” she added.
The UN secretary-general on Saturday discussed annexes focused on closing the digital divide and a declaration for the future, which are also expected to be adopted on Sunday at the Future Summit.
He said that Global Digital Pact should be a blueprint for bridging the digital divide and the first-ever general agreement on artificial intelligence, laying the foundations for a global platform centered at the United Nations that brings all stakeholders together.
The Statement on future generations Leaders must commit to taking the future into account when making decisions today, he said, adding that gender equality and human rights must be integrated into every aspect of these documents, reflecting the fact that they are fundamental to all areas of life.
“The core issues of these documents – justice, rights, peace and equality – have driven my work for decades – driven me forward,” he said. “The same is true for many of you. I will not give up, and I know you will not either. The implementation of these documents will not be the end of the journey. It will simply be the end of the beginning.”
