An offsite hybrid event on the margins of the UN Summit of the Future

(Zoom link to register:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUoc–grDkjHNQ27h5sKyStJw_e9ZEXAtHq#/registration

Concept note
Please join us in this side event where experts and advocates on Environment, Financing for Development and Social Justice help us explore new perspectives on an old problem: how to transform the system to ensure that human well-being, equal rights and the health of the planet are at its center.

The current endless pursuit of growth and respective economic model have exceeded planetary boundaries, causing resource depletion, environmental degradation and deeper social inequalities. Environmental protection is not a luxury that can be postponed until countries have
met their other obligations and priorities: it is an existential imperative without which humans and the planet will not survive.

The United Nations Summit of the Future (SOTF) held in New York September 22-23, 2024, brought together world leaders to forge a new international consensus on how to “deliver a better present and safeguard the future”. The outcoming Pact for the Future document is expected to demonstrate the growing global momentum towards building societies that value more than just economic output. Social progress measured in a business-as-usual, GDP-centric view of prosperity must be replaced by new developmental models that place collective wellbeing, ecological sustainability and intergenerational solidarity as main priorities. A strong normative framework at the national level is essential to meet developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations in a healthy, clean and sustainable environment.

For this purpose, development must be supported by an international economic environment that incorporates this new, post-growth framing of the Right to Development. A deep reform of the international monetary, tax and financial systems is thus required to adapt and respond to the complex realities of the XXI century.

Intergenerational solidarity is embedded in the DNA of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Both the SDGs and the Pact for the Future commit member states to policies that promote equity between generations, ensuring that resources, opportunities, and support systems are accessible to both Youth and Older persons. This holistic approach, essential for implementing the SDGs, requires at its base a clear commitment to sustainability by all member states.

Indigenous perspectives can provide valuable insights into intergenerational solidarity, the sustainability of development and the environment. Indigenous knowledge systems and codes emphasize a harmonious relationship with nature, community well-being, and respect for all generations, aligning closely with the principles of sustainable development. By integrating these indigenous principles into the global discourse on intergenerational solidarity, we can balance a
distribution of resources that supports both current and future needs, thus enhancing our understanding of sustainable practices that honor the interconnectedness of all generations. This approach not only addresses immediate challenges but also fosters a resilient and inclusive long-term framework for achieving the SDGs, ensuring that no one is left behind.

By signing this Pact of the Future member states have pledged to execute transformative policies
to bring about urgent solutions through structural change, with all human rights as
its foundation, for the preservation of people and planet. The event will discuss the responsibility
of NGOs to ensure its implementation and enhance the global momentum toward a sustainable
and equitable future through intergenerational solidarity and collaboration.

Panelists:

– Liberato C. Bautista, President, Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CoNGO)
– Cecilia Schirmeister, Representative to the UN, Bahá’í International Community

– Ivy Koek, Representative to the UN, Soka Gakkai International, Co-Chair of NGO
Committee on the Status of Women
– Ananda Lee Tan, Strategy Advisor, Just Transition Alliance
– Ranbir Singh Mangat, SDG Campaigner, Sikh Human Rights Group

Welcoming/Introductory remarks:
Maria Fornella, UN Representative, Soroptimist International

Moderator:
Dr. Despoina Afroditi Milaki, UN Representative, International Presentation Association

SotF offsite event Concept Note