The Summit of the Future took place at UN Headquarters on 22-23 September, marking a significant moment for reimagining global cooperation and addressing the urgent challenges facing humanity. Born from the reflections on the UN’s 75th anniversary and the global disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summit brought together representatives from governments, civil society, and the private sector to collectively chart a new course forward. A central focus was youth involvement, with dedicated sessions on “youth and future generations.” Youth leaders and delegates played an active role, contributing to key discussions and shaping the final Pact for the Future. The Summit underscored the importance of young people in driving sustainable solutions, restoring trust in global governance, and ensuring meaningful change for future generations.
As a representative organization with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, IAYSP was uniquely positioned to attend the Summit and represent the concerns of youth. This “once-in-a-generation” opportunity provided civil society and youth with the platform to engage meaningfully and contribute to the new direction being adopted by the UN through various declarations and pacts.
To begin the Summit of the Future, the UN hosted Action Days which served as a preparatory event for the Summit of the Future, allowing broad participation from youth, civil society, and other stakeholders to shape discussions on global issues like digital technology, peace, and sustainability. The Summit of the Future (22-23 September) was the main high-level event, where global leaders gathered to formalize commitments and adopt the Pact for the Future, focusing on reimagining global governance and addressing long-term challenges.
Action Days Participation
YSP USA sent a delegation of 10 representatives to the Action Days of the Summit of the Future on 20-21 September. The Action Days event facilitated broad engagement from representatives across Member States, civil society, the private sector, academia, and youth, to discuss and shape the future global agenda. Youth-led sessions took center stage, covering pressing issues such as digital technology, peace and security, sustainable development, and the well-being of future generations.
IAYSP’s representatives observed how well-integrated youth were to the sessions. A pivotal moment occurred when the UN Secretary-General spoke about the future, emphasizing that building the future together, rather than choosing sides, was the true goal as well as that society including the UN had failed to include youth in the past but that this is changing. This sentiment encapsulated the collaborative and future-oriented spirit of the Action Days.And while youth participation was celebrated, many young attendees felt that their contributions could have gone deeper.
Despite being given significant access to the UN platform, some felt that opportunities to express perspectives were still limited. Often, youth spent more time justifying their presence at the table rather than offering substantive input. Perhaps this is because young people still feel the need to assert their role as essential stakeholders, with some still lacking confidence or the proper mentorship and opportunities to engage more fully in the process. Furthermore, while the conferences offered important platforms for global dialogue, many sessions lacked depth and repeated the same themes without exploring deeper insights. Despite these shortcomings, participants left the Action Days with a clearer understanding of the UN’s goals and how civil society can contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provided an invaluable networking opportunity, bringing together individuals of different ages and nationalities to collaborate and share ideas.
The IASYP team adopted a “divide-and-conquer” strategy to maximize their presence across various sessions. This collaborative approach allowed the delegation to engage with numerous relevant discussions. Rebuilding trust through transparency was a recurring theme, as was the call for leaders to actively listen to marginalized voices, including indigenous communities and scientists, who are often ignored in critical discussions about long-term risks like climate change.
Summit of the Future Participation
Following the Action Days, two representatives from IAYSP, the maximum allotted, attended the Summit of the Future, held in September, brought together world leaders at the United Nations to adopt the Pact for the Future. This landmark agreement aims to strengthen global cooperation and includes key annexes such as the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations, addressing critical issues like digital governance and long-term sustainability. UN member-states adopted the Pact with 143 votes, seven against, and 15 abstentions.
IAYSP representatives observed that the event’s impactful moments, especially the Adoption of the Pact for the Future in the presence of global leaders. A key achievement was strengthening ties with the Nepal Mission through a meeting with the Prime Minister of Nepal.
A central theme throughout the Summit was peace and intergenerational connection. The importance of bridging the gap between older generations and younger ones to address global challenges was emphasized. One poignant discussion was about loneliness and isolation, with a focus on how we can use multilateralism to connect across generations and inform the global environment.
Conclusion
YSP USA’s participation in the Summit of the Future and Action Days provided a vital opportunity to engage with global leaders and advocate for youth involvement in decision-making processes. The Summit was a powerful opportunity to witness global unity, learn from diverse voices, and forge meaningful connections for a more sustainable future. the event allowed the IAYSP delegation to network, learn from best practices, and share their perspectives on advancing the Pact for the Future and the SDGs. YSP USA remains committed to empowering youth and working toward a more inclusive and sustainable future through collaborative efforts with global stakeholders and representing youth from the IAYSP network and beyond.
