During the Summit of the Future, on 22 September 2024, member states adopted the Pact for the Future together with the Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The agreements are an effort by world leaders to improve the United Nations, allowing it to better respond to the needs of today’s challenges and global context. UN Secretary General António Guterres stated after the Pact’s adoption, “People everywhere are hoping for a future of peace, dignity and prosperity. They are crying out for global action to solve the climate crisis, tackle inequality and address new and emerging risks that threaten everyone … The Summit of the Future sets a course for international cooperation that can meet their expectations … Now, let’s get to work.”
The Summit of the Future included Action Days from 20–21 September, held to highlight the importance of young people in multilateralism; the first day held youth-led sessions. Concurrently, hundreds of side events took place inside and outside the UN Headquarters to address the following themes: young people and future generations; sustainable development and financing; peace and security; digital cooperation and technology.
Hiro Sakurai of SGI, sharing opening words at an event titled “Reflections on the Interreligious Imperative for the Pact of the Future and the Multilateralism Based on Human Fraternity.”
Hiro Sakurai and Ivy Koek of SGI, along with SGI youth representatives from Japan, participated in various events ahead of and after the Summit. SGI helped organize two off-site side events that focused on the role of faith actors at the UN and in multilateralism. Koek also moderated an event organized by the ImPACT Coalition for Faith-based Solutions and co-sponsored by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Multi-faith Advisory Council. Coalition co-leads Koek and Elias Szczytnicki, who also serves as the Secretary General of the Latin American and Caribbean Council of Religious Leaders and the director of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Office of Religions for Peace, gave a welcome and introduction to the Coalition’s advocacy work to input into the Pact since its launch at the UN Civil Society Forum in May. This was followed by a high-level opening by Nihal Saad, Director of the UN Alliance of Civilizations and Co-Chair of the UN Interagency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development. Given the extensive contributions of faith-based organizations, she suggested that the coalition put together a compendium of UN documents and resolutions that mention the role of faith actors, for reference.
Ivy Koek moderating an event organized by the ImPACT Coalition for Faith-based Solutions.
The event consisted of a roundtable discussion by representatives from UNEP, Global One 2015 and the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers. The event closed with a Statement from the Coalition, “From Greed to Deeds — A Call to Action from the Faith Community to Global Leaders,” which reiterated the commitment of faith actors in supporting the UN to fulfill the Pact for the Future. It reads in part, “Across all religions, faith traditions and spiritual practices, we offer a vision of hope that unites people across societal divides….We commit to working together to build the culture of peace.”
Harumi Endo, youth representative of SGI spoke at one of the panel sessions at an event titled, “Reflections on the Interreligious Imperative for the Pact of the Future and the Multilateralism Based on Human Fraternity.”
On 23 September, SGI co-organized an event convened by the Trilateral Partnership of Regional Faith-based Networks for the SDGs from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Titled “Reflections on the Interreligious Imperative for the Pact of the Future and the Multilateralism Based on Human Fraternity,” it brought together participants from faith-based organizations, youth, UN and academia. The Co-conveners of the three regional networks, including Hiro Sakurai of SGI, welcomed the participants with their opening statements. Harumi Endo of SGI joined one of the panel sessions as a youth representative and made a firm resolve that a rising tide of friendship within the younger generation can surely transform society.
SGI youth participants at a side event titled “Envisioning Our Peace: Youth Voices on Nuclear Weapons, Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the Climate Crisis.”
In addition, during the Action Days held at the Summit, SGI youth representatives from Japan contributed to co-organizing two side events with some UN agencies and other organizations. These youths were also part of the Organizing Committee of the Future Action Festival held in Tokyo, Japan in March 2024, which aimed to raise public awareness on nuclear and climate crises, especially among young people. The Festival was attended by 70,000 people onsite and more than 500,000 online, and on this occasion the Committee delivered a Joint Statement based on diverse voices from approximately 120,000 youth in Japan.
The first side event held at the UN Headquarters was titled “Envisioning Our Peace: Youth Voices on Nuclear Weapons, Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the Climate Crisis.” Together with other members of the Committee, Miyuki Horiguchi, one of the SGI youth representatives as well as the Youth for TPNW Partnerships Coordinator, shared an overview report about the Festival as a good example of a youth-led initiative tackling urgent global crises. She highlighted that cross-cutting partnerships and grassroots youth engagement were the keys to such an impactful youth mobilization in Japan.
SGI youth participants at the off-site side event “Building the Future: Synergetic Collaboration on Nuclear and Climate Crises.” | © Seikyo Shimbun
On 21 September, at the off-site side event “Building the Future: Synergetic Collaboration on Nuclear and Climate Crises,” the panelists and participants discussed how meaningful youth participation can be achieved, breaking down the silos of thematic issues and fields of work. As part of the Committee, Tadashi Nagai moderated the event, and Mitsuo Nishikata gave closing remarks—both of them representing SGI. Nishikata stated that the solidarity of future-oriented youth is needed more than ever to tackle the challenges of building and maintaining peace, sharing a pledge to unite in a shared desire for peace and expand grassroots actions. Furthermore, on the first day of the Summit, the Committee issued a Statement, “Shaping the Future as Agents of Change: Youth Voices from Japan for the Summit of the Future and Beyond,” which welcomed the adoption of the Pact for the Future, where most of the proposals outlined in the Joint Statement had been included.
On the International Day of Peace, which coincided with the Summit’s Action Days, Koek spoke at an event commemorating 10 years of the Cities for CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) campaign in her role as Co-chair of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY. Speaking on the theme of Culture of Peace, she shared that the UN General Assembly resolution on the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace had been adopted 25 years earlier, as of 13 September 2024, and that it identifies equality between men and women as one of its action areas. Koek emphasized that peace and gender equality are inextricably interconnected.
