The UNGA79 Summit of the Future Action Days Summary 
by Mimoza İRTEM, UN Youth Rep. of The Light Millennium Global

The Summit offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity for change.

It will pave a way to a better tomorrow that we can only shape together.
In support of this vision and objectives, the Summit of the Future Action Days were convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 20 and 21 September 2024 at United Nations Headquarters in New York to generate additional opportunities for the engagement of all actors.
Bringing together representatives from Member States, civil society, private sector, academia, local and regional authorities, youth, and many more, the Action Days provided an opportunity for broad engagement and inclusion. These stakeholders have all played a key role in shaping the Pact for the Future and its annexes, and will be critical to implementation.
The Action Days kicked off with a dedicated, youth-led afternoon followed by a Saturday programme which focused on three priority themes – digital and technology, peace and security, and sustainable development and financing. In addition to the three themes, there was also a dedicated focus throughout the day on future generations. Participants included Heads of State, Ministers, senior UN officials and representatives from the private sector, civil society and other actors.
Source: SummitOfTheFutureUN.Org

It would take 68 years to eradicate child marriages and 137 years to eradicate poverty for young women.

[LMGlobal.Org] As representatives of the Light Millennium Global organization as a “Specially Accredited Organization” to the United Nations Summit of the Future #SoTF, our participation in the #SoTF Conference Action Days at the UNHQ (NY) on September 20-21, 2024, which offered us a vital platform to engage with diverse voices committed to tackling pressing global challenges. This pivotal event brought together thought leaders, delegates, advocates, and NGO representatives, fostering dynamic discussions around digital inclusion, climate action, and the youth movement. This reflection summarizes our key insights and experiences, capturing the collaborative spirit that defined the conference and underscoring the urgent need for collective action in shaping a just future for all.

The SoTF Action Days kicked off with a ceremony in the General Assembly Hall followed by a dialogue with the youth advocates and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The dialogue focused on the Pact of the Future and how this commitment will unfold in the conversations in the upcoming days. Later in the day, #YouthLead events took place in conference rooms, as well as side events supporting the themes of this day “#YouthLead for the Future: We believe in the promise of a better world for all”.

The first panel the Light Millennium Global team had the privilege to attend was the #YouthLead: Gender Equality for Adolescent Girls and Young Women at the Heart of Multilateralism event in the ECOSOC chamber. Ayshka Najib, Action Coalition Youth Lead on Feminist Action for Climate Justice, and Youth Representative to Generation Equality Forum (GEF) Multi-Stakeholder Leadership Group, was the voice of young people pressing the importance of the Young Feminist Manifesto. Ayshka pointed out how the youth are not heard or listened to in any decision-making processes and that tokenism is still a problem we must fight against.

During this panel, the speakers mentioned that the 2030 Agenda is not on track, especially SDG 5, focused on gender equality. Kirsi Madi, Deputy Executive Director for Resource Management, Sustainability, and Partnerships, highlighted this issue during her speech reminding us that it would take 68 years to eradicate child marriages and 137 years to eradicate poverty for young women.

Panelists also focused on UNESCO statistics to demonstrate gender inequality around the world. According to this data, 34 million adolescent girls are out of school all around the world, and due to the conflict in Africa, girls are 2.5 times more likely to drop out of school compared to boys. On the other hand, Nadine Gasman, President of the National Institute of Women, Mexico, mentioned the rise of females and young people in politics in Mexico. It is also crucial to mention that Mexico elected its first female president this June, supporting Gasman’s claims about the rise of females in politics.

The first #YouthLead panel was a great start to the Action Days, with speakers from various backgrounds highlighting their perspectives and visions for gender equality for young women. The panel’s tone was quite optimistic, with speakers mentioning that they are hopeful about the future and these decisions. However, it is necessary to note that the success of the summit depends on the implementation of these decisions on the individual level.

The second #YouthLead panel of the day was titled “Inclusive Digital Future for All”. The main vision of the panel was to close all digital divides, expand inclusion, and advance responsible and equitable governance in all digital platforms. Sara Sabry, who is best known for becoming the first Egyptian person and the first Arab woman and African woman to travel into space, opened the panel. In order to illustrate her experience and perspective on going to space, she used the words “one shared home from space”. This phrase struck me most because it demonstrates how we share the same planet, yet we are divided by discrimination and inequality. Furthermore, other panelists talked about artificial intelligence and any bias it causes. With over 2.1 billion people still not connected to the internet, the digital divide is growing. The panelist’s call to action is to empower youth with digital skills to solve global problems.

On the second day of the SoTF Action Days, the panel titled “Truth, Trust, and Hope in the Global Information Environment: Putting Principles into Practice” took place. Prof. Wendy Chun, IPIE Chair of the Scientific Panel on Global Standards for AI Audits, started the panel by highlighting the necessary steps for building a global consensus on the operationalization of AI auditing. Chun mentioned that a trustworthy and diverse audit ecosystem is necessary, as well as a global perspective on audits. During the panel discussion, Professor Klaus Bruhn Jensen pointed out the fact that misinformation about climate science is on the rise, therefore, transparent and verified information channels should be promoted.

“Child protection in social media is crucial.”

Another speaker on the panel was Dr. Selcan Kaynak, IPIE Chair of the Scientific Panel on Child Protection and Social Media. Kaynak mentioned the importance of information integrity for children in social media and how this has become a global issue that exposes children to many risks. Harmful content such as trauma and disaster can impact children’s well-being and mental health. Despite the tremendous advantages of the internet such as freedom of speech and developing critical thinking, child protection in social media is crucial.

We also had the privilege to hear from the Prime Minister of Jamaica and the Prime Minister of Aruba. The PM of Jamaica focused on the Declaration of Human Rights and called for a global mind-shift to hold ourselves accountable for future generations. Furthermore, the PM of Aruba reminded us that countries are still struggling with the effects of the pandemic. Additionally, she pointed out that Aruba is on the frontline of climate change, therefore, sustainable and just solutions are necessary. It was definitely influential to attend sessions where government officials shared their perspectives and visions both for their country and the world. This demonstrates the collaborative environment of the UN, connecting government officials with advocates, academics, and NGO representatives.

During the “Declaration on Future Generations – From Words to Action” session Diene Keita, Deputy Executive Director for Programmes for the United Nations Population Fund, mentioned the importance of leveraging science and population data for policy making. Additionally, emphasizing the theme of the session, she made clear that we need to invite young people to active conversations. She concluded her speech by highlighting that investment in women’s health results in peace and prosperous communities.

The last panel we attended was the final segment of the “A Digital Future for All” session. The main idea behind this session was to discuss how AI can advance our mission for a sustainable and just world, especially with SDG goals. Industry experts mentioned that few people know about AI systems, therefore, an international panel for understanding AI is necessary to educate people who are trying to implement AI in their systems.

In conclusion, the Light Millennium Global team had the honor and privilege to attend various sessions ranging from climate justice to gender equality during the Summit of the Future Action Days at the United Nations on September 20-21, 2024. It was inspiring to hear from youth representatives and attend youth-led discussions, where finally our generation’s voice is heard and listened to. I believe this is an essential step in understanding the role of youth in discussing the future and giving youth a seat at the table.

Mimoza Irtem, LMGlobal.Org Youth Rep. to the United Nations Department of Global Communications

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