Reflect alongside Member State representatives, UN officials and Civil Society actors on what creates hope and optimism within the Pact of the Future and dialogue about what actions can be taken to shift our communities towards optimism and action.

Background:

The much anticipated Summit of the Future is on our doorstep. Representatives from Member States, the United Nations System, and Civil Society concurrently express hope and concern, encouragement and hesitation, optimism and doubt regarding the Summit and its outcome documents, including the Pact for the Future. Hundreds of recommendations have been directed toward the Pact and its related processes, representing significant consensus around the need for change. Yet, success will be measured by how this Summit is able to prevent and respond to complex and growing risks. The challenges are well-known, yet it is hope and a commitment to the wellbeing of humanity, ultimately, that will sustain our efforts. We need a shared, optimistic narrative, alongside a sophisticated understanding of the challenges we face, in order to overcome inaction. As was learned at the UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, this is a prerequisite on the path toward a future of peace and prosperity.

Far from an exercise in idealism, the aim of this event will be to highlight and connect common aspirations and concrete suggestions in order to catalyze future action beyond the Summit itself. This event, to be hosted during the Action Days of the Summit of the Future, will provide an opportunity for Member State representatives, UN officials, and Civil Society actors to contribute to a narrative built on evidentiary optimism. Representatives from various areas of the international system will share what it is from the Pact for the Future that brings them hope in the face of the very real challenges before us. They will offer their reflections and reasons for optimism, highlighting one or two actions that they think have particularly strong potential and proposing next steps to take that action forward.

For more information on the co-organizers + event, visit: https://ggin.stimson.org/event/room-for-optimism-a-precondition-for-success-in-challenging-times/

Learn more at http://www.tzuchicenter.org/programs/tzu-chi-un-general-assembly-week