On October 11, 2018, the Stimson Center, UNA National Capital Area, and the Global Challenges Foundation held a public debate on the future of global governance at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. The panelists (from Brookings, The Heritage Foundation, Georgetown University, and the co-sponsoring organizations) discussed new models and strategies for tackling global challenges, including how to bring about change at every level of the UN system. Panelists also discussed ways to bring together the private sector and civil society organizations in crafting future regulatory frameworks. For more information, please click here or view the video below.

Getting from Here to There Working Group and UN 2020

On October 14 and 15, 2018 the Getting-from-Here-to-There (GHT) Working Group from the Global Challenges Foundation’s New Shape Process and the UN2020 Initiative met in New York to discuss new ways for moving the United Nations and other global institutions forward in the months leading up to the world body’s 75th anniversary.

The GHT Working group discussed ways to foster shared values and principles, design and tailor implementation strategies, and build support for a growing “smart coalition” of like-minded states and non-state actors. The group also considered and synthesized the most promising ideas to address global risks and advance global institutional changes on the Road to 2020.

The UN2020 planning meeting specifically focused on efforts to respond to the current crisis of multilateralism. In total, approximately ninety individual representatives from leading civil society organizations worldwide considered strategies, tactics, and measures to grow a global coalition for global governance renewal, innovation, and reform.

UN2020 partners also developed communications and outreach strategies and discussed next steps for initiating an official intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder process in the two remaining years before the expected September 2020 Leaders Summit at United Nations Headquarters.

Global Challenges Foundation Meeting in Hamburg

Finally, from September 19-10, 2018, coordinators from five different Global Challenges Foundation Working Groups—originating in the foundation’s New Shape Prize contest and New Shape Forum—met in Hamburg for two days of intensive discussions on the development of alternative models of global governance that seek to demonstrative a level of effectiveness, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability that far exceed the current system of global governance.

The gathering provided an initial opportunity of the abovementioned Getting-from-Here-There Working Group to validate among a small peer support group initial ideas and approaches pioneered within the working group’s four dynamic sub-groups dealing with such themes as the development of a global civic ethic, articulating a strategic for reform, building a smart coalition, and synthesizing a vast number of high quality global governance innovative priorities collected from around the world from diverse stakeholders.