New York, NY – June 26, 2020 – Today, on the 75th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter, humanity faces the defining question: How do we harness our collective power to advance the UN’s founding principles, in a new age of connectivity to cope better with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, armed conflict, potentially disruptive technologies, and other pressing global challenges?
At a landmark and interactive global virtual event this September (16th and 17th), this moral imperative and practical question of our time will drive discussions and proposed solutions at the UN75 Global Governance Forum. The gathering will mark the UN’s 75th anniversary by bringing together hundreds of dynamic leaders worldwide from governments, civil society, and the technology, business, and philanthropic communities to foster new kinds of far-reaching partnerships with the United Nations system to better address global peace and security, sustainable development, human rights and humanitarian response, and climate governance challenges.
The Honorary Co-Chairs for this event include Ban Ki-moon, Eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations; Dr. Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State; Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Director-General of the World Health Organization and Prime Minister of Norway; and Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Nigerian Foreign Minister and UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs.
Leading global governance innovators, including The Stimson Center, One Earth Future, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Global Governance Philanthropy Network, and Global Challenges Foundation, have collaborated, alongside thirty-five other partner organizations, in preparing this forum designed to raise the ambition of the UN75 Declaration to be endorsed by world leaders on 21 September 2020.
In the weeks leading up to the 16 and 17 September Forum, over 350 experts worldwide, from diverse regions and professional backgrounds, will contribute to partnership and innovation discussions designed to forge a Roadmap for the Future We Want, the UN We Need. The partnership track will explore new kinds of multi-stakeholder joint ventures, designed to harness the ideas, networks, and abilities of diverse states and non-state actors around collective problem-solving. The innovation track will consider ways for mobilizing political support around a select number of far-reaching proposals to make global governance more dynamic and accessible.
“In an era of accelerated connectivity and advanced technology, we aspire to forge a roadmap to bring new stakeholders and a fresh, modern perspective to advancing the UN’s mission, promoting a truly “people-centered” architecture for global collective action,” said Maureen Connolly, Forum Director.
Partnership examples include:
- Global Challenges Foundation – Climate Risk Governance Commission: This new global public-private initiative aims to fill a crucial gap in confronting the global climate emergency, by innovating high impact global governance solutions for urgent, exponential climate action, to limit global temperature rise to or below 1.5°C.
- Alliance for Multilateralism – Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace: The Paris Call constitutes a community of supporters from all sectors –the public sector, private sector, and civil society – that unite around, promote, and implement a common set of values and principles in order to increase trust and security in the cyberspace.
- One Earth Future – Cold Catch – Developing Cold Chain Infrastructure for the Somali Fishing Industry: This partnership will bring about a creative, multi-disciplinary solution in partnership with the Global Cold Chain Alliance, to invest in cold chain infrastructure that can be piloted in Somalia and expanded to other lesser developed countries.
Media Contact:
Maureen Connolly
Director, UN75 Global Governance Forum
[email protected]
+1 860-231-8820