The Promise and Potential of the UN's Summit of the Future

Negotiations have begun in earnest

Photo by FlyD on Unsplash

The United Nations is hosting a “Summit of the Future” in September during the annual opening the UN General Assembly. If all goes according to plan, world leaders will endorse a so-called "Pact for the Future" that will serve as a vehicle for enacting meaningful reforms to the United Nations.

The Summit of the Future is a big deal in UN circles — it is very much a force that is driving the agenda at the United Nations even as other crises may dominate the news cycle. Namibia and Germany are co-facilitating complex negotiations over what will be included in the pact. Last week, they released a so-called “Zero Draft” that will serve as the basis for negotiations going forward.

My interview guest Dan Perell has been following this process closely. He serves as a representative for the Baha'i International Community's United Nations Office. We kick off discussing why the Secretary General is so invested in the Summit of the Future and its potential to encourage k…