Building Bridges through Science Diplomacy: Accelerating…

The Summit of the Future (September 2024) is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address the knowledge-action gap in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments including to the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Charter, and foster a reinvigorated multilateral system that is better positioned to positively impact people's lives. At the same time, there is growing awareness among Member States and across the UN system of the vital role of science as a critical, cross-cutting tool to support multilevel, multisectoral action across the entire multilateral agenda.

Science, including both natural and social sciences, is an invaluable tool for enhancing evidence-informed decision-making and collective action, and is essential to accelerating progress on shared global challenges, including to advance human rights and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Science also has long been a global enterprise underpinned by universal principles and plays a valuable role in strengthening international relations in support of international peace and security.

Cross-national scientific collaborations support track two diplomacy to help build relationships across borders, achieve common understanding around shared questions, and identify cooperative approaches to global challenges. Science in support of diplomacy and multilateral decision-making is all the more urgent in order to catalyze effective, accelerated, and sustained action on the 2030 Agenda during this time of rapid change, instability, and polycrisis.

Side Event organized by: International Science Council; German Center for Research and Innovation New York ; UN Department of Global Communications Academic Impact initiative ; Global Young Academy ; Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations; Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations; Science and Policy Solutions for the Planet ImPACT Coalition.

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To generate additional opportunities for the engagement of all actors, the Secretary-General of the United Nations is convening the Summit of the Future Action Days on 20 and 21 September 2024 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Bringing together representatives from Member States, civil society, private sector, academia, local and regional authorities, youth, and many more, the Action Days will provide an opportunity for broad engagement and inclusion. These stakeholders have all played a key role in shaping the Pact for the Future and will be critical to its implementation.

Side events provide further insights and opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaboration.