he mandate at this year’s UN General Assembly is ambitious: move from last year’s Pact for the Future to concrete implementation. The timing is critical. We are closer to the end than the beginning of the UN Sustainable Development Goals timeline, and public trust in large–scale multilateral action is waning.
Success in New York will require more than political will—it will require a cognitive shift. Securing our future can no longer be treated as a long–term aspiration. Implementation must be immediate and uncompromising. That demands clarity: knowing precisely what outcomes we seek, and where today’s realities diverge from them.
To help frame this moment, Diplomatic Courier’s annual special edition for the UN General Assembly meetings includes expert insights from our World in 2050 network of experts, organized around four themes central to this year’s summit:
Education. UNESCO’s transforming education initiative and shifting geopolitical dynamics show how contested the future of learning has become. How should education be reimagined to prepare new generations for uncertainty?
Technology. Access, security, data sharing, and innovation remain unresolved. What does a healthy digital ecosystem look like, and how can it be mobilized to confront today’s overlapping crises?
Gender. Visible progress on women’s empowerment risks masking persistent gaps and new challenges, especially in the context of technological change. How do we ensure gains are not only preserved but deepened?
Demographics. Discussion of the future often centers on youth or migration, but aging populations also demand attention. How can societies support the wellbeing of older citizens while adapting to the pressures of demographic change?
This collection offers perspectives on how global leaders (and we) must recalibrate our thinking if we are to translate ambition into action. As leaders congregate in a bid to help the future arrive well, we hope this collection helps you reimagine what a future where we can thrive will truly look like.
You can read this year’s special edition, free, here.
As ever, thanks for reading!
a global affairs media network
Reimagine the future
Image via Adobe Stock.
September 17, 2025
The mandate for this year’s UNGA meetings is ambitious: moving from last year’s vision for the Pact for the Future to implementation this year. Success requires more than political will—it requires a cognitive shift, writes Shane C. Szarkowski.
T
he mandate at this year’s UN General Assembly is ambitious: move from last year’s Pact for the Future to concrete implementation. The timing is critical. We are closer to the end than the beginning of the UN Sustainable Development Goals timeline, and public trust in large–scale multilateral action is waning.
Success in New York will require more than political will—it will require a cognitive shift. Securing our future can no longer be treated as a long–term aspiration. Implementation must be immediate and uncompromising. That demands clarity: knowing precisely what outcomes we seek, and where today’s realities diverge from them.
To help frame this moment, Diplomatic Courier’s annual special edition for the UN General Assembly meetings includes expert insights from our World in 2050 network of experts, organized around four themes central to this year’s summit:
Education. UNESCO’s transforming education initiative and shifting geopolitical dynamics show how contested the future of learning has become. How should education be reimagined to prepare new generations for uncertainty?
Technology. Access, security, data sharing, and innovation remain unresolved. What does a healthy digital ecosystem look like, and how can it be mobilized to confront today’s overlapping crises?
Gender. Visible progress on women’s empowerment risks masking persistent gaps and new challenges, especially in the context of technological change. How do we ensure gains are not only preserved but deepened?
Demographics. Discussion of the future often centers on youth or migration, but aging populations also demand attention. How can societies support the wellbeing of older citizens while adapting to the pressures of demographic change?
This collection offers perspectives on how global leaders (and we) must recalibrate our thinking if we are to translate ambition into action. As leaders congregate in a bid to help the future arrive well, we hope this collection helps you reimagine what a future where we can thrive will truly look like.
You can read this year’s special edition, free, here.
As ever, thanks for reading!
