The Summit of the Future is touted as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to forge a “Pact for the Future,” or a new international consensus on what the future should look like, and how this can happen. This is envisaged to result in profound changes in the way societies, institutions, and individuals relate with each other.

After submitting comments in February on the zero draft UN “Pact for the Future,” the WCC will be represented at an array of side events in conjunction with the “Summit for the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow,” co-facilitated by Germany and Namibia.

The ultimate aim is to adopt an ambitious, concise, action-oriented Pact for the Future.

"This year, we experience world leaders coming together to address the changing times we live in", said Dr Ryan Smith, WCC representative to the UN in New York. "We are working to bring the voice of our member churches to these spaces and remind the governments of the important role the faith community plays in peace, in environment and in commitment to the future for all God's children," added Smith.

The WCC is organizing events in conjunction with the summit, as well as the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

On 20 September, the WCC will attend a “Faith-based Solutions ImPACT Coalition Summit of the Future Action Days,” a side event co-sponsored by UNEP and the UN Multi-faith Advisory Council.

The ImPACT Coalition on Faith-based Solutions was launched during the Civil Society Conference at the UN Office in Nairobi on 10 May. This coalition comprises faith, religious, and spiritual groups, including young people, all of whom are advocating for the inclusion of faith-based language and common values across faiths in UN documents.

Prayer for children

On 23 September, the WCC will be represented at the 6th Annual Prayer Service for Children. 

As world leaders gather for the UN General Assembly, the Summit of the Future, and other high-level meetings at the United Nations headquarters, it is crucial to recognize the stark reality: 783 million people are grappling with chronic hunger.  Among them, children bear the brunt of this crisis. 

The WCC, together with World Vision, ACT Alliance, Anglican Communion, Caritas Internationalis, Episcopal Church, Lutheran World Federation, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America World Evangelical Alliance, are convening the 6th Annual Prayer Service. Through the power of prayer, those gathered will urge world leaders to prioritize ending child hunger. 

In conjunction with this prayer service, over 5,000 religious leaders will be gathering in Seoul-Incheon, South Korea, to catalyze global church collaboration and bring nations together to shape a better world in 2050.  

Children from Uganda and Myanmar will participate in person, representing the voices and prayers of children around the world.  

Multi-faith perspectives

On 24 September, a multi-faith reception will mark the conclusion of the Summit of the Future.  The purpose of the event is to provide perspectives on the conclusions of the Summit of the Future, and commitments for taking the Pact for the Future forward from key UN, government, and faith actors.

Also on 24 September will be “The Morning after the Summit of the Future – Critical reflections and the Right to Development,” co-organized by the WCC, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Women’s Major Group, and the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.

This hybrid event will delve into questions such as: how can the “Pact for the Future” help realize the right to development, and how can the Covenant on the Right to Development help see the Sustainable Development Goals into fruition? 

Faith, ethics and artificial intelligence 

On 25 September, an event “Faith, Ethics and AI: Shaping a Future for Global Peace,” organized by the WCC among many other partners, will help participants understand and explore how religious communities are integrating theological perspectives alongside AI, and frame a pathway of shared analysis and understanding on the nexus of AI and religion. 

Religious leaders and their communities have a long-standing history of engaging with the ethical and moral implications of technology, especially when it intersects with issues of peace and security. From campaigns against nuclear weapons and cluster munitions to recent efforts to raise awareness about killer robots and drones, religious leaders have consistently advocated for the ethical use of technology to safeguard humanity. Their involvement in the interrogation of AI systems is not a new endeavor but rather an extension of their ongoing commitment to influence policies and codes of conduct that ensure technology serves the common good.

HIV and AIDS prayer

On 26 September, an Interfaith HIV and AIDS Prayer Breakfast will draw a sense of unity among civic and faith-based leaders. The gathering will aim at fostering partnerships between faith-based organizations, political leaders, and global health initiatives to sustain the global HIV response through 2030. Supported by the WCC, this event brings together diverse stakeholders to address the pediatric HIV agenda, renew commitments to UNAIDS and PEPFAR, and ensure that no child is born with or dies from HIV/AIDS.

Learn more abou the work of the Ecumenical Office to the United Nations

Registration for "Faith-based Solutions ImPACT Coalition" 

Registration for "Faith, Ethics and AI: Shaping a Future for Global Peace"

Registration for "The Morning after the Summit of the Future – Critical reflections and the Right to Development"