Skip to Main Content

Agenda for SDSN's Pre-Summit of the Future Event - September 20 - 21, 2024

The SDSN is proud to release the latest agenda for our High-Level Pre-Summit of the Future event, September 20 - 21st at Columbia University and online. *Agenda subject to change.*

Friday, September 20th, 2024

All times are in EDT

8:15 am Registration opens

9:00 am Opening remarks from Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President, SDSN

-SDSN Statement on the SOTF

9:30 am Financing the Future: Catalyzing Innovative Strategies and New Institutions for Sustainable Development Financing

  • Keynote by Rt. Hon. Raila A Odinga, EGH Former Prime Minister of Kenya and African Union High Representative (10 -15 mins)
  • Panel session moderated by Professor Jeffrey Sachs (45 mins)
  • Discussion (30 mins)

Panelists for this session include:

  1. Mayor Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Mayor of Malmö Municipality and President of ICLEI
  2. Dr. Mauricio Rodas, Former Mayor of Quito and Visiting Scholar, Penn Institute for Urban Research
  3. Mr. Jordan Schwartz, Executive Vice President of the Inter-American Development Bank
  4. Mme. Adidjatou HASSAN ZANOUVI, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Government of Benin and President of the Benin Carbon Project Registration Authority
  5. Mr. Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, FAO (video message)

11:00 am Coffee break

11:15 am Reimagining Education for Peaceful and Sustainable Futures featuring the launch of Ages of Globalization

  • Keynote by Ms. Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education (video message)
  • Opening remarks by Ms. Beverley Smith, Head of Partnerships, the Ministry of Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism Global Centre, KSA (5 mins)
  • Panel session moderated by Professor Sachs (35 mins)
  • Launch of Ages of Globalization (5 mins)
  • Closing remarks by Ms. Amanda Abrom, Senior Manager, SDSN and Director, Global Schools

Panelists for this session include:

1. Charles Hopkins, Co-Chair, UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education toward Sustainability

2. Katrin Kohl, Co-Chair, UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability

3. Ms. Ligia Cravo, Hearst Foundations

4. Chaewon Ida Joung, Student at Shanghai American School

5. Nene Onyedi Ibezim, Teacher & Founder of the Leading Kids Program, Teach for All Fellow, and GSP Advocate

12:15 pm Lunch break

1:30 pm Turning the Tide: Exploring the Ethical, Political, and Practical Dimensions of Global Peace and Security

  • Keynote address by H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (10 – 15 mins)
  • Keynote address by H.E. Judge Abdel-Salam, Senior Representative of His Eminence Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders and Co-President of Religions for Peace (10 -15 mins)
  • Panel session moderated by Sybil Fares, MENA Advisor, SDSN (40 mins)
  • Discussion (20 mins)

Panelists for this session include:

1. H.E. Ambassador María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Former President of the UN General Assembly and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Ecuador

2. Michael von der Schulenburg, Member of the European Parliament for Germany

3. H.E. Mr. Vuk Jeremić, Former President of the UN General Assembly and President of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development

4. Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President, SDSN

3:00 pm The Intersection of Science Fiction and Climate Action

Keynote by Kim Stanley Robinson, Author of Ministry of the Future

3:30 pm Kapuscinski Development Lecture on “AI Ethics and Safety”

Keynote by Dr. Francesca Rossi, IBM Fellow and AI Ethics Global Leader

4:30 pm Re-envisioning the Workforce for a Common Digital Future

  • Intro/keynote by Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General and UNSG’s Tech Envoy (15 mins)
  • Introductory remarks by Mr. Richard Attias, CEO of the Future Investment Initiative Institute (5 minutes)
  • Panel session on AI moderated by Professor Yanis Ben Amor, Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Development Columbia University (45 mins)
  • Discussion (25 mins)

Panelists for this session include:

1. Dr. Abdulelah Alhawsawi, CEO, Novo Genomics

2. Dr. Radhika Iyengar, Center for Sustainable Development

3. Dr. Antoine Blondelle, Director of ESPAS-ESTICE, Catholic University of Lille

4. Dr. Louis-Marie Clouet, Director of Foresight at the Strategy and Development Department of the Catholic University of Lille

6:00 pm Adjourn

Saturday, September 21st, 2024

All times are in EDT

8:15 am Registration opens

9:00 am Advancing a ‘United Nations 2.0’ and Transforming Global Governance

  • Keynote by H.E. Ms. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados (10 – 15 mins)
  • Keynote by H.E. Ms. Cristina Duarte, Under-Secretary General and Special Advisor on Africa (10-15 mins)
  • Panel session moderated by Professor John Thwaites, Chair, Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Climateworks Centre(40 mins)
  • Discussion (20 mins)

Panelists for this session include:

1. H.E. Ambassador Miguel Ruiz Cabañas Izquierdo, Advisor to the Mexican Foreign Ministry

2. Mr. Paulo Lopes Marcelo, Secretary of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Portuguese Republic Government

3. Mr. Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee

4. Mr. Guillaume Lafortune, Vice President of the SDSN and Head of the Paris Office

10:30 am The Future of Energy (Co-organized by GEIDCO)* An official Summit of the Future Side Event*

  • Welcome remarks by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, SDSN
  • Opening remarks from Mr. Xin Baoan, Chairman of GEIDCO (by video)
  • Keynote by His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho followed by a brief conversation with Professor Sachs
  • Keynote by Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator Mr. Haoliang Xu, UNDP followed by a brief conversation with Professor Sachs
  • Keynote by Assistant Secretary-General Selwin Charles Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition followed by a brief conversation with Professor Sachs
  • Keynote by H.E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy-Secretary General (video message)
  • Keynote by Under-Secretary General Li Junhua, UN DESA (video message)
  • Keynote by Mr. Amir Bahr, Programme Manager, UN-Energy
  • Announcement of the Declaration on the Future of Energy
  • Concluding remarks by Dr. Cheng Zhiqiang, Chief Cooperation Officer, GEIDCO

12:15 pm Lunch

1:15 pm Global Ethics for a New Multilateralism

  • Panelist Presentations (55 mins)
  • Brief panel session moderated by Philo Wang, Manager, SDSN (20 mins)
  • Discussion (15 mins)

Panelists for this session include:

1. Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and University Professor at Columbia University

2. Katja Vogt, Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University

3. Jianyu Zhang, Executive Director the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Institute at the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC)

4. Siseko Kumalo, Lecturer of Philosophy at the University of Fort Hare

5. Riccardo Pozzo, Professor of Philosophy at Tor Vergata University of Rome and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

6. Bryan W. Van Norden, James Monroe Taylor Chair in Philosophy at Vassar College

2:45 pm Empowering Youth and Future Generations Through Transformative Education

  • Opening Remarks by H.E. Dr. Yaw Osei, Minister of Education for Ghana (5 -10 mins)
  • Panel Session chaired by Paul Walsh, Vice President of Education, SDSN and Director of the SDG Academy (50 mins)
  • Discussion (30 mins)

Panelists for this session include:

1. Ms. Irina Bokova, Former Director General, UNESCO

2. Dr. Mary Joy Pigozzi, Executive Director, Educate A Child (EAC), a programme of the Education Above All Foundation

3. Dr. Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, OECD

4. Mr. Ilan Enverga, SDG4 Youth & Student Executive Committee Representative

4:15 pm Fostering Meaningful Youth Engagement for the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda: A Spotlight on Youth Initiatives

Siemens Gamesa Award Ceremony

  1. Welcome remarks by María Cortés-Puch, Vice President of Networks, SDSN (5 mins)
  2. Brief remarks by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, SDSN (5 mins)
  3. Remarks and announcement of winning solution by Maximilian Schnippering, Head of Sustainability, Siemens Gamesa (5 mins)
  4. Presentation of winning solution (5 minute video + words by team representative)

4:35 pm Session with SDSN Youth (40 mins)

  • Moderated by María Cortés-Puch, Vice President of Networks, SDSN

Speakers for this session include:

  • Ms. Jingyi Tong, Strategy and Operations Project Lead, SDSN Youth
  • Ms. Sanjana Chhantyal, Youth Solutions Program Project Lead, SDSN Youth
  • Mr. Nnaemeka Phil Eke-okocha, Local Pathways Fellowship Project Lead, SDSN Youth

5:15 pm Open Discussion on the Summit of the Future

5:45 pm Adjourn