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2024 UN Civil Society Conference & Outcomes

Event Summary

Contributed by UN Department of Global Communications

Posted 27 March 2024

   

“Civil society organizations were present in San Francisco at the founding of the United Nations and have been an integral part of the United Nations ecosystem from the outset. As part of our consultations, civil society has called for better engagement with the United Nations system. I believe that it is essential for the United Nations to listen to, coordinate with, and engage with civil society.”

Our Common Agenda. Chapter V. Paragraph 121
🔗 Conference website
📥 Download the ImPact for the Future Outcome Package below

For all the latest updates on the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Support of the Summit of the Future, we encourage you to sign up for the Department of Global Communications Newsletter. To stay up to date on the Summit of the Future negotiations, subscribe to the independent Summit of the Future Information Clearing House Bulletin (https://sotf-ichbulletin.org/).

📣 Announcements.

  • 30 May from 10 am - 1 pm EDT join the virtual Stakeholder Consultation on the Summit of the Future where Co-Chairs will present the ImPact for the Future Outcome Package. [Registration and details]
  • 31 May from 11.30 am - 1 pm EDT join the Post-Conference Civil Society Town Hall in hybrid format from Conference Room 4, UNHQ, New York. [Registration and details]

Co-Chair Reflections

On 9 and 10 May we witnessed thousands of participants from every corner of the world gather online and in Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss and debate, to assess and plan around nothing less than the future of humanity and the planet. In the weeks leading up to the conference, unprecedented rains resulted in floods that devastated communities in Nairobi and several parts of Kenya. This was also against the backdrop of ongoing humanitarian and governance crises around the world, reminding us that despite our differences, we can all agree on the need for change.

In the lead up to, and across the two days of the conference, we saw a showcase of intergenerational cooperation in action and the impact generated when we pull together energy and experiences across decades. The planning and delivery of this conference in nine weeks was a demonstration in itself, of the power of collective effort shared across sectors, geographies and experience.

We were joined in Nairobi by 2158 civil society representatives, 317 officials from Member States, International Organisations, and the UN system, 67 media representatives, and 47 volunteers, from 115 countries, with hundreds more online. They engaged in 62 off-site and online events, 38 onsite workshops on day one, more than 20 ImPACT coalitions on day two, put out 64 exhibits, engaged in media moments and creative partnership building at the intergenerational hub, and 4 plenary sessions, each filling the space to capacity.

Read the complete reflections here
  • Kenyan President William Ruto speaks at the closing ceremony of the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
  • António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, with Kenyan President William Ruto, listen to speakers at the closing ceremony of the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
  • António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, press conference during the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

ICYMI:

Opening Ceremony

Closing Ceremony

Civil Society Recommendations on the 5 Chapters of the Pact for the Future, Declaration on Future Generations, and Global Digital Compact

Interactive Dialogue on the 5 Chapters of the Pact for the Future, Declaration on Future Generations, Global Digital Compact, and cross-cutting issues

Interactive Dialogue: Looking ahead to the Summit and beyond

Closing Town Hall

Pre-Conference

Co-Chairs Press Briefing

2024 UN Civil Society Conference Town hall

Intergenerational & Youth Briefing

Downloads

Download

ImPact for the Future Outcome Package

PDF

Download

Concept Note

PDF

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