Conference

ICCGC-CoNGO

The ICCGC-CoNGO Global Futures Conference, scheduled for August 26 and 27, 2024, at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York City, marks a significant assembly at the nexus of religion and civil society, dedicated to charting pathways toward a globally harmonious, just, peaceable, and sustainable future for people and their communities, the planet, and the entire ecological system.

The New York Conference is a collaboration between the Interfaith Coalition Conference for Global Citizens (ICCGC) and the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) to collectively pursue peace, human security, dignity, and planetary sustainability. This collaboration emphasizes local and global cooperation and solidarity across cultures and religions while remaining mindful of diverse and uneven economic, social, and political conditions.

This conference aims to ignite transformative dialogues and initiatives on various pressing issues locally and globally. Building on the foundation laid by previous conferences in Seoul, this gathering in New York seeks to continue and deepen the discourse and action between Seoul and New York.

The ICCGC 2023 convened in Seoul with the theme “Shaping Our Future Together: Engaged Spirituality in the Era of Crisis.” Reflecting on the Concept Note of ICCGC 2023, it stated, “The Interfaith Conference for Global Citizens (ICCGC) aims to promote the spread of global citizenship education through ethics, diversity, global issues, and sustainability, and operating global-civic exchange programs to strengthen mutual trust and enhance cultural diversity. The ICCGC is a platform that opens the dialogue among global citizens through which morality and science, spirit and matter, and religion and politics join forces and advance together.”

With the collaboration of ICCGC and CoNGO in this 2024 conference, the number of participating organizations and individuals has increased, and the conference's thematic scope and coverage have broadened. ICCGC 2024 is convening in New York to intentionally connect with a global, multilateral effort to assess current challenges and, in doing so, forge a path toward a just, peaceful, and sustainable future for both people and the planet. The convergence of efforts from Seoul and New York brings the conference to a pivotal point where religion and spirituality (Seoul) intersect with and inform global governance and multilateralism, like the UN Summit of the Future scheduled to meet on Sept. 20-21 (Action Days) and Sept. 22-23 (Summit) at the UN Headquarters.

2024 is pivotal to local, national, regional, and global governance. However, it is multilateralism at the UN in New York, where diplomats will gather at a high level to “forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.”

The New York conference will engage the Summit of the Future by intentionally reviewing the relevant documents related to the Summit, including the UN Secretary General’s Our Common Agenda, the Pact for the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations, the Global Digital Compact, and A New Agenda for Peace.

Texts and declarations from religions and cultures will be welcome as references so that the ethical and religious dimensions of the future(s) can be equally examined for their contribution towards a just, peaceable, inclusive, and sustainable future. Other texts include the UNESCO Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generations Towards Future Generations and proposals like The Maastricht Principles on the Human Rights of Future Generations.

Through a carefully curated program featuring keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, participants—from leaders and practitioners within religious communities, civil society organizations, academia, and the public sector—will examine critical topics such as ethical leadership, environmental stewardship, social justice, and global governance. These discussions will be framed within interfaith and civic values, engagement, and action principles. The role of religious and faith-based actors in national and multilateral (global) governance will be discussed at this conference.

Embracing the theme "Global Action on Peace, Sustainability, and Prosperity," this conference lays out a bold vision, urging global citizens to actively participate in sculpting a future that transcends mere aspirations and moves into actionable projects that secure the future for today and for future generations yet to be born. It seeks to imagine and realize a world where peace is the bedrock of our global community, environmental stewardship is a universal commitment, and prosperity is shared by all, regardless of geography or background. This is a call to action for everyone to contribute to a legacy of harmony, sustainability, and shared wealth, creating a world that future generations will inherit with pride.

We invite you to attend this pivotal event in New York. Together, we will lay the foundations for a just, peaceable, and sustainable world and planet, propelling us toward an era of inclusivity and abundant prosperity for all.