Programme

SDG Media Zone @UNGA81

Monday 21 September Watch Live

Welcome to the SDG Media Zone

10:30 - 10:45 AM EDT

António Guterres, UN Secretary General (video statement)
Melissa Fleming, UN Under Secretary-General, Department of Global Communications

UN Peace Circle

10:45 - 11:45 AM EDT

To mark the International Day of Peace (21 September), the United Nations will host an intergenerational Peace Circle that brings together youth peace advocates and their allies for a solutions-based conversation around “how might we invest in peace - for everyone, everywhere, every day.” Peace Circles are part of the UN’s youth-centred Hear Us. Act Now for a Peaceful World campaign. It champions the inclusion of, investment in, and partnership with youth in building peace and feeds into the UN Secretary-General forthcoming independent progress study on how youth contribute to peace, mandated by the Pact for the Future.

Moderator: Ishaan Shah, Lead Next Generation Fellow, UN Foundation

Speakers:

Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General, Global Communications

Human Agency in the Age of AI: Rights, Trust and the Digital Future

1:00 - 1:15 PM EDT

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly present in children’s lives, from educational tools and toys to chatbots and AI companions, creating new opportunities while raising important questions about safety, development and well-being. In conversation with the media, actor, filmmaker and UN Global Advocate Joseph Gordon-Levitt will explore how AI can be designed and governed with children’s best interests at its core. The discussion will consider the responsibilities of technology companies, governments and families, and how safeguards, transparency and accountability can help ensure that AI supports children’s learning, creativity and development without exploiting their attention, trust or vulnerability.

Moderator:

Speaker:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Actor, Filmmaker and Creative Entrepreneur; United Nations Global Advocate for Human-centric Digital Governance

Human Rights in Conflict: Protecting People, Preserving Dignity

1:30 - 2:00 PM EDT

Join award-winning actress and UN Global Advocate for Spotlight Initiative, Cecilia Suárez, for an intimate conversation on her advocacy to end violence against women and girls. Since her appointment in 2020, Ms. Suárez has used her platform to amplify the voices of survivors and changemakers. Most recently, she travelled to Ecuador, where she met with survivors, activists, government leaders, and UN partners working to create a safer world for women and girls. In this one-on-one session, Cecilia reflects on her journey, the stories that moved her, and the power of art and advocacy to drive change.

Moderator: Kristen Saloomey, Al Jazeera New York based Correspondent

Speakers:

Mohamad Alasmar, Save the Children UN Representative
Gypsy Guillen Kaiser, Chief Global Affairs Officer, Committee to Protect Journalists
Gemma Connell, Director of the Crisis Response Division, OCHA

Aiming Higher With and for Refugees

2:00 - 2:30 PM EDT

Education transforms lives. It provides the skills, credentials, and networks that underpin economic participation, social cohesion, and long-term self-reliance. Expanding access to higher education is one of the most powerful investments that we can make collectively not only for refugees but also for the communities and countries that host them. Today millions of refugee children remain out of school, with participation falling sharply after primary education. UNHCR GWA Mary Maker, global advocate for refugee education and founder of Elimisha Kakuma, an organization connecting refugees to education opportunities, and UNHCR High Commissioner Salih will engage in a timely discussion about how the world must bolster access to education for refugees, and achieve SDG 4 for all, to reduce dependency and support refugee self-reliance.

Moderator: Ephrem Kossaify, United Nations resident correspondent, Arab News

Speakers:

Mary Maker, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
Barham Salih, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Women Peacekeepers: The Power to Empower

2:30 - 2:50 PM EDT

Women are deployed as police, military and civilian personnel within UN peacekeeping missions. They work across all areas, from the protection of civilians to political and civil affairs, human rights, planning, logistics, and communications. And they serve as role models for all segments of society. The three panelists will share their peacekeeping experiences and stress that more diverse and inclusive teams means more effective peacekeeping. Women peacekeepers often have greater access to communities and inspire local women to participate in peace and political processes.

Moderator: Yoshita Singh, UN Correspondent of the Trust of India

Speakers:

Lt Col Glory Mkwizu, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Office of Military Affairs, OMA/DPO
Gissel Sosa, Chief of the Mission Management and Support Section (MMSS) in the UN Police Division
McCall Carter, Judicial Affairs Officer with the Justice and Corrections Service of the Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations

UN80 Initiative Technology Accelerator Platform

3:00 - 3:45 PM EDT

The UN80 Initiative’s Technology Accelerator Platform (TAP) has moved from concept to delivery. This session will showcase TAP’s shared delivery model and the successful delivery of its first three MVPs: Expertise on Demand, the UNICEF/IOM beneficiary identity solution and the Delegates App. Through practical demonstrations and leadership reflections, the session will show how shared UN system technology needs can be translated rapidly into reusable solutions, and how TAP can help the UN deliver faster, more coherently and at greater scale.

Moderator:

Speakers:

Strait of Hormuz: Navigating Disruption through Multilateral Cooperation

4:00 - 4:30 PM EDT

Disruption to trade through the Strait of Hormuz is placing livelihoods, supply chains and access to essential commodities under increasing pressure. It has led to a global energy and fertilizer crisis, with cascading impacts on food security, with the heaviest burden on fragile countries and the poorest households. In this conversation, panelists will elaborate on how multilateral cooperation can reduce these risks and prevent a humanitarian crisis, including through confidence-building measures such as an Operational Mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz.

Moderator: Mr Hashem Ahelbarra, Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief

Speaker:

Jorge Moreira da Silva, Undersecretary General & UNOPS Executive Director, Coordinator of the UN Task Force on the Strait of Hormuz

Tuesday 22 September Watch Live

Delivering Together

10:30 - 10:50 AM EDT

At a time of growing geopolitical tensions, widening inequalities and mounting climate impacts, confidence in international cooperation is under pressure. Yet global challenges continue to demand collective solutions.

Against the backdrop of the UN General Assembly theme, "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All," this conversation will explore how multilateralism can respond to today's realities and deliver tangible results for people.

Featuring the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Director General for Development Cooperation, Government of Italy and the Global Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign, the conversation will highlight how renewed multilateralism and partnerships can deliver tangible results for communities (with concrete in-country examples) and how important it is to inspire collective action.

Moderator: Ines Pohl, DW White House Correspondent

Speakers:

Mr. Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation, Government of Italy
Ms. Marina Ponti, Global Director, UN SDG Action Campaign

Early Warnings, Early Action: How Media Carries Risk Information to the Last Mile

11:30 - 11:50 AM EDT

As disasters intensify under a strong El Niño, early warning systems save lives only if warnings reach people in time and are understood. This session brings together media representatives and a disaster risk reduction expert to explore how early warning information is reflected in journalists' own work — what gets amplified, what gets lost, and the role media plays in the "last mile" of risk communication. Panelists will share practical experience translating technical alerts into public understanding and discuss how newsrooms and the UN system can strengthen collaboration to advance the Early Warnings for All initiative, ensuring no one is left unwarned.

Moderator: Simon Bishop, Chief Executive Office, BBC Media Action

Speakers:

Sujit Mohanty, Chief of Intergovernmental, Interagency cooperation and Partnerships Branch, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
Khadija Maalej, Senior Project Manager, BBC Media Action North Africa
Gemma Connell, Director of the Crisis Response Division, OCHA

Securing Reliable Information in an AI-Driven World

12:00 - 12:20 PM EDT

As generative AI reshapes how information is created, consumed, and trusted, the digital commons are facing growing challenges of sustainability and exploitation. In this fireside conversation, Wikimedia Foundation CEO, Bernadette Meehan, and Under-secretary-general of the United Nations Department of Public Information, Melissa Fleming will discuss the crisis of content reuse: what happens when AI systems and platforms extract value from open knowledge sources like Wikipedia and the United Nations without reciprocal support? What does this mean for information integrity worldwide? And what can the UN, governments, civil society, and platforms do to ensure reliable information doesn't become a luxury for a few, but remains available to all? Drawing on their vantage points at Wikimedia and the UN, they'll explore the challenges that our information ecosystem is facing in the age of AI, and discuss some potential ways forward.

Moderator:

Speakers:

Bernadette Meehan, CEO, Wikimedia Foundation
Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications

Defining Decisions for a Climate-Safe Future

12:30 - 1:00 PM EDT

Climate action is often framed as a series of difficult trade-offs: economic growth or emissions reductions, energy security or clean energy, adaptation or mitigation. This interview challenges those assumptions by examining the choices facing world leaders through the lens of practical solutions. In the lead up to the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition, Assistant Secretary-General Selwin Hart discusses how countries can strengthen economies, improve energy security and protect people while accelerating climate action. By unpacking the biggest challenges, the conversation demonstrates that international cooperation and smart investments can transform perceived trade-offs into shared opportunities for sustainable development and climate resilience.

Moderator:

Speaker:

Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary-General for the Climate Action Team

How Mine Action Drives Peace, Development, and Humanitarian Relief

13:00 - 3:20 PM EDT

As conflicts continue to leave millions at risk from landmines and explosive ordnance, this is a rare opportunity for global media to hear directly from leaders shaping the international response. The Director of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) offers a strategic global perspective and explains how mine action serves the Development Goals. Jody Williams, Chair of the Nobel Women’s Initiative and Ambassador for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), will talk about new threats to global security and the need to strengthen international humanitarian law, and UNMAS Mine Action Chief in the Occupied Palestinian Territory will describe in real-time the tonnes of unexploded bombs, projectiles, landmines and improvised devices that threaten human security and recovery in Gaza and the West Bank. Controlling the use of indiscriminate weapons and clearing explosive hazards is an essential precursor to implementing the 2030 Agenda.

Moderator:

Speakers:

Ms. Kazumi Ogawa, Director United Nations Mine Action Service
Julius Dirk Van de Walt, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in the Occupied Territory of Palestine
Jody Williams, (founding coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines; Nobel Peace Laureate 1997

The Leadership Gap: Can the SDGs be Achieved Without Women in Power?

3:30 - 3:50 PM EDT

Who leads shapes whose voices are heard, whose priorities are funded and whose rights are protected. Yet despite progress, women remain underrepresented in political leadership while facing growing barriers, including online abuse, disinformation and democratic backsliding. Drawing on the latest findings from the Gender Snapshot 2026, this conversation explores what the data tells us about the state of women's political participation, why inclusive leadership is essential to restoring public trust, and what governments, institutions and citizens can do to accelerate change. Bringing together global leadership, political experience and independent voices, the session examines why achieving the SDGs requires women equally represented wherever decisions are made.

Moderator: Khadija Maalej, Senior Project Manager, BBC Media Action North Africa

Speakers:

Ms. Sarah Hendriks, Director of Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division (UN Women)
Ms. Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Ms. Lesego Chombo, Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs of Botswana

From Invisible Majorities to Unstoppable Movements: What Can Climate Initiatives Learn?

4:00 - 4:20 PM EDT

What happens when people find out they are not alone in caring about climate change?

Roughly nine in ten people worldwide want stronger climate action, but many assume the people around them do not. Believing they’re alone in their views, they say little, unaware their neighbours feel exactly the same way.

In this session, Melissa Fleming is joined by inspirational leaders from causes such as #MeToo and BLM who have overcome similar pluralistic ignorance in the past, and grown mass movements as a result. Together, they discuss what worked for them in the past, and what climate movements can do to build public solidarity.

Moderator: Melissa Fleming, USG of the UN Department of Global Communications

Speakers:

Evan Wolfson, Founder, Freedom to Marry
Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
Jeremy Heimans, Co-founder and Chairman, Purpose

Wednesday 23 September Watch Live

Too hot to ignore: Building Urban Resilience to Extreme Heat

10:30 - 10:50 AM EDT

Extreme heat is already a major global threat. An estimated 489,000 people die each year from heat-related causes worldwide. As cities become hotter and more vulnerable, proven solutions such as resilient buildings, urban greening, passive design and smarter planning can reduce temperatures, save lives and cut emissions.

This discussion, convened by UNEP, brings together an architect and a city leader to explore how these approaches can be scaled to create cooler, healthier, and more resilient cities. It will also highlight practical initiatives such as the Beat the Heat Implementation Drive. Together, these efforts demonstrate how cities can reduce heat risks, protect vulnerable populations, lower emissions, and build long-term climate resilience.

Moderator:

Speakers:

Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
Mariam Issoufou, Architect and founder of Mariam Issoufou Architects, UNEP Champion of the Earth
Yvonne Denise Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor, Freetown, Sierra Leone

From Evidence to Action: Making Climate and Biodiversity Change Visible

11:00 - 11:20 AM EDT

Climate change and biodiversity loss are vast, complex processes that often remain invisible in everyday life. Their consequences unfold across scales ranging from a single community to the entire planet, and from a human lifetime to millions of years. Although younger generations report high levels of concern, abstract knowledge does not reliably translate into sustained civic or behavioral action. In this panel, Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, Tanushah Ramadass, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Louie Psihoyos examine how evidence travels—from the rock record and natural history museums, through high-impact visual media, into public understanding and collective action. Lacovara brings the perspective of deep time, using fossils, strata, and past mass extinctions to reveal the consequences of planetary change. Psihoyos, Executive Director of the Oceanic Preservation Society and director of groundbreaking documentaries like The Cove and Racing Extinction, leverages powerful narrative storytelling and iconic global imagery to expose environmental crises and inspire immediate movement. Together, the speakers bridge deep history and contemporary visual advocacy to illuminate how scientific truth can move beyond abstract awareness and spark real-world transformation.

Moderator: Laura Geggel, Editor Live Science

Speakers:

Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, Founding Executive Director of Edelman Fossil Park and Museum, palenotologist (discovered Dreadnoughtus), and TED Speaker
Louie Psihoyos, Academy Award-winning filmmaker and Executive Director of the Oceanic Preservation Society
Tanushah Ramadass, Singaporean Youth Researcher, Program Coordinator for the ASEAN Women in Science Mentorship Program and former Regional Lead for SEA, Girl Up Campaign, United Nations Foundation

Local Action Powering Global Impact – Public Private Partnerships to Advance Progress on SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy for All

11:30 - 11:50 AM EDT

While significant progress has been made on SDG 7 in the last decade, achieving a more affordable and sustainable energy future for all remains under threat.

In some parts of the world, grid infrastructure is aging and outdated, while in other parts it is non-existent – both occurring against a background where global energy demand is climbing; extreme weather and other threats are knocking out power where communities can least afford it; and strained municipal budgets can't close the gap. However, the most durable answer is emerging where the global goals actually get implemented — at the community level.

Energy innovations, including bringing more flexible and distributed energy resources to the grid can be a triple win: lowering energy costs and increasing energy resilience while also contributing to reduced GHG emissions that cause climate change.

This conversation will showcase how public-private partnerships supporting SDG 7 can turn local resilience into a replicable global answer: one that is not only more sustainable, but more affordable and more secure.

Moderator: Elaine Reyes, News Anchor, UN Insider & Americas Now, CGTN America

Speakers:

MKimberly Johnston, Founder and CEO of NextGen Energy
Marc Pacheco, Former Massachusetts State Senator and current President and CEO of the Transatlantic Climate Alliance
Dr. Wale Aboyade, Vice President of Public Affairs and Government Relations at Sun King

Reimagining Care: Disability, Family, and How We Shift Medical Culture

12:00 - 12:20 PM EDT

HOLDING MOSES follows a Broadway performer, whose world shifts when her son is born with profound disabilities, catalyzing a reimagining of what family, care, and belonging can look like. Oscar-shortlisted and streaming on The New Yorker, the film has become a tool for systemic change, reaching over 600 doctors-to-be, with plans to engage 7,500 more over the next 5 years. At the SDG Media Zone, disability advocates and clinical partners Dr. Jaya Aysola and Dr. Hannah Kakara Anderson join director Rivkah Beth Medow to explore how inclusive communication and design can advance human rights and improve healthcare outcomes.

Moderator: Flora Peir, News Editor, The 19th

Speakers:

Dr. Jaya Aysola - Assistant Dean of Inclusion and Diversity at the Perelman School of Medicine and Founder and Executive Director of Penn Medicine’s Center for Health Equity Advancement (CHEA)
Dr. Hannah Kakara Anderson, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Education Scientist; Medical Education Research Collaboratory; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania
Rivkah Beth Medow, Director of Holding Moses, Co-founder of Frankly Speaking Films

El Niño is Here: Time to Act

12:30 - 12:50 PM EDT

El Niño is here — and it is strengthening. On 3 September, WMO confirmed that El Niño is firmly established and expected to reach very strong intensity, with a near-100% likelihood of persisting through February 2027. It is already reshaping expectations for rainfall and temperature around the world, increasing risks of floods, drought and extreme heat. But El Niño does not mean the same impacts everywhere. Seasonal forecasts can give governments, businesses and communities months of advance warning to understand what is coming and act. This session will explore what the latest outlook means, how forecasts create value, and how new technologies are changing what we can anticipate.

Moderator: Bernadette Placky Woods, Chief meteorologist and Climate Matters director at Climate Central

Speakers:

Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO
Terry Thompson, Chief Scientist, Climate Centre of Excellence, S&P Global
Tim Carroll, Global Weather & Climate Business Leader, NVIDIA

The Fashion Diplomacy: From Cultural Heritage to Economic Opportunity

1:00 - 1:20 PM EDT

Launch of Fashion Diplomacy as supported by the First Lady of Estonia. She will give remarks before the panel.

The panel will explore how heritage and craft can become powerful tools for cultural connection, economic opportunity and international collaboration. Bringing together perspectives from diplomacy, cultural heritage and fashion, the conversation will examine how traditional knowledge can remain visible, valued and relevant while creating new opportunities for the people and communities behind it. The discussion will also consider how culture can open conversations across countries and how relationships built through those exchanges can lead to longer-term cooperation.

Special remarks: Sirje Karis, First Lady of Estonia

Moderator: Bella Webb, Vogue Business

Speakers:

Jasmine Aarons / Founder of VOZ and Philanthropic Partnerships Officer at the Amazon Investor Coalition
Marilin Tammsaar / Fashion Executive, Spouse of the Estonian Ambassador to the UN and Founder of Fashion Diplomacy

How to Get People to Care

2:00 - 2:30 PM EDT

The Development sector has an attention and distribution problem. The sector produces more evidence, more strategy and more campaigns than at any point in its history, and reaches fewer people than a single creator with a phone. Creators, meanwhile, have never been more influential in shaping what people say, do and believe, at a scale and cost no institution can match. This session brings together a prominent black female creator in conversation with the founder and CEO of a pan-African organisation as they unpack how the development sector can use popular culture to make everyday people care.

Moderator: Dr. Okito Wedi, Founder & CEO Crtve Development

Speaker:

Akunna Cook, CEO and Founder of the Next Narrative Fund

Performer: Rouge, Rapper & Creative Director

Built This Way: Children, Youth and Information Integrity

3:00 - 3:20 PM EDT

The global information ecosystem is at a crisis point, and children and young people are among those most connected and most at risk. The harms they experience within our information ecosystem are not accidental. They are shaped by systems and business models designed to capture attention, harvest data and maximise engagement. Often at the expense of safety, wellbeing and trust. As AI accelerates these dynamics, young people are navigating an increasingly complex information environment while having too little say in how it is built. This event examines what it will take to make our information ecosystem safe and reliable for future generations, and why young people themselves must be part of building the solution.

Moderator: Charlotte Scaddan, Senior Adviser on Information Integrity, United Nations

Speakers:

Ian Russell, MBE - Co-Founder, Molly Rose Foundation, Molly’s Dad
João Brant - Secretary of Digital Policies, Social Communication Secretariat, Presidency of the Republic of Brazil

The Kind of Leader the World Needs Now

3:30 - 4:00 PM EDT

To foster an intergenerational dialogue on the leadership qualities needed to strengthen multilateralism and enable the United Nations to respond effectively to today’s global challenges, while ensuring that young people’s aspirations help shape the future of international leadership.

This session will explore the qualities that tomorrow’s global leaders—and particularly the next generation of UN leadership—must embody to respond effectively to today’s interconnected challenges.

Building on the intergenerational dialogue held during the Candidates' Debate in Geneva, three distinguished international leaders—Helen Clark, Irina Bokova and Susana Malcorra, candidates in 2016 to be UNSG—will be joined by two students in a conversation that bridges experience and emerging perspectives.

The discussion will also draw on the "Ten Qualities for the Next UN Secretary-General," developed by students participating in the Her Turn Initiative following their engagement with global leaders. These reflections will serve as a starting point to discuss the values, skills and vision needed to lead both the United Nations and the international community in the years ahead.

Moderator: Karina Givargisoff, Founder, Mission Magazine

Speakers:

Helen Clark
Irina Bokova
Susana Malcorra
Amy Pope, Director General of IOM
Jocast Samuel, Her Turn youth programme
Jenn Hernandez, Her Turn youth programme

Thursday 24 September Watch Live

Cities Delivering Climate Action That Works for Everyone

11:30 - 11:50 AM EDT

Cities around the world are demonstrating what an inclusive and just transition looks like in practice, delivering climate action in urban areas that tackle inequalities and benefit communities with clean energy, safer transport, better housing, good green jobs, and economic opportunities.

In this session, city leaders will share inspiring examples of ambitious local action advancing SDGs. Examples include building the urban climate workforce of the future, ensuring urban data centres are sustainable and benefit local communities, creating new good green jobs, improving working conditions for informal waste workers, and ensuring frontline populations benefit from the phaseout of fossil fuels and rollout of renewable energy.

Moderator: Molly Taft, Senior climate writer, WIRED

Speakers:

Eric Garcetti, former mayor of Los Angeles and Ambassador for Global Climate Diplomacy
Anne Hidalgo, Former Mayor of Paris (2014-2026) and Global Ambassador for the Global Covenant of Mayors
Camila Assis, General Coordinator for International Relations at São Paulo’s Municipal Secretariat for International Relations (SMRI)

Trusted Messengers: How Story Moves Communities Into Climate Action

12:30 - 12:50 PM EDT

This session makes the case for "trusted messengers" as a core methodology for climate progress: reaching specific communities through voices they already believe, using story over statistics to turn awareness into action. The panellists will draw on their own work mobilizing communities that climate messaging often misses, like athletes, creators, and mountain communities, then widen the lens so the panel argues why the broader climate and SDG community should treat this as a repeatable strategy rather than a nice-to-have. It will present a discussion and actionable takeaways for organizers and climate leaders.

Moderator: Alice Aedy, filmmaker, co-founder & CEO of Earthrise Studio

Speakers:

Graham Zimmerman, professional alpinist, award-winning author & filmmaker, Senior Director of the Athlete Alliance at Protect Our Winters (POW)
Jamie Henn, climate activist and communicator, co-founder of 350.org and Clean Creatives, founder and executive director of Fossil Free Media

From Plants to People: Ethnobotany, Cultural Knowledge, and Food for Health

11:30 - 11:50 AM EDT

The event tells the story of how people around the world have developed deep relationships with plants, using them for food, health, and cultural continuity. Through a conversation between two ethnobotanists from different generations and career paths, the audience will explore how traditional knowledge, scientific research, and biodiversity intersect in addressing contemporary challenges such as nutrition, food security, public health, and cultural preservation.

The conversation then transitions into a hands-on sensory experience demonstrating how plant knowledge can be incorporated into daily life through tea and botanical infusions, making the topic tangible for both in-person and virtual audiences.

Moderator: Luis Calzadilla. Senior Director of External Relationships and Engagement, The New York Botanical Garden

Speakers:

Michael Balick. Vice President for Botanical Science. Director of the Center for Plants, People and Culture, The New York Botanical Garden
Selena Ahmed, Global Director of the Periodic Table of Food Initiative

Rethinking Food: From Plate to Planet

1:30 - 1:50 PM EDT

Food waste sits at the intersection of climate change, food security and sustainable consumption. While the scale of the challenge is well understood, there is increasing momentum behind practical solutions that are transforming how food is produced, distributed and consumed.

"Rethinking Food: From Plate to Planet" brings together leading voices from media, civil society and global advocacy to explore how different sectors are tackling food waste and driving meaningful change. Moving beyond awareness, the conversation will focus on the solutions already making an impact - from storytelling and consumer behaviour to food rescue initiatives and international collaboration - and the role each of us can play in creating a more sustainable food system.

Moderator: Chris Morocco, Food Director, Bon Appétit

Speaker:

Evan Ehlers, Founder & CEO, Sharing Excess

AI and human rights: Harnessing AI for People and Communities

2:30 - 2:50 PM EDT

This town hall discussion brings together United Nations leaders, human rights advocates, technologists and civil society representatives to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the protection and realization of human rights.

Through concrete case studies, the conversation will; examine both the opportunities and challenges associated with AI including its potential to support efforts to monitor, detect, and prevent human rights violations, while addressing risks related to bias, discrimination, governance and accountability.

The discussion will build on the inaugural session of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, and the Global Digital Compact.

Moderator: Kate Taylor, WIRED

Speaker:

High Commissioner Volker Turk, OHCHR

Follow the Money: AI, Advertising and the Global Information Crisis

3:00 - 3:20 PM EDT

What if the biggest driver of today’s information crisis isn’t just what we can see and access, but who pays for it? Advertising funds much of the digital world, inadvertently enabling everything from trusted journalism to disinformation, hate speech and polarisation. As AI transforms how we find, consume and monetise information, it is also making the flow of advertising dollars harder to see. Free and pluralistic media are losing visibility, while automated systems increasingly decide where ads appear and what gets funded. This event asks a simple question: if money shapes the information ecosystem, how can advertisers use their influence to help shape what comes next?

Moderator:

Speakers:

Charlotte Scaddan, Senior Adviser on Information Integrity, United Nations
Jake Dubbins, Co-Founder, Conscious Advertising Network
Rupen Desai, Chief Marketing Officer, Una Terra

‘Cool Me Down’ EARTHGANG Track Launch

3:30 - 4:30 PM EDT

Music and popular culture can create emotional connections to global issues and reach audiences far beyond traditional policy spaces. This closing session will explore how cultural voices can position human health as an essential and unifying part of the climate agenda.

Featuring EARTHGANG and experts from the UN, UN Live and Wellcome Trust, the session will examine the links between extreme heat, climate and health, share the creative process behind a new Sounds Right track, and include its public premiere, with a possible acoustic performance.

Artist Fireside Chat

Moderator: Iminza, Museum for the United Nations - UN Live

Speakers:

Dot (Eian Parker), EARTHGANG
Olu (Johnny Venus), EARTHGANG

Panel session: One Degree of Separation – Why We’re All Closer to the Solution Than We Think

Moderator: Katja Iversen, Museum for the United Nations - UN Live

Speakers:

Dr. Alan Dangour, Director of Climate and Health, Wellcome
Dot (Eian Parker), EARTHGANG
Olu (Johnny Venus), EARTHGANG
Dr. Jazmine Alexander-Nicholson, Executive Director, EARTHGANG Foundation
Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications

Friday 25 September Watch Live

Advancing Healthier Futures: The Health Systems We Haven't Built Yet

10:30 - 10:50 AM EDT

The global health architecture is under pressure from every direction: financing models are contested, the workforce is stretched, and the technology wave (from AI diagnostics to remote care) is moving faster than regulation can adapt. WHO has formally endorsed self-care as a strategy to accelerate universal health coverage, the core of SDG 3, and each speaker embodies that shift: Egypt's Health Minister is scaling universal insurance and prevention-first primary care, the WHO Foundation is mobilizing global partnerships behind self-care, and Bayer is expanding self-care access to 100 million underserved people by 2030. This session brings together health leaders to surface the signals that will shape health systems of the future.

Moderator: Ana Carcani Rold, CEO & Publisher, The Diplomatic Courier

Speaker:

H.E. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Egypt
Anil Soni, CEO, WHO Foundation
Daniella Foster, SVP & Global Head of Public Affairs, Market Access & Sustainability, Bayer Consumer Health

From Influence to Impact: Football's Power to Shape a More Sustainable, Healthy and Inclusive World

11:00 - 11:20 AM EDT

Football is the world's most popular sport, reaching people across every region, culture and generation. Its influence extends well beyond the pitch, shaping attitudes, inspiring action and creating conversations on some of the world's most pressing challenges.

The United Nations Football for the Goals (FFTG) initiative brings together nearly 500 football organizations worldwide to harness this global reach in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through advocacy, community engagement and practical action, FFTG members and Champions are demonstrating how football can contribute to more sustainable, inclusive and resilient societies.

This SDG Media Zone conversation will bring together three influential voices from football to explore how the game can drive change on issues ranging from gender equality and women's economic empowerment to racial inclusion, environmental sustainability, mental health and responsible use of social media. The SDG Media Zone convenes influential voices to translate global priorities into compelling public conversations that inspire action.

Moderator: Shaka Hislop, former Premier League, and Trinidad and Tobago international player. Senior Soccer Analyst, ESPN

Speakers:

Eni Aluko, Former England international and UN Football for the Goals Champion
Lucas Leiva, Former Brazil international and Liverpool FC legend
Rishi Jain, Impact Director, Liverpool Football Club

Remembering Our Past, Shaping Our Future: How Disarmament Protects Communities

11:30 - 11:50 AM EDT

The production, testing, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction creates a long legacy of physical and psychological harm that survivors and their descendants must carry. This session highlights the intergenerational impacts of nuclear weapons on human health and well-being, drawing on the lessons of the past to inform effective disarmament action today and work actively to prevent the threats of tomorrow.

The session will open with a 1-minute trailer of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs's (ODA) new documentary 80 is the Most Dangerous Anniversary, which follows a hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor) and a downwinder (impacted by radioactive fallout from nuclear testing) as they meet for the first time at the United Nations. The trailer will be followed by a panel discussion on the imperative of reducing the human cost of weapons; the role of disarmament in advancing human health and well-being; relevant areas of work, including highlighting the ongoing work of the independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War; and how the United Nations has used artistic expression to bring these issues into public consciousness, especially among youth, in ways that encourage remembrance and inspire action.

Moderator: Spencer Cohen, New York Times

Speaker:

Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Frank Chi, Director, "80 is the Most Dangerous Anniversary"

Beyond Awareness: How Stories Drive Trust and Social Change in the AI Era

12:30 - 12:50 PM EDT

From Indigenous leadership and public health to entertainment, creators, and AI-powered communications, leaders explore how trust is built, audiences are engaged, and stories inspire meaningful action.

The communications landscape has fundamentally changed. AI is transforming how people discover information, creators have become trusted voices, entertainment increasingly shapes public discourse, and communities expect authentic participation rather than one-way messaging. For mission-driven organizations, success is no longer measured by how many people see a message, but by whether that message builds trust, shifts culture, and inspires action. Bringing together leaders from Indigenous advocacy, behavioral science, strategic communications, public health, entertainment, and the creator economy, this conversation explores how storytelling is evolving—and what organizations must do to create meaningful engagement in an AI-driven world.

Moderator: Shira Lazar — Emmy-Nominated Creator, Founder of What's Trending and Creators 4 Mental Health, 2026 TIME100 Creators Honoree

Speaker:

Zenaida Yasacama - Kichwa leader, Executive Director, Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance, the largest-ever Indigenous-led Amazon basin conservation initiative
Elissa Scherer – Programs Lead, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Ivy Sheibar – Vice President of Partnerships, Pique Action
Justin Markell – Director of Media, The PVBLIC Foundation

Town Hall: Content Creators

11:30 - 11:50 AM EDT

Content creators are increasingly shaping how people understand and engage with global issues, using accessible, human-centered storytelling to connect complex conversations with diverse audiences.

During UNGA High-Level Week, creators from different regions, generations, and fields will engage with UN leaders, experts, activists, policymakers, and other changemakers, bringing these conversations back to their communities in their own voices and formats. Building on conversations and experiences from throughout the week, the Town Hall will invite creators to reflect on what they experienced, learned, and found surprising, and explore how creators can broaden engagement with the SDGs, strengthen public understanding, and help move audiences from awareness to action.

Moderator:

Speaker: