Marking the anniversary of the day the United Nations Charter came into force, the Baha’i International Community (BIC) hosted events on the path leading to the Summit of the Future, scheduled for September 2024, and on the nexus between peace, trust, and solidarity. 

The “Once in a Generation, One Year to Go” event, the 11th in the BIC’s “Road to the Summit” series, drew over 150 attendees in person and online. It featured, as lead-off speakers, Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, and Brenda Mofya, Head of the UN New York Office of Oxfam International.  

“In the coming year, we hope to develop joint understanding around a compelling vision for the future, to encourage partnerships, and to demonstrate that we are all moving forward in a shared endeavor, each with our distinct roles and responsibilities,” said BIC Representative Daniel Perell, in opening remarks. 

Following this was a second event titled “Global Structural Challenges and Opportunities for Building Trust and Solidarity,” the 6th in the BIC’s series “Promise of World Peace: A Coherent Approach to Peace and Security.”

Featuring Myriam Oehri, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Mission of Liechtenstein to the United Nations, and Rahel Beigel, Co-Chair of the NGO CSW Peace for Gender Equality Working Group, the event drew a mix of diplomatic personnel, UN officials, and representatives of civil society.

“The central aim of the United Nations Charter—to build lasting peace—is beset by numerous challenges,” acknowledged BIC Representative Liliane Nkunzimana.

“How do we, together, start to chart a path of transition?” she asked participants in opening remarks. “It is important for us to remember that, ultimately, we are interdependent and that we share a mutual interest to secure a common, prosperous future.”

Summary documents were created for both the Road to the Summit event (available here) and the Promise of Word Peace event (available here).