Anglicans will share voices of faith at the UN’s Summit of the Future in September

[Anglican Communion News Service] From topics of artificial intelligence, climate change, conflict and growing youth populations, Anglicans will be represented at the United Nations “Summit of the Future” September 22-23. Martha Jarvis from the Anglican Communion’s U.N. Team will be attending the summit in New York.

The summit is a gathering of world leaders that aims to forge a new international consensus on delivering a “better present” and safeguarding the future.

This year’s theme is “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow.” It’s an important theme at a time when global confidence in the idea of multilateralism is waning. Critics point to situations of conflict where international law is disregarded, or where countries struggle to meet climate change commitments, so the U.N.’s desire to reform multilateralism is an important counter.

The summit will be calling leaders to issue a “pact” that commits them to joint action on everything from AI and autonomous weapons, growing youth populations and climate change, to worsening international conflict and making improvements to how the U.N. operates in the world.

Speaking on the importance of the summit, Jarvis said, “The commitments world leaders make at the Summit of the Future could shape the lives of generations to come. They need our support in prayer and our accountability. We can also show, as Jesus showed, that different ways into the future are possible. In our churches, we are creating respect across the generations, building cultures of peace and increasing collaboration between science and faith. Given that the vast majority of the world, roughly 80%, follow a religion and so will be processing questions about their future through the lens of their faith, the power of this shouldn’t be underestimated.”

Anglican representation at the summit will stress the important role churches can play in all these changes because of their trusted presence in many communities across the world. In particular, churches’ support for intergenerational dialogue, mediating in conflict, building peace and facilitating collaboration between science and faith to tackle global challenges will be highlighted.

On youth: Representation will focus on the need for listening, intergenerational dialogue and accountability in our politics and our churches. The recent Gen Z demonstrations in Kenya saw young people mobilizing to call the government to account against a tax bill. In July, the Anglican Church of Kenya spoke out about the situation, calling for peace and accountability (see the ACNS news story here).

On peace: Representation will focus on the need for governments to change course to avoid conflicts escalating. Ceasefires are possible and necessary in wars devastating the Holy Land, Sudan and many other countries. In these cases and others, there are opportunities for faith communities, governments and the U.N. to work more effectively together to bring peace. Anglicans mediate political conflicts and work for justice around the world. Churches of the Anglican Communion currently are involved in mediation or justice work in a number of places, including South Sudan, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan and Brazil.

On science: Representation will focus on the importance of faith and science communities working together for the betterment of people and planet. Often at the heart of their communities, faith groups can be science communicators. Around the world, Anglican churches are active in mobilizing communities in response to climate crisis, promoting health education for disease prevention or vaccine confidence, or adopting new technologies in sustainable farming. Increasing collaboration between faith and science groups will be vital in global development and justice.

Through their presence at the Summit of The Future, the Anglican U.N. team wants to raise attention among global leaders for the voice and experience of Anglican churches, who are working on the front line of many of the issues being discussed.

After the event, they will continue to build on outcomes from discussions, so that Anglicans around the globe can advocate and work for change in their settings.