Bridging intergenerational divides.
Powerful networks of change for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Brought to our attention by the New York Gray Panthers, which works with the UN
Today’s global challenges are daunting. One overlooked tool is the partnership between current older persons and the cohort of younger persons. We’ve often heard of challenges facing both poles of the age spectrum but projects and societal mindset utilizing the skills of both generations has been limited. Since time began, there has been love and appreciation between generations. In recent decades, this has evolved (in the public perception) to seeing older persons as primarily consumers of services. Younger persons are often seen as unskilled learners unsophisticated in the ways of the world.
Efforts for implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) plus other planning frameworks such as the Pact for the Future must address anticipated needs. Every policy framework should specifically include effective solutions addressing the situation of older persons today. Aside from the fact that younger persons are the older persons of tomorrow, older persons represent the fastest growing population cohort in most countries. There are innumerable examples of intergenerational collaboration toward progress to alleviate poverty, combat climate change, achieve zero hunger, and more.
- How can the world harness the creativity and industry of older persons as well as younger persons to create sustainable solutions to alleviate hunger, poverty, climate change?
- How can the Pact for the Future address the issues facing older persons today and tomorrow?
- How can policies of Member States reflect the reality of the ever-increasing demographics of ageing with regard to the SDGs?
- How can the generations come together to create sustainable long-term change? What are examples which might be replicated?
Background about the overall UN forum this is part of
The 2024 session of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will be the 12th session of the HLPF and will take place in July 2024.
The meeting will be held from Monday, 8 July, to Friday, 12 July, and from Monday, 15 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2024, under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The second week will include a three-day ministerial segment, convening as a part of the high-level segment of the Council.
The HLPF is the main UN platform on sustainable development. It has a central role in the follow-up and review of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs. All UN Member States as well as representatives from civil society organizations participate in the HLPF, which meets under the auspices of ECOSOC.
HLPF 2024 will take place on the theme, ‘Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions’. It will conduct in-depth review of SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals).
Read about the outcomes of HLPF 2023 here.