A group of 58 “international leaders who have served as heads of state, ministers of government and leaders of intergovernmental and civil society organizations” (CSOs) have published an open letter on the most recent draft of the Pact for the Future – the main outcome under negotiation for the Summit of the Future (SoF) in September. They call on Member States to ensure that the Pact’s actions and commitments “are supported directly by concurrent implementation efforts [and] backed-up by clear benchmarks and monitoring mechanisms.”

The open letter cites civil society’s demonstrated commitment to work for a successful SoF outcome, including through the introduction of a “bold and far-reaching” People’s Pact for the Future.

Based on the Interim People’s Pact from March 2023 and enriched by the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference (2024UNCSC), the People’s Pact for the Future “embodies the collective aspirations of diverse communities worldwide,” prioritizing the common good. It outlines concrete proposals for the chapeau and each of the five chapters of the Pact for the Future, which “demand political courage but promise universal benefits,” emphasizing the critical role of civil society in achieving a more just, fair, and sustainable future.

The People’s Pact for the Future concludes by highlighting that today, “[h]umanity is more interdependent and more interconnected… across both geography and generations” and that “[g]eographic and political borders are no longer the sole lens through which to view” it. It notes that the recommendations presented in the document serve as a starting point for deliberations about civil society’s expectations for the UN and “a significant step in the building of trust between international institutions and the citizens of the world.”

The open letter further references the ImPact Coalitions, established at 2024UNCSC “to raise the ambition and support follow-up on” the actions and commitments contained in the Pact for the Future. It calls on governments “to do their part” by delivering on promises and implementing commitments, “thus building trust and ensuring the wellbeing of present and future generations.”

The open letter highlights the SoF as “an important milestone and another step in the long journey toward greater justice, security, and sustainable development for all nations and peoples.” It argues in favor of robust follow-up with the active, sustained engagement of civil society who share the aspiration for more effective multilateralism, and calls for “a clear, well-designed and dynamic roadmap to implement the Pact for the Future.” [Press Release by the Coalition for the UN We Need] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on REV2 of the Pact for the Future]