The UN summit will adopt a "Pact for the Future" to secure sustainable development and international cooperation. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown
General Secretary Burghardt leads Lutheran presence at world leaders’ summit in New York
(LWI) The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt leads a delegation to the United Nations in New York this weekend to attend the Summit of the Future and preceding Action Days. The 22 to 23 September summit is billed as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to build trust and forge consensus among world leaders to tackle today's challenges while safeguarding the planet for future generations.
“The Summit is a much-needed opportunity to strengthen multilateral cooperation and work towards effective solutions to the many crises facing our world today,” said General Secretary Burghardt. “As the LWF, we bring hands-on experience and faith-based insights and solutions to responding to some of these crises, from global migration flows to the climate emergency, as well as our work for peacebuilding, development, human rights, youth and women’s empowerment in countries around the globe.”
An action-oriented Pact for the Future
On Saturday at midday, Burghardt and Rev Khader El-Yateem from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will be offering reflections at a dialogue on promoting transformative peace. With the rates of global conflict climbing to their highest levels since the Second World War last year, this event will explore the drivers of violent conflict and examine the vital role of faith and traditional actors in both responding to conflicts and working to build lasting and just peace.
On Sunday and Monday, the delegation will attend the Summit at the UN headquarters as world leaders move to adopt an action-oriented Pact for the Future. This ambitious vision statement lays out a series of goals for financing sustainable development, international peace and security, science, technology and digital cooperation, youth and future generations and reforming global governance.
We bring our hands-on experience and faith-based insights in responding to some of these crises facing our world today.
LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt
On Sunday evening, Rev. Burghardt will preside at jazz vespers in midtown Manhattan's Saint Peter’s Church and on Monday morning, she will offer a prayer during an ecumenical children's prayer service in the Chapel of the Church Centre for the United Nations. Later in the day, she will speak at an inaugural panel for the Trilateral Partnership of regional faith-based networks for the Sustainable Development Goals [SDG's].
Rev. El-Yateem, ELCA's executive director for service and justice, will speak at an event on Saturday entitled Migration for the Future, while Rev. Amy Reumann, senior director for ELCA's Witness in Society, will be one of the speakers at an event on Friday examining interfaith youth responses to the century's biggest challenges: faith-based contributions to the Summit of the Future.
During the visit to New York, General Secretary Burghardt and the LWF delegation with meet also with ministers, ambassadors and other officials from Palestine, Ireland, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe, among others governments.
The visit is jointly prepared and coordinated by the LWF’s Action for Justice and the Lutheran Office for World Community, which is a joint advocacy office of the LWF and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Follow the delegation in LWF’s social media channels.
