The Summit of the Future

The outcome of the United Nations Summit of the Future was the adoption of a potentially far-reaching Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact, and Declaration on Future Generations, which surprised many skeptics who viewed present geopolitical conditions as non-conducive to enhancing global cooperation. After first retracing the lead-up to the Summit, with an emphasis on the role of civil society and multi-stakeholder ImPact Coalitions, the article makes three main points regarding post-Summit trajectories. It argues, first, that the current climate of mistrust in the system has also generated the political will to commit to change. Second, it stresses the need for serious planning and utilizing subsequent multiplier effects that will shape the future of the multilateral system. Lastly, the article elaborates on the critical torch- bearing and knowledge- management role of civil society and other stakeholders in the further implementation and follow-through of the Summit’s commitments.