Protecting the Rights and Wellbeing of Future Generations through Institutional Representatives

Establishing a UN Special Envoy for Future Generations and Representatives/Guardians of Future Generations at local, national and regional levels.

An online event in held in conjunction with preparations for the UN Summit of the Future.

Date: 5th September 2024 (Thursday)

Event Flyer with List of Speakers

This event will be held in two repeat sessions to enable participation from time zones around the world: 
Session 1 timed for Asia/Pacific: UTC 6am / CET 8am / Kathmandu 11:45 / Bangkok 13:00 / Tokyo 15:00 / Canberra 16:00 / Suva 18:00. Register for Session 1.

Session 2 timed for Americas/Africa/Europe/Middle East: San Francisco 8am / Eastern Time 11am / Santiago 12noon / UTC 15:00 / CET 17:00 / Nairobi 18:00. Register for Session 2.

In Our Common Agenda, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proposed three key initiatives to build institutional “representation for succeeding generations, including through a repurposed Trusteeship Council, a Declaration on Future Generations, and a United Nations Special Envoy for Future Generations.”

The proposal for a UN Envoy for Future Generations has been promoted by World Future Council and others in conjunction with promoting the establishment of Representatives (Guardians, Ombudspersons or Commissioners) of Future Generations at local, national, regional and multilateral levels.

Representatives of Future Generations is a broad term relating to a range of institutional entities of a political, legal or administrative nature. Some representatives are appointed individuals, such as an Ombudsperson or Guardian of Future Generations. Others are an established body such as a Commission or Committee for Future Generations. The purpose of such representatives is to ensure that the rights and wellbeing of future generations are taken into account in policies and decisions made today. The representatives act much like an auditor – an independent, external post that reviews policy developments, to ensure their consistency with the rights of future generations.

There are already a handful of such representatives established at local, national and regional levels. These include the Hungary Ombudsperson for Future Generations established in 2007, Malta Guardian of Future Generations established in 2012, the Wales Future Generations Commissioner established in 2015, and the Oxfordshire Council Champion for Future Generations established in 2024. This event will draw upon the experiences of existing Representatives of Future Generations to illuminate the role and importance of a UN Special Envoy, and to encourage the establishment of additional representatives for future generations at local, national and regional levels around the

Cosponsors:
Basel Peace Office, Citizens for Global Solutions, Earth Governance ImPACT Coalition, Future Generations ImPACT Coalition, Office of the Wales Future Generations Commissioner, Partnership for Future Generations in Africa, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy, World Future Council and Youth Negotiators Academy.

For further information contact ware@wfm-igp.org