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Patrick Paul Walsh

In 2015, the world came together to adopt an ambitious plan for global development: the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Subsequent global shocks and setbacks, however, have increasingly underscored our shared vulnerabilities and hindered our progress towards a peaceful, prosperous, equitable and sustainable future. International cooperation and collective action are needed more than ever; yet our existing systems of multilateral engagement weren’t designed for the complex, interconnected, and rapidly-changing world in which we live.

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In 2015, the world came together to adopt an ambitious plan for global development: the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Subsequent global shocks and setbacks, however, have increasingly underscored our shared vulnerabilities and hindered our progress towards a peaceful, prosperous, equitable and sustainable future. International cooperation and collective action are needed more than ever; yet our existing systems of multilateral engagement weren’t designed for the complex, interconnected, and rapidly-changing world in which we live.

It’s time for the United Nations to turbocharge.

In 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued Our Common Agenda, his vision for the future of international cooperation. Our Common Agenda aims to “turbocharge” action on the SDGs and, most poignantly, presents practical recommendations to transform global governance for the 21st century. Its publication started a conversation that will culminate in September 2025 at the World Social Summit where all countries will recommit to the UN charter and trust in multilateralism. The Summit of the Future in 2024 is an important step towards reinvigorating multilateralism where UN Member States will deliberate on three global compacts to transform international cooperation up to 2030 and beyond.

To support this vision and inform the Summit, the Secretary-General has released 11 thematic policy briefs to provide more detail on proposals for the Summit and aid Member States as they prepare for deliberations. The topics of these 11 policy briefs have been further condensed into five Chapters for the Summit, namely: Financing, Peace and Security, Digital Cooperation, Youth and Future Generations, and Global Governance.

The Summit of the Future marks a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reframe global governance for the future. Revitalizing Multilateralism for a Sustainable Future is designed to help you understand and prepare for it.

In this unique course, Prof. Patrick Paul Walsh will guide learners through the past, present, and future of the global development agenda, examining the five Chapters, 11 policy briefs, and three Compacts with the aid of renowned leaders in the field of sustainable development. Through recorded videos from the prestigious Global Classroom lecture series and other high-profile fora, learners will hear from experts in global governance, finance, digital transformation, and more, and consider the Summit of the Future in light of their insights.

Following the Summit, new modules will be added to discuss the outcomes and preparations for the 2nd UN World Social Summit in September 2025.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Take stock of where we are at the mid-point of the sdgs and what more needs to be done before 2030.
  • Explore the origins of our common agenda and the goals for the summit of the future in september 2024.
  • Understand the multilateral process for adopting the three compacts at the summit.
  • Dive into the 11 thematic policy briefs that will inform the summit and explore the new challenges and opportunities for multilateralism in the 21st century.
  • Consider how you can contribute to reimagining and revitalizing global cooperation in your spheres of influence.

Syllabus

I. Welcome to the Course
A. Introducing Our Common Agenda and the UN Summit of the Future
B. Jeffrey Sachs. "Sustainable Development: The Future We Want."
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C. Jan-Gustav Strandenaes. "The Agenda that Changed the World."
II. The Five Chapters
A. Chapter 1: Financing
1. Introduction
2. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 4: Beyond GDP
3. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 6: International Finance Architecture
4. Jeffrey Sachs at COP28: "SDG Stimulus: Financing the Sustainability Transition across the world."
5. Phoebe Koundouri. 2022. "Financing the sustainability transition and transformations."
6. Glenn Yago & Sir Ronald Cohen. 2020. "The Impact Revolution: Development Practice to Build the Investment Pipeline for Sustainable Solutions."
7. Anthony Annett. 2022. "The Vision of Cathonomics."
B. Chapter 2: Peace and Security
2. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 9: A New Agenda for Peace
3. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 7: For All Humanity – the Future of Outer Space Governance
4. 2024 ECOSOC Partnership Forum: SDG Action Segment for Goal 16
5. Jeffrey Sachs's Testimony at the UN Security Council Meeting - November 20, 2023
6. John F. Kennedy's "A Strategy for Peace" 60 Years Later
C. Chapter 3: Digital Cooperation
2. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 5: Global Digital Compact
3. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 8: Information Integrity
4. SDSN TReNDS Roundtable: Governing the Data Revolution
5. Jeffrey Sachs. "Implementing the UNESCO OER Recommendation."
6. UN Chief on the Digital Platforms Policy Brief
D. Chapter 4: Youth and Future Generations
2. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 1: To Think and Act for Future Generations
3. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 10: Transforming Education
4. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 3: Meaningful Youth Engagement in Policy and Decision-making Processes
5. Patrick Paul Walsh. "Economics of Transforming Education and Professional Training for Sustainable Development."
6. Jeffrey Sachs. Opening Remarks on Solutions Day, UN Transforming Education Summit.
7. Ilan Enverga. "Meaningful Youth Engagement."
E. Chapter 5: Global Governance
2. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 2: Emergency Platform
3. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 11: UN 2.0
4. Paula Caballero. "Redefining Development."
5. Patrick Paul Walsh. "The Economics of Sustainable Development."
III. The Three Compacts
A. Introduction
B. Pact for the Future
V. Declaration on Future Generations
D. Global Digital Compact
IV. Enhancing multilateralism and thinking ahead to the 2nd World Social Summit in 2025
Following the Summit of the Future in September 2024, new content will be added to discuss the outcomes and preparations for the UN World Social Summit in September 2025.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Explores the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015, which is standard in discussions on contemporary global development issues
Taught by Patrick Paul Walsh and features insights from renowned leaders in the field of sustainable development, which adds credibility to the content
Examines Our Common Agenda, a vision for the future of international cooperation released by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in 2021, which is highly relevant to understanding the current discourse on global development
Analyzes the five Chapters and 11 policy briefs that will inform the Summit of the Future in 2024, which is useful for understanding the key topics and recommendations for transforming global governance
Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials, such as recorded videos and high-profile fora discussions, which enhances the learning experience

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Revitalizing Multilateralism for a Sustainable Future with these activities:
Read "The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023"
Review the progress and challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to contextualize the course materials.
Show steps
  • Read through the report to gain an overview of the progress made towards each SDG.
  • Pay special attention to the challenges and obstacles highlighted in the report.
  • Consider how the findings of the report align with your own understanding of the SDGs.
Navigate the UN website and resources
Familiarizes learners with the organization and resources they will use in the course.
Show steps
  • Explore the UN homepage and key sections.
  • Locate specific information on the SDGs and Our Common Agenda.
  • Subscribe to relevant UN publications and newsletters.
Review the history of global development
Provides context for the current state and future plans for sustainable development.
Show steps
  • Read the course introduction and overview.
  • Review UN history and milestones, such as the Millennium Development Goals.
  • Explore timelines and interactive resources on global development.
Two other activities
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Show all five activities
Compile a glossary of key terms
Supports understanding and retention of important concepts in the field of sustainable development.
Show steps
  • Identify key terms from assigned readings and discussions.
  • Define and record the terms in a digital or physical glossary.
  • Review the glossary regularly to reinforce understanding.
Practice applying the SDGs to real-world scenarios
Enhances understanding of how the SDGs can be used to address global challenges.
Show steps
  • Identify specific case studies or issues.
  • Analyze the situation and apply relevant SDGs.
  • Develop concrete solutions or recommendations.

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Learners who complete Revitalizing Multilateralism for a Sustainable Future will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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