On September 22, the Future Summit officially opened at the United Nations headquarters in New York, with the participation of numerous high-ranking leaders from countries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and business sectors.

The summit, initiated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, aims to foster discussions and cooperation on global challenges such as climate change, scientific and technological development, social equity, and enhanced global governance.

Leading the high-level Vietnamese delegation, President To Lam delivered a keynote speech at the event. He highlighted that humanity is at a historic juncture, with the opportunity to transition into a new, better era.

During the opening remarks, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the world is in a transformative phase. He stressed that the Future Summit marks a crucial moment to propose breakthrough solutions for challenges that have surpassed individual nations' capacity, including conflict, climate change, natural disasters, and pandemics.

UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang emphasized that within every challenge lies an opportunity to innovate and reform. He called on nations to unite for a prosperous future for all, stressing the importance of strong global cooperation.

Party Chief and President To Lam acknowledged that the Future Summit presents a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for the international community to agree on a unified vision and actions to create a brighter future for generations to come.

In his speech, President To Lam emphasized that human intellect has transformed the world and daily life, yet humans are also responsible for many of the current global challenges, including climate change, pandemics, resource depletion, and the creation of weapons of mass destruction.

“Our choices today will shape the future,” he said, adding that the well-being of humanity must be placed at the center of all global efforts, as the highest priority.

Mr. To Lam stressed that scientific and technological achievements must serve social progress and focus on the comprehensive development of humanity. These advances should aim to improve living standards, eliminate poverty, and create a fair and just society. He also called for cooperation to ensure these achievements are not used as tools to undermine peace, development, or justice.

To achieve these goals in this critical era, Party General Secretary and President To Lam called for stronger global unity, mutual respect, adherence to international law, and the UN Charter. He advocated for peaceful resolutions to disputes, along with increased investments in research that benefits humanity, such as medicine, education, digital transformation, and green technology.

The Party Chief and President of Vietnam urged all nations, especially major powers, to act responsibly and share the benefits of scientific and technological advancements for mutual development. He emphasized the need to support the United Nations' central role in fostering cooperation and addressing global challenges, including taking advantage of scientific and technological progress.

He affirmed that humanity is on the cusp of a historic opportunity to lead the world into a new era of development, one marked by progress, fairness, and the well-being of all people. With unified action, humanity can shape a prosperous future for all.

Mr. To Lam confirmed Vietnam’s commitment to contributing actively and effectively to global efforts to build a peaceful, equal world where everyone can enjoy a life of prosperity and happiness.

The Future Summit concluded with the adoption of key documents, including the "Vision for the Future" and the "Global Digital Compact." These documents outline comprehensive, ambitious goals for all areas of cooperation at the United Nations.

Specific priorities include increasing investment, mobilizing resources to accelerate progress on sustainable development goals, establishing foundational principles for digital and technological cooperation, and transforming global institutions to ensure a brighter future for current and future generations.

Tran Thuong