DOHA, Qatar — In a moment when societies everywhere are searching for ways to respond to widening inequalities and rapid global change, the Second World Summit for Social Development, held in Doha, Qatar, opened a rare space for thousands of social actors to reflect together on the conditions shaping human well-being.
Cecilia Schirmeister, a member of the Bahá’í International Community’s delegation, served as a moderator of the high-level Civil Society Forum’s Opening Panel (link to recording). The Forum spanned two days and ran during the Summit, bringing senior officials from Government, Member States and UN agencies together with representatives from diverse civil society organizations to contribute to the Summit’s discussions on pressing social issues.
“In the same way that the human body cannot be said to be healthy if any one of its organs is unwell, the human family cannot reach true prosperity for all if any one segment of the population is suffering,” she said in her opening remarks.
Ms. Schirmeister invited attendees to reflect on the growing recognition of humanity’s interdependence, stating: “The well-being of the whole relies on, and in fact calls for, the well-being of all its parts.”
“We need to understand and address the root causes of inequalities,” she continued, emphasizing that systems of development need to be reimagined to prioritize the prosperity of all rather than the advancement of some at the expense of others.
The Summit drew some 14,000 participants from around the world, including 40 heads of state and government and over 230 ministers and senior officials. The gathering marked the 30th anniversary of the first World Summit for Social Development, held in Copenhagen in 1995.
The BIC delegation to the Summit included eight representatives from Egypt, India, Jordan, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
“It is highly significant that this Summit is being hosted here within the Arab world,” said Hatem El-Hady, representative of the BIC’s Cairo Office. “It reflects the many Arab actors and Arab societies striving to advance gender equality, social inclusion and cohesion, the eradication of poverty, decent employment, and the many other noble aims of social development.”
In remarks shared during the Summit, Saba Haddad, representative of the BIC’s Geneva Office, reflected on what the Summit revealed about the path ahead: “We observed a genuine desire for collective action to find effective solutions, centering on human dignity, capacity building, and directing humanity’s potential energies toward the prosperity of all humanity.”
Dr. Haddad added: “We leave this global summit carrying hope and determination to work together in a united spirit toward the material and spiritual prosperity of all humankind.”
