Focus of UN 'Summit of Future' on youth, sustainable development, harnessing technology: Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish

New York [US], September 21 : Elaborating on the agenda of the upcoming UN 'Summit of the Future', India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations at New York, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, said that the summit will focus on youth, as the future lies with them and India has the largest youth component globally.
While speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Harish also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the summit is being eagerly awaited as he presents the message of Indian youth at the global stage.
"We look forward eagerly to PM's visit and to hear his message. But, as the Secretary-General said, we have a system built by our grandfathers, and this is not a future that we can leave for our grandchildren. So, the focus of the summit is the future, and our youth are the future. India has the largest youth component globally," P Harish said.
"I think when PM speaks, he brings the message of the youth of India to the whole world - what are their aspirations, what is their example, what is their contribution to our development process, to our growth process. I think the focus here is going to be on sustainable development, financing for development," he added.
PM Modi will address 'Summit of the Future' at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23. The theme of the summit is 'Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow'.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called the Summit a 'once in a generation UN Summit'. 'Summit of the Future' is an important milestone in the history of the UN as it enters the 80th year of its establishment in 2025.
A large number of global leaders are expected to participate in the summit. Prime Minister Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders and discuss issues of mutual interest, on the sidelines of the summit.
The Ambassador further said that a significant focus will be paid to increase the youth's involvement in all aspects of governance and nation-building.
"A significant focus will be on looking at how we can harness technologies. Again, keeping in view. The focus is on the future and that we need to involve the youth. How do we bring in the youth in all aspects of governance, in all aspects of nation-building, and in all aspects of our development process? I think this will be a big focus and we are eagerly waiting to look forward and to hear the Prime Minister's message," he added.
The envoy highlighted that new technologies will be looked upon, and new developments in science and technology have brought forth new areas like AI, biotechnology.
"At the UN, this is an important issue for us, along with our friends and partners, to see how we can counter-terrorism and how to ensure that there is no financing for terrorism...I think we will also be looking at the new technologies that have come up, new developments in science and technology have brought forth new areas like AI, biotechnology - how do we harness these technologies, and how we have a governance structure for these technologies that is equitable and which will ensure that countries of the Global South have access to these technologies in an affordable manner..." the envoy said.
PM Modi's three-day visit to the US begins Saturday, September 21, packed with high-level meetings with global leaders, the annual Quad summit, and participation in key discussions at the United Nations.
He will participate in the Quad Leaders' Summit with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware, the hometown of US President Joe Biden.
The leaders will discuss regional security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Along with that, he will hold some key bilateral meetings during his visit.