Our Future Agenda Quarterly Oct 25

EDITOR'S NOTE

UN80, decoded for real life

If you’ve ever thought the UN is just speeches and acronyms, this issue is for you.

On its 80th birthday, the United Nations is attempting a hard reset – streamlining how it works and re-earning public trust at the exact moment the world needs cooperation the most. Our job in this edition is simple: decode UNGA80 and show how big-room decisions connect to daily life.

Here’s how to read this issue:

General Assembly Decoded opens with five signals from the podium: the UN is still where the hardest problems get tackled; young countries are setting the pace; youth voice is moving from presence to power; future generations are finally part of the global brief; and South–South solutions are scaling. You’ll see global leader commitments you can screenshot.
UN in 80 Seconds translates the UN’s alphabet soup into your day: internet standards, safe water, road rules, cleaner air, digital rights, ocean treaties, and the rights that back you from morning to night.
Cracking the UN Code demystifies the acronyms you heard all week. (Yes, there is a difference between UNGA, UNSC, ECOSOC, and why it matters.)
Youth Spotlight covers two big moments: WPAY @ 30 (from consultation to co-decision, with tangible policy shifts) and the Youth 2100 Dialogue (hope with a deadline, and proof points the next SG should deliver within 500 days).
Around the World is your culture-policy bridge – K-Pop Demon Hunters, Labubu’s “cute economy,” the global matcha squeeze, and the Nobel week that reminds us why science, literature, economics, and peace still matter.
Finally, UN80 Now / Next explains the reform: what is changing, why it matters for trust and delivery, and what to watch. It also highlights top achievements from the UN and includes a creative story with a letter from 2045, celebrating the UN's 100th birthday.

If you’re young, globally curious, or simply skeptical, we wrote this for you: plain language, proof over posture, and a steady focus on the choices that will shape 2030 – and 2100. The UN doesn’t need cheerleaders. It needs doers. Let’s get to work.

Our Future Agenda