2018 UN General Assembly Philanthropic Side-Events

In September 2018 - representatives from government, civil society, and the corporate sector came together at the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City to discuss important global challenges, from hunger and poverty to climate change and disaster.

Hundreds of UNGA side-events brought together thousands of people, all working in different ways to “leave no one behind” and achieve the SDGs by 2030.

This listing of 2018 UNGA side-events sponsored by and/or featuring foundation and philanthropic leaders demonstrates the increasing importance of philanthropy in solving the biggest problems of today.


Thursday, SEPTEMBER 20, 2018


Capacity Building Across Borders: A Strategy for Funders and Partners

September 20, 2018 - 8:30am-10:00am

Synergos, 3 East 54, 2018 Street New York, NY 10022

Featuring: Synergos, Citi Foundation, Open Society Foundation and Dasra

Discuss the key findings from a new report that synthesizes interviews and learning from more than 50 organizations and funders from 23 countries to offer recommendations on developing a capacity-building strategy.


Harnessing Innovation Economic Stability

September 20, 2018 - 12:00pm-2:00pm

Trustee Dining Room, 23, 2018 Floor, 420 fifth Avenue New York, NY

Featuring: Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is holding a discussion on global innovations that contribute to significant and sustained economic stability and will showcase some of the innovations featured in the Atlas for Innovation for Economic Stability.


Better Lives Now: Leveraging Refugees Talents

September 20, 2018 - 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Millennium UN Plaza, New York, NY

Featuring: UNHCR, IKEA Foundation and Carnegie Corporation

RefugePoint and the Women’s Refugee Commission in cooperation with the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will launch the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative.

By Invitation Only


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018


Social Good Summit

September 23, 2018 - All day

92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128

Featuring: United Nations Foundation and 92nd St. Y

A dynamic exploration of the world we want to live in by 2030, the Social Good Summit will focus on how we can unlock technology’s potential to make the world a better place.


TB Innovation Summit Modernizing the Fight Against TB

September 23, 2018 - 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Featuring: Johnson & Johnson and the UN Foundation

The TB Innovation Summit will bring together a unique mix of leaders from the private, public and civil society sectors, as well as TB survivors, academics, donors, and not-so-usual actors, to discuss the importance and potential of innovation – from research and development (R&D) to delivery. 


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018


2018 Concordia Annual Summit

September 24-25, 2018

Grand Hyatt New York

Featuring: Concordia and many corporates and foundations

Concordia’s Annual Summit is a 2-day convening of over 2,000 leaders, influencers and decision makers working to drive transformative action by building partnerships for social impact.


Sustainable Development Impact Summit

September 24-25, 2018

Convene, 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Featuring: World Economic Forum and foundations like the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Building on the momentum of last year’s inaugural summit, the Forum will once again bring multiple voices to the world stage for discussions on sustainable development and to seek solutions to climate change.

By Invitation Only – Event Information


Data Driving Change: EM2030 SDG Gender Index Launch

September 24th, 12:30-2:30p,

Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY

Featuring: Equal Measures 2030

Leading gender, data and SDG advocates and policy-makers launch the Equal Measures 2030 SDG Gender Index framework, new Gender Advocates Data Hub, and global report.


UN Global Compact Leaders Summit

September 24, 2018

UN Headquarters

UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2018 will bring together an international community of leaders from business, investor groups, Government, the United Nations and civil society for a multi-stakeholder stocktaking on progress towards the achievement of the Global Goals at international, regional and local levels.

By Invitation Only – Event Information


Scaling Solutions and Shifting Systems: The Power of Collaboration

September 24, 2018 - 5:45pm- 8:45pm

Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave (at 38 Street) New York, NY

Featuring: Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Ford Foundation, Skoll Foundation, Porticus, DRK Foundation

The Scaling Solutions toward Shifting Systems initiative encourages funders to collaborate and place longer-term, more adaptive resources with grantees and investees.


Data to End World Hunger: High-Level General Assembly Side Event

September 24th, 6:30-8:15pm

United Nations Head Quarters. 405 E 42nd Street, New York, NY

Featuring: IFAD, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Global Partners for Sustainable Development Data

Aligning country visions and donor commitments to deliver sustainable development goal 2 and grow enough food to feed the world.


World Benchmarking Alliance Launch

September 24, 2018 - 7:30pm – Late

Celeste Bartos Forum at the New York Public Library (Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 476 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10018 - 42nd Street Entrance).

Featuring: UN Foundation

A special event to celebrate the launch of the World Benchmarking Alliance, the start of a new movement to unleash the full potential of business to contribute to a more sustainable world.

By Invitation Only


TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018


Unlocking Philanthropy for The SDG’s

September 25, 2018 - 8:00am – 11:00am

Cornell University, suite 201, 45 West 57th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), New York, NY

Featuring: WINGS, OECD, Council on Foundations, Charity Aid Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation 

The meeting will discuss philanthropy’s role in the development landscape and promote the ecosystem needed to support foundations to achieve maximum development impact, highlighting the role of development enablers and connecters to unlock the full potential of philanthropy for development.


Planetary Health

September 25 2018 - 9:00am – 10:30 am

Convene, 237 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021

Featuring: Johnson & Johnson

An exciting discussion and debate on the interconnections between human health and planetary health hosted by The Climate Group, in collaboration with The Rockefeller Foundation Economic Council on Planetary Health and Johnson and Johnson.


We the Future: Accelerating Sustainable Development Solutions

September 25, 2018 - 9:00am - 5:00pm

TED Theater, Soho, New York, NY

Featuring: United Nations Foundation

We live in contentious times. Yet behind the dismaying headlines and social-media-fueled quarrels, people around the world — millions of them, in fact — unrelentingly work on small and big problems, dreaming up new ways to expand the possible and build a better world.

By Invitation Only – Event Information


Driving Impact on SDG 2

September 25th 2018 - 9:30am-1:00pm

Kellogg’s KNYC Café, 31E. 17th Street, New York, NY

Featuring: Kellogg’s

Convened alongside the UN General Assembly, this integrative discussion will focus on creating tangible interventions that will lead to transformative change for both people and the planet.

By Invitation Only – Event Information


Empowering Girls, Opening Futures: Evidence-Based Programming for Indigenous Girls in the Americas

September 25th 10:00-11:30 AM

Population Council, New York City, NY

Featuring: Kellogg Foundation

Hear firsthand from indigenous women leaders and Population Council experts on evidence-based, girl-centered programs

Register Now


Innovative Financing for the SDGs

September 25, 2018 - 3:00pm – 5:00pm

UBS Offices, 1285 6, 2018 Ave, New York, NY

Featuring: Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

This session will explore innovative financing mechanisms to achieve the SDGs and cover topics such as high-level trends on private financing approaches that complement both official development assistance and philanthropic grantmaking.

By Invitation Only


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018


Bloomberg Global Business Forum

September 26, 2018 - 7:30am

Plaza Hotel, New York, NY

Featuring: Bloomberg Philanthropies

The second annual Bloomberg Global Business Forum is the only venue dedicated to convening the most important global leaders from public and private sectors to discuss and address these challenges to share prosperity and build crucial partnerships between business and government to ensure its continued success.

By Invitation Only – Event Information


Innovative Public-Private Partnerships to Accelerate Universal Health Coverage in Cities

September 26, 7:30-9:30am

The Westin New York Grand Central Hotel, 212 East 42nd Street, New York

Featuring: The Novartis Foundation

Have breakfast and discuss how innovative public-private partnerships are accelerating universal health coverage in countries stretching from Mongolia to Senegal.


Goal Keepers

September 26, 2018 - 9:00am – 4:30pm

Jazz at Lincoln Center, 10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY

Featuring: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Goalkeepers will focus on fostering the next generation– young leaders who can act, communicate and keep leaders accountable to deliver the Global Goals.

By Invitation Only – Event Information


SDGs In Brazil- The Role of The Private Sector

September 26, 2018 - 12:00pm

United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation

Featuring: UN Global Impact, PwC

This event is designed to stimulate debate on the contributions of the Brazilian private sector to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

By Invitation Only


Partnering with the Private Sector: How Data Can Improve Humanitarian Response

September 26, 1:45-2:30pm

United Nations Headquarters

Featuring: Hilton Foundation, UPS Foundation and Global Compact

The private sector is using data to become more effective and efficient. How can humanitarian organizations partner with the private sector to bring these same insights and techniques to emergency response?

By Invitation Only – Event Information


One Planet Summit

September 26, 2018 - 2:00-4:30pm

Plaza Hotel, New York, NY

Featuring: Bloomberg Philanthropies

Heads of State, business leaders, and other non-state actors, will once again come together to account for the implementation of commitments made at the One Planet Summit and build trust and collaboration for ongoing multilateral climate action.

By Invitation Only – Event Information

 


How Can We Improve Access to Essential NCD Medicines? The Lessons Learned from Insulin

September 26, 5:30 - 7:00 PM followed by reception 

Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (Suite 401, 230 Park Avenue, New York City)

Featuring: Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

Alongside the UN High-level Meetings, join Health Action International’s ACCISS Study for a panel event to discuss critical issues about non-communicable disease (NCD) medicines.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018


Making, Valuing and Communicating SDG Impact: U.S Business Signposts for the Next 5 Years

September 27th, 8:30am-2:00pm  

Deloitte Offices at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY

Featuring: US Council International Business

How businesses are embedding SDG’s, measuring and reporting private sector SGD impact? 

By Invitation Only – Event Information


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018


#SheIsEqual Summit

September 28, 2018 - 1:00pm

Playstation Theater, 1515 Broadway Street, New York, NY

Featuring: P&G, UN Foundation

The #SheIsEqual Summit will bring together the brightest minds in policy, media, entertainment, and the private sector to explore where positive impact can be made on gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, girls’ education, and advocacy.

By Invitation Only – Event Information

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Natalie Ross

Vice President, Membership, Development and Finance