GloCha UN HQ NY Conference 2025 – Local Action for Global Challenges & Emerging Technologies

GloCha UN HQ NY Conference & Exhibit 2025

Local Action for Global Challenges – Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies, Innovation & Youth for Our Common Future

Thursday 18th of September 2025, 10 AM – 8 PM EDT

UN HQ NY, Trusteeship Council Chamber (Venue subject to final approval)

With live and on-demand web-broadcast on UN WebTV (link to broadcast Part I & Part II)

Registration: https://forms.gle/eAytij8JYA3QUJPa7 

Organizers:

Partners: 

  • CODES Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (tbc) 
  • Rotary@COP30 Committee 
  • Bioregional Embassy
  • International Academy for Art and Cultural Studies (IAA)
  • COP30 Presidency – Permanent Mission of Brazil to the UN in NY (tbc)
  • Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of Uganda 
  • GIZ 
  • Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) 

Aim 

This conference focuses on engaging citizens/youth, promoting digital innovation, and localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in times of increasing climate crisis and growing uncertainties. It brings together various stakeholders to explore creative solutions and governance innovations, connecting and empowering in a global ecosystem – with a particular focus on the systemic role of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) – local multi-stakeholder action for the global common good, which is essential for a sustainable future and a good life for all.

Draft Agenda 

10.00 – 11.15 Opening session – Thematic Introduction & High Level Panel

Moderator:  Josephine Gore, International Organization of Youth

Thematic Introduction – Miroslav Polzer, IAAI GloCha & Climate Chain Coalition 

Audience engagement with Slido

High Level Panel:

11.15 – 13.00 Digital Public Infrastructure for Global Challenges Action Empowerment and Global Governance Innovation

  • Pedro Ivo Ferraz da Silva, Coordinator for scientific and technological affairs and bilateral relations, Department of Climate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil COP30 Presidency – Digital Public Infrastructure for Climate:  COP30 Presidency perspectives & DPI4PP Challenge (video message)
  • Alexandre Caldas, President and Chairman of Kiplomacy (International Leader for Humanity, Peace and Development) – Building the enabling ecosystem for all of society engagement in global challenges action
  • Douglas Ragan, UN Habitat Youth Programme  (video message)
  • Miroslav Polzer, Susanna Choe– GloCha DPI: Empowering Local Action for Global Challenges through Digital Public Infrastructure & DPI4ACE (Digital Public Infrastructure for Action for Climate Empowerment) initiative 
  • Hossein Hassani, IAAI GloCha & IIASA and Mirjana Dominovic, EU INTERREG Central Europe Programme Secretariat, Technology Enabled Citizens Engagement – The JETforCE (Just Energy Transition for Central Europe) Challenges Mapping Tool   
  • Victoire Mandonnaud, CEO and Founder @ On My Way: real-time SDG mobilization – Startup perspectives on DPI needs and potentials
  • Diana Barrero Zalles, Global Blockchain Business Council, Unlocking Global Challenges Action with Emerging Technologies: Web3 DPI Use cases 
  • Dino Cataldo Dell’Accio, Chief Information Officer at United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund – DPI Good Practice Case: Digital Identities 
  • Jason Fang, Founder, Sora Ventures, Harnessing the Wealth of Digital Assets for Global Goals Implementation 
  • Julia Fink, GIZ – Twin Transition Hubs, DPI for NDCs and Carbon Markets Capacity Building (video message)
  • Angelica Shamerina, UNDP, Program Advisor for Climate Change, GEF Small Grants Program
  • UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub (video message)
  • Sushmita Shekar, Social Capital App, a community currency for social good

13.00 – 15.00 Lunch break

15.00 – 16.30 Digital Public Infrastructure for Local Climate Finance Innovation 

Moderator:  Susanna Choe, GloCha Fdt NY & Bioregional Embassy

  • Alexey Shadrin, Unlocking climate finance for local climate action with emerging technologies – Evercity, Climate Chain Coalition & Bonn GCF project formation workshop report and COP30 Digital Innovation Pavilion 
  • Green Climate Fund representative – DPI for Locally Led Climate Action Financing (to be confirmed)
  • Gerelmaa Batchuluun, Orda
  • Austin Wade Smith, Regen Foundation
  • Bhutan project presentation
  • Alberto Palombo, Rotary@COP30 Committee – Unlocking the potentials of 1.2 Million Rotary members & 30 000 local hubs for locally led climate action with the help of DPI (virtual)
  • John Havens, IEEE Planet Positive initiative – Smart Standards for Smart Sustainable Communities 
  • Susanna Choe, Bioregional Embassy 
  • Sydney Griffith, Kinship Earth & Planetary Party Protocol
  • Eric Hansel, Scubaverse, & H.E. Amb. Philbert Aaron, Permanent Representative of Dominica to the United Nations New York & Lóránt Czárán, UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) – Digital Public Infrastructure for Ocean Action Empowerment 
  • Padmini Murthy,  Health Innovation Exchange, Professor Emeritus Public Health New York Medical College, DPI for innovative financing of shared public infrastructure for climate and health resilience

16.30 – 17.00 Youth Perspectives on Digital Public Infrastructure (session led by IOY)

17.00 – 18.00 Spaces, Resources, Knowledge, Edutainment & Tools 

Moderator:  Christina Stevens, IAAI GloCha & Evolution Love

Exhibition & Reception :

9 to 19 September 2025 , UN Conference Building, 1st floor, Curved Wall space

The title of the exhibit is “Mastering Global Challenges with Local Action – Emerging Technologies, Innovation & Youth Empowerment for Our Common Future”. 

The exhibit highlights innovative, citizen-centered solutions that empower youth and local communities to take meaningful action on global challenges, especially climate change and sustainable development. It showcases the GloCha (Global Challenges) Partnership’s pioneering work in building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Global Challenges Action Empowerment.

Furthermore, there will be held a reception on 18  September 2025, 6-8 PM