The international system is facing a moment of reckoning. As geopolitical fragmentation deepens, climate and humanitarian crises intensify, and with technology accelerating disruption across every sector, multilateralism is under growing pressure to prove its relevance and effectiveness.

On Sept. 22, Devex and EY will bring together cross-sector leaders from the United Nations, governments, the private sector, philanthropy, and civil society for an evening of focused dialogue, big ideas, and collaborative problem-solving. Rather than dwell on fragmentation, this UNGA side event invites a more hopeful question: What would it take to build a faster and more inclusive system of international cooperation?

We’ll focus on how we can build a multilateral system that is nimble and impactful: leveraging technology, cross-sector partnerships, and more adaptive institutional models.

Five dynamic concurrent breakout sessions will focus on the following central themes:

• Future-proof operating models: What would agile, mission-driven multilateral institutions look like, and how might ecosystem thinking help align mandates and capabilities across agencies to enhance system-wide efficiency and impact?
• Building common ground in a multipolar world: How can we equip the current and next generation leaders to strengthen legitimacy through soft power, moral leadership, and clear, trust-building communication?
• Technology as an enabler and co-designer: How can we embed technology and the private sector at the heart of multilateral delivery, enabling tech partners to act as true co-designers who bring scalable, mission-aligned solutions.
• Cities, civil society, and the power of networked multilateralism: How do we ensure multilateralism is rooted in the realities of people and places?
• Sustainable financing: How can we use innovative financing instruments to mobilize private capital and build strategic partnerships?

Request your invitation to join us in person, or register to receive the event takeaways below!