The necessity of resolving the longstanding (often ancient) tension between racial and national groups across the world has never been greater than the present. The hatred, mistrust, and prejudice which exists between races and nations impede humanity’s forward march into the coming era.

Every year, when a new session of the General Assembly opens in September, the UN becomes a focus of global attention as Heads of State stand before the world body to declare their government’s perspective on current issues.

This year’s high-level events began with the all-important SDG Summit – an attempt to generate political leadership from governments to “recharge momentum” and “accelerate actions” designed to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The need is great as the promise and hope embodied in the Goals is “in deep peril.“ After some progress in the early years of the Goals, multiple global crises have reversed progress in key areas and today only 15% of the Goals’ targets are on track to be achieved by 2030.