It is difficult as we close this first quarter of the 21st century and the Jubilee year of Hope, to stay focused on the great hope of our faith and the belief so beautifully expressed in Dilexi Te (Pope Leo XIV, 2025) that God loves us and by serving people living in poverty, we love God.

The Vincentian family at the UN sees much suffering, caused by abuse of power, exclusion and inequality.  We see inaction, where we need actions, conflicts where we seek peace and people who are marginalized or rendered invisible because they are living in poverty in a world fascinated by wealth.  However, we move forward in our ministry of advocacy to express our belief that God’s mercy is from age to age. He throws down rulers from their thrones, lifts the lowly, fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty.  Luke,1:46-55 and we are compelled by his love to participate in His plan as did Mary.

As we approach the Second World Summit for Social Development 4-6 November 2025 in Doha Qatar, we encounter signs of hope.  Member States are reaffirming their commitments to the first  World Social Summit in Copenhagen to place people at the center of development in an effort to end poverty, provide productive employment and work toward social inclusion.  Over the last year, we have met with Member States along with our colleagues in Civil Society, to lift up the cry of people in poverty, suffering hunger and homelessness, or discrimination.  In these times of great anxiety at the UN due to economic, political and social instability and especially the proliferation of violence in our world, we see in this upcoming Summit positive efforts to move forward in Social Development.  As Pope Paul VI impressed on all—”If we want peace, we must work for justice”.

The Doha Political Declaration to be formally adopted by the Second World Summit for Social Development, has been agreed to by consensus through an intergovernmental negotiating process that took place at the United Nations in New York over the past year. The Declaration marks a pivotal moment in the global effort to accelerate social progress, eradicate poverty, and build more inclusive, just, and sustainable societies. We know that the 2^nd World Summit on Social Development will not generate the excitement of the first that took place in Copenhagen in 1995, but we are assured of the commitment of 193 member states and the agencies of the United Nations to progress in areas that we believe will move our world in a positive direction.

The negotiated Political Declaration for the Summit expresses a positive commitment to:

• Solidarity, effective multilateralism, inclusive international cooperation, and human rights
• Addressing inequality of wealth among nations and people
• A recognition of the need to take urgent and ambitious climate action
• Inclusion of peoples with disabilities, youth and older people, and women, especially as we work to close the digital divide and tend to the upskilling and reskilling of the existing workforce as well as reinforcing the premise that primary and secondary education must be free
• Achieving universal health coverage and better physical and mental health for all,
• Taking urgent national and international action to address homelessness as well as providing affordable housing for all
• Reinforcing the need for a multistakeholder approach to addressing poverty and a commitment to include both civil society and the private sector in devising solutions
• Protecting the rights of migrants and indigenous peoples
• Assessing progress and reviewing these commitments in 5 years

These commitments (just a sample of what is in this nearly 20-page document) will move the anti-poverty agenda forward.  As pilgrims of hope, we must ensure that in these trying political times, the cries of the poor are heard in our national governments and in the United Nations.  Our journey forward must continue to emphasize these hopeful commitments and insist that these words become actions–concrete programs and policies for all people.  The Vincentian Family at the United Nations are encouraged by the hope of the Second World Social Summit and His Loves. 

MaryAnn Dantuono, J.D. International Association of Charities (AIC)