BLIA Attends United Nations Forum to Discuss Global Food Security and Environmental Sustainability

The Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) delegation attended several sessions of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) on July 14, focusing closely on three core issues: environmental sustainability, global food security, and youth engagement. Through international exchange, the delegation gained insight into sustainable development trends and demonstrated BLIA’s active commitment to advancing the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Venerable You Lin, BLIA World Headquarters UN NGO Office Director, led BLIA New York Chapter directors Helen Leong and Judy Chiang in participating in the HLPF sessions. Together with government representatives from various countries, United Nations agencies, and civil society organizations, they discussed key issues related to global sustainable development.

During the thematic session held that morning, Matthew Samuda, President of the eighth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, shared how UNEA supports the High-level Political Forum in advancing the global sustainability agenda through various approaches, including cross-regional cooperation, localization of the SDGs, integrated water-energy-food strategies, innovative financing, and digital transformation. He also exchanged views with participants on priority directions for sustainable development toward 2030 and beyond.

The launch of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report, held afterward, focused on the impact of the rising cost of healthy diets on global food security and nutrition. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on how policy integration, cross-sector cooperation, and resource sharing can improve access to healthy diets and promote public health and sustainable development. The discussions echoed BLIA’s long-standing promotion of vegetarianism, healthy eating, and the cherishing of resources.

In the afternoon youth forum, titled “Powering Participation: Youth2030 and the Pact in Action” organized by the United Nations Youth Office released the Youth2030 Progress Report 2026 and proposed six major strategies for its second phase from 2025 to 2030. These include deepening youth participation in decision-making, partnering with young people to advance the SDGs, strengthening youth capacity-building, increasing resource, promoting cultural transformation within the United Nations system, and establishing a more robust accountability mechanism.

At the session, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed called on governments to enable young people to participate in decision-making at all levels. She also encouraged young people to continue monitoring the implementation of the SDGs and to seize the critical period of action before 2030 to accelerate global sustainable development.

Judy Chiang stated that international conflicts, climate change, and global economic challenges in recent years have created many difficulties for the advancement of the SDGs. However, through exchanges at the forum, she gained a deeper understanding of the importance of cross-border cooperation and partnerships. Only by bringing together the strengths of all sectors, she noted, can the world jointly accelerate progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Helen Leong also shared that, after participating in sessions on various topics over several consecutive days, she was deeply impressed by the continued determination of governments, non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups from around the world to advance sustainable development. She noted that although the process is full of challenges and results may not be immediate, more and more people around the world are already taking concrete action, and every effort will come together as an important force for sustainable development.