Basel Peace Office hosted a very successful Good Future Forum from August 13-15, 2025. The forum brought world futurists, youth leaders and experts together to discuss peace, nuclear weapons, climate change and Artificial Intelligence.
The Forum opened with a captivating keynote address by Gerd Leonhard, internationally renowned futurologist.
“We must reclaim trust – not just in institutions – but in each other,” said Mr Leonhard. “This starts with a new narrative, one that reminds us why humans can be trusted and why a Good Future is entirely possible.”
This was followed by an intergenerational dialogue between Mr Leonhard and three youth leaders: Alexiane Terrochaire-Barbançon, Vice-President of Young European Federalists; Camilla Braito, Co-Lead of Youth Fusion and Program Officer for Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND); and Ayleen Roy, Co-Lead of Youth Fusion and Core team member of the Transnational Working Group on values, faith-based perspectives and global governance;
“The Future is not something that ‘happens’ to us: it is something we own and create together through international dialogue and federalist ideas,” said Alexiane Terrochaire-Barbancon. “Together let us be ambitious to achieve positive world peace, protect the climate and establish ethical AI to give future generations hope."
“Non-proliferation today must confront more than weapons. It must address the systems that accelerate risk." said Ayleen Roy. "Peace requires not just treaties, but transformation considering future generations, for we are stewards of the world, not owners of it.”
The Forum also included:
- Stories of effective policies for peace and future generations that won the 2024 World Future Policy Award on Peace and Future Generations;
- Updates on inspiring youth projects that have been winners of the prestigious PACEY Award;
- Preview of the 1.5 Degrees of Peace documentary planned for release in early 2026;
- Pre-launch for a new Global AI Governance Alliance;
- A social media action promoting the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (Sep 26, 2025).
“Youth stand at the frontline of converging crises,” said Henrieke Bunger, Europe Front Coordinator for World's Youth for Climate Justice, which acheived a groundbreaking climate change case this year in the International Court of Justice. “Thus, we seek justice, build global solidarity and advocate for robust international governance to ensure the protection of present and future generations.”
“Young people are carrying the grief of what’s been lost and a bold vision for what’s possible” says Kasha Sequoia Slavner, a winner of the 2025 PACEY Award, and youth director of 1.5 Degrees of Peace “The PACEY Awards give us courage to act along with the tools to build a more peaceful, just and sustainable future.”
“National AI governance is not enough,” said Robert Whitfield, Chair of the One World Trust and Convenor of the Transnational Working Group on Artificial Intelligence. “We need to work together to bring about effective, safe and ethical AI governance at a global level.”
Videos, photos and documents from The Good Future Forum
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The Good Future Forum video playlist (on YouTube)
Short (1-3 minute) videos from participants at The Good Future Forum -
Why and How the Good Future can be Realised (YouTube)
A video presentation of Gerd Leonhard’s riveting 37 minute talk in Basel (also viewable on Vimeo). - Inspiring written quotes from the Forum speakers (plus their photos)
- Photo album of The Good Future Forum sessions and social media action (on Facebook)
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Video playlist: World Future Policy Award on Peace and Future Generations (YouTube)
Short (3 minute) videos of the four winning policies and one vision award showcased in Basel, including:- Kauswagan ‘From Arms to Farms’ program
- Wales Well-Being of Future Generations Act (which established a Commissioner for Future Generations)
- Moriori Peace Covenant
- Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy
- Nigerian National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security
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World Future Council short video (1 minute) of the Forum (on LinkedIn)
With added highlights and links to the 2024 World Future Policy Awards - Preview of GAIGA Now, the Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Alliance, which was ‘pre-launched’ in Basel;
- World’s Youth for Climate Justice Debrief on the groundbreaking International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Climate Change, 23 July 2025
- Website of 1.5 Degrees of Peace, the documentary film which was previewed in Basel and will be released worldwide in 2026.
- PACEY Award Winners 2025 who presented updates on their winning projects in Basel.
- Common security v nuclear disarmament: How to replace nuclear deterrence with security for all, a background paper for the Good Future Forum workshop on how to effectively move nuclear armed and allied states to relinquish nuclear weapons.