The Good Future Forum, taking place in Basel, Switzerland next week, will include amongst others, youth leaders from the groundbreaking case on The Obligations of States with Respect to Climate Change which was decided by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 23. The case reinforces, and significantly extends upon, decisions in national and regional courts, such as the Urgenda case in Netherlands and the Swiss Seniors Climate Case in the European Court of Human Rights.
World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WY4CJ), the youth network that initiated the case, was one of the 2021 winners of the prestigious PACEY Award from Basel. WY4CJ representatives will be joining the Good Future Forum in Basel, along with leaders of the historic 1996 ICJ case affirming the illegality of using or threatening to use nuclear weapons, other PACEY Award winners, leading world futurists, representatives from winning policies of the 2024 World Future Policy Award on Future Generations, and other youth leaders.
The Good Future Forum, which is open to public, will address some of the most pressing issues of our time: including the climate crisis, dangers of nuclear war and a new nuclear arms race, and the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence.
“Expecting and assuring a good and safe future requires an open mind, diligence and social engagement,” says Prof Andreas Nidecker MD, President of the Basel Peace Office and founder of the PACEY Award.
“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 the film 1.5 Degrees of Peace which will be previewed at The Good Future Forum. “The PACEY Awards give us courage to act along with the tools to build a more peaceful, just and sustainable future.”
“Youth stand at the frontline of converging crises,” says Henrieke Bunger, Europe Front Coordinator for WY4CJ and a speaker at the Forum. “Thus, we seek justice, build global solidarity and advocate for robust international governance to ensure the protection of present and future generations.”
The Good Future Forum program will include an intergenerational dialogue between Gerd Leonhard, internationally renowned futurologist, and leaders from Youth Fusion and Young European Federalists.
“We must reclaim trust – not just in institutions – but in each other,” says 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.”
“The Future is not something that ‘happens’ to us: it is something we own and create together through international dialogue and federalist ideas,” says Alexiane Terrochaire-Barbancon, Vice-President of Young European Federalists (JEF). “Together let us be ambitious to achieve positive world peace, protect the climate and establish ethical AI to give future generations hope.”
The forum will include a pre-launch of the Global AI Governance Alliance, a new network to ensure that Artificial Intelligence is used for the benefit of people and the planet, and not for nefarious purposes or in incontrollable ways.
“National AI governance is not enough,” says 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.”
Winning policies from the 2024 World Future Policy Award on Future Generations will be showcased at the Forum by Bertylle Duforest, Co-organiser of the 2024 Award, and Ali Arshad, Youth leader from the Wales Future Generations Leadership Academy, plus some dynamic videos of the winning policies.
“The World Policy Future Policy Award 2024 recognised exemplary policies that provide actionable pathways to peace, justice and sustainability for current and future generations,” says Ms Duforest.
“To safeguard future generations we must treat peace, climate stability, nuclear disarmament and AI governance not as separate challenges, but as one shared responsibility,” says Mr Arshad.
The forum is part of the international week of remembrance commemorating the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the establishment of the United Nations.
ENDS
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Location: kHaus, Basel, Switzerland
Dates: August 13–15, 2025 (Conference on August 14. Side events on August 13 and 15)
Program and registration: https://baslpeaceoffice.org/article/good-future-forum
Forum teaser video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zLhnPlFiC8&t=49s
Contacts:
Prof Andreas Nidecker MD. President, Basel Peace Office. anidecker@bluewin.ch
Alyn Ware. Director, Basel Peace Office. +41 788 912 156. alyn@pnnd.org
Quotes from additional forum speakers:
“Injustice to the climate is injustice to humanity. Climate change is not just an environmental issue, but a matter of justice, equity and survival.”
Felix Orwaka. Coordinator, Africa Youth Vanguard for Peace and Climate Action.
2025 PACEY Award winner.
“Non-proliferation today must confront more than weapons. It must address the systems that accelerate risk. Peace requires not just treaties, but transformation considering future generations, for we are stewards of the world, not owners of it.”
Ayleen Roy, Co-Lead of Youth Fusion
“Peace is not only the absence of war, but the presence of justice – for all. It’s a world in which everyone can feel safe, and the choices we make today about disarmament, climate and AI will shape this peace or peril – not only for us but for generations to come.”
Salome Adamia. Peace Institute for Progress. Director of the Bertha von Suttner Peace Prize and Program for Youth. 2025 PACEY Award winner
If everyone is preparing for war, who’s preparing for peace?”
Camilla Braito, Co-Lead of Youth Fusion.