Convenings/

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

A one-of-a-kind forum where global leaders tackle international challenges together

The Rockefeller Foundation has built a powerful legacy of convening global changemakers, particularly during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where it has become a catalyst for transformative conversations and action.

By bringing together leaders from government, the private sector, civil society, and philanthropy, the Foundation creates spaces to shape bold solutions to global challenges — from climate action to food security, public health crises, and economic equity.

In 2025, we convened 35+ events across energy, food, and health — and introduced our newest initiative: Build the Shared Future.

Build the Shared Future

Build the Shared Future is our commitment to scaling solutions in food, health, and climate. By mobilizing partners and resources across sectors, we aim to drive collective action with urgency and ambition to meet this decisive decade’s challenges.

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Alongside this new initiative, we spotlighted breakthrough collaborations already reshaping lives and systems worldwide.

In the Spotlight

Mission 300

A year ago, The Rockefeller Foundation joined the effort led by The World Bank and African Development Bank to bring 300 million Africans electricity by 2030. At this year’s UNGA, we reflected on the progress we’ve made so far and what we need to keep the momentum going.

Read more about Mission 300's progress
a woman holding a child buys produce at a small wooden market stall lit by an overhead solar-powered light in the evening.
a smiling schoolchild in a green uniform holds a lunch container with a banana on top, standing outdoors with classmates in the background.

Regenerative School Meals

Over 300 million children go without a daily nutritious meal, while 1.5 billion farming families face climate and food insecurity. Following a high-level discussion at The Rockefeller Foundation at this year’s UNGA, governments of Brazil, France, and Somalia alongside WFP, released a joint statement calling for integration of regenerative school meals into national climate policies.

Read the statement

Big Bets Fellowship

At UNGA ’25, our Asia-Pacific Big Bets Fellows showcased transformative solutions — from bringing clean water to 300 villages in Indonesia to de-risking the financial system for farmers. Together, these changemakers are proving that the best ideas come from the communities closest to the challenges.

Read the Fellows' Bold Bets
Beyond food and energy, health remained a central focus — especially as communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

Future-Proofing Health

As the world warms, deadly heat and extreme weather pose a growing threat to our health. Learn how countries are evolving their health systems to protect everyone.

Learn More
These ideas came to life not just in words, but in the energy of the week itself. Here’s a look at scenes from UNGA ’25.

  • participants sit around a conference table in discussion during a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 meeting.
    Dr. Rajiv J. Shah speaks at the UNGA Concordia Event.
  • former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama speaks at a podium during a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 event, addressing an audience while a moderator stands nearby.
    H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, speaks at “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development" event.
  • a speaker smiles while addressing the audience with a microphone during a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 session, as attendees listen and capture the moment on their phones.
    Gaurav Godhwani, Asia Big Bets Fellow, speaks at a UNGA event.
  • panelists speak on stage at a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 event as a moderator stands at the podium and audience members listen.
    Panel discussion at The Rockefeller Foundation's UNGA Regenerative School Meals convening.
  • group photo of leaders and delegates at the Global Leadership Council Meeting hosted by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet during UNGA 2025.
    UNGA Global Leadership Council Meeting and leaders gather at the UNGA Global Leadership Council Meeting and Reception hosted by the Global Energy Alliance (GEAPP).
  • panelists speak during a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 session, with one man holding a microphone while engaging in discussion alongside fellow leaders seated on stage.
    Leaders engage in a panel discussion at “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development" event.
  • a woman speaks on stage with a microphone during a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 session, while audience members listen and a large screen behind her displays a close-up image of hands holding a small object.
    Anusha Meher Bhargava, Asia Big Bets Fellow, speaks at a UNGA event.
  • Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, speaks at a podium during a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 event, while an audience listens and another moderator smiles nearby.
    Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, speaks at “The Accra Reset: Reimagining Global Governance for Health and Development" event.
  • group photo of participants at a Rockefeller Foundation UNGA 2025 convening, with men and women standing together indoors and smiling for the camera.
    Participants gather for the UNGA Philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean event.

Reflections on UNGA 2025: Convening with Courage and Care

At the 2025 UN General Assembly, The Rockefeller Foundation launched Build the Shared Future with an inaugural Global Dialogue that brought world leaders together to spark bold, collective solutions.

Read reflection
The impact didn’t stop there. Explore related news and announcements sparked by the week’s convenings.

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