Every institution has its unspoken language—rituals, postures, and codes that shape the rhythm of its discourse. At the United Nations, this language is not only spoken, it is embodied. Walking into the General Assembly Hall for the first time at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), I was struck not only by the gold-laced ceiling but by the tone of the conversations unfolding beneath it. It took a few days to attune not to the syntax, but the language, concise yet layered, urgent yet deliberate. HLPF focuses on discussing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), originally adopted in 2015 as the foundation for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In some regions, the SDGs are extremely influential, informing a great deal of policymaking. They serve as a universal language for countries to measure their efforts as they strive to contribute to a better world. Much like a garden depends on the care of many hands, each learning to remove the weeds that hinder the growth of the roses, our world depends on all of us understanding and upholding the SDGs to nurture justice and shared prosperity.

On the first day of the Forum, I attended a side event in a smaller room tucked away from the grandeur of the General Assembly Hall. Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the session was titled “Promoting Women’s Land Rights, Decent Employment, and Innovative Partnerships to Advance the SDGs.” As I entered the room, my stomach hummed with a TV-static-like energy. While the majority of events I attended were under the theme of gender equality, a topic I feel deeply drawn to, I was unfamiliar with the discourse around women’s land rights and women in agrifood systems. I chose a seat along the perimeter, not wanting to presume space at the tables with microphones. But as soon as I sat down, an FAO delegate approached me and encouraged me to sit at the table, affirming that my voice was just as important as the scheduled speakers. (Does he know I’m an intern?!) His gesture felt emblematic of the very ideals we were there to discuss: participation, dignity, shared space, and ownership. Inclusion across age, nationality, gender, and experience is the foundation of achieving success with the SDGs. To strengthen the capacity of grassroots activity, we must first cultivate this strong language for progress at all levels, enabling meaningful, cooperative action. 

The first panelist to speak was the Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany. To be candid, I originally questioned the symbolism of a man, one of the few present, opening a conversation on gender equality. But the moment he began to speak, that confusion gave way to clarity. Eschewing formality, he was one of few who spoke without notes, without pretense, without buzzwords or slogans. “You are the experts, I am not,” he told the room, his gaze meeting ours with deference. He explained that he was there to learn, not to proclaim. “When a woman sees her own name as the registered owner of her own land,” he continued, “it is not a symbolic act. These are the moments that change perspectives and inspire hope.” I barely managed to write the words down, as my eyes were suddenly blurred by a tear.

Too often, the global discourse on gender equality is siloed into a women’s issue, an untenable framing that obscures its universal implications. The remarks made in this side event disrupted that narrative. The participation of men and boys in this discourse is impactful when it is without self-deprecation or misplaced heroism, embodies a posture of learning, and involves listening not just to respond, but to understand. This is the posture we need more of within the halls of the UN, at family dinner tables, on playsets, and in classrooms.

Throughout the HLPF, a singular message echoed across Member States and civil society alike: the SDGs remain off track, and accelerating their implementation is a matter of both procedural and moral urgency. Across 107 countries, national curricula are either in the process of development or are already implemented to integrate the SDGs into formal education. From my experience, it seems the Sustainable Development Goals remain unfamiliar to the American public, as they are neither a part of formal education nor discussed in many spaces. Perhaps our notion of “progress” has been too narrow, too local, too focused on our personal development. Without a shared global framework, many are unable to see their lives as part of a collective trajectory, leaving them hopeless and feeling that their contributions are not practically impactful. What kind of progress are we striving toward, if so many are left unaware of the goals that define it? In fact, how can gender equality, a crucial part of that vision, be complete if half of humanity is expected to carry it alone? 

Running parallel to these concerns was a consistent emphasis that SDG 5, on gender equality, has emerged not only as crucial, but foundational to advancing all SDGs. Without progress here, sustainability, justice, and peace remain incomplete. Again, the concept of a collective striving, of universal participation, proves instrumental. To fully achieve these aspirations and accelerate progress, the sincere participation of men and boys must not be viewed as supplementary but essential. As long as women are held back, men and boys are also prevented from realizing their full potential. We need more universal ownership of these goals, whether that means teaching the next generation their significance or encouraging more men and boys to speak up in conversations about gender equality and recognize how this issue impacts the collective. And the UN, in its multiplicity of fora, must continue to model this inclusivity through equitable exposure to information and knowledge and equal access to participation. 

As I reflect on that first day—on the open seat at the table, the unguarded words of a diplomat, the embodied posture of learning—I am reminded that transformation often begins not with declarations, but with moments of vulnerability, shared recognition, and engagement. In a world that can feel untenable in the fires of division, these moments offer evidence that a just and equitable future is still within reach, if we choose to build it together by encouraging and equipping all people to participate. Teaching the next generation to tend the garden of sustainability means equipping every actor with the tools to recognize what nurtures growth so they can cultivate justice and progress.

Mercy Roberts is an intern at the Baha’i International Community United Nations Office in New York