Just Future Action Plan
For a more peaceful world built on religious tolerance and economic, health, and educational equity for all
15-17 July 2020
Against the background of crisis response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UPIC (the US-Pakistan Interreligious Coalition) and Just Results (a social enterprise specialized in inclusive economic development) convened an international conference called Just Future to examine two overarching ideas: enhancing the economic health of Pakistan and the United States of America and augmenting interreligious understanding and respect for human rights in both countries.
This conference explored economics, technology, health, religion, education, culture, youth, and women’s empowerment through the complementary lenses of the two sponsoring organizations. The participants took seriously the nature and needs of the flourishing human person, the strengths and limitations of governments and institutions, and shared understandings of goodness, integrity, and fairness.
The lessons learned at this virtual conference can not only help these two countries but can serve as models and inspiration for all.
Therefore, we, the participants in Just Future, adopt this Action Plan.
WE AFFIRM:
• That faith-affirming individuals can help to build constructive, peaceful relations between countries and within societies.
• That cooperation and collaboration between government, the private sector, and civil society can lead to improved economic and equity outcomes.
• That fostering interpersonal connections, breaking harmful stereotypes, and implementing sustainable and empowering programs are fundamental to peace and justice.
• That complex problems can be dealt with concretely by harmonizing differences, simplifying unnecessarily complicated processes, and applying appropriate and cost-effective technologies.
• That intergenerational inclusion is a matter of both justice and practical necessity in building peaceful societies.
• That the use and integration of technology is significant in resolving both societal and economic problems.
• That youth involvement in making and implementing policy strengthens social cohesion and basic societal functions.
• That the active participation of women alongside men in all spheres of life is essential to societal progress, economic success, and general peace.
• That equally accessible, high-quality, unbiased education for all is crucial for societal progress.
WE COMMIT TO:
• Building relationships across national, cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious boundaries.
• Altering destructive and inaccurate stereotypes.
• Enhancing human rights by enabling effective institutions, increasing public awareness, and empowering marginalized sectors of society.
• Safeguarding the welfare of children, women, religious minorities, and workers by creating a system that is inclusive and pluralistic in nature.
• Devising and promoting policies, based on justice, equity, and equality, that leave no one behind.
• Emphasizing and improving intergenerational justice as well as equality of access and opportunity in economic policies.
• Fashioning and sustaining social systems that do not discriminate due to gender, race, ethnicity, culture, or religion.
• Highlighting the benefits of using technology to address socio-economic issues.
• Transforming educational systems to be nondiscriminatory, accessible, and affordable.
• Fostering public-spirited, socially responsible, environmentally sustainable businesses and business models.
WE URGE:
• That governments, institutions, corporations, organized religious bodies, and individuals be held responsible for social, economic, environmental, and cultural injustices.
• That results-focused data be tracked and analyzed to ensure that key, agreed-upon performance indicators are met.
• That government transactions with citizens be digitized and streamlined through standardized procedures and policies to ensure efficiency, transparency, and accessibility.
• That special attention be given to improve both ease and equality of access to healthcare infrastructure.
• That students have a voice in both the process and content of the education, curriculum, and mentorship they receive. • That educational systems receive full, sustainable funding.
• That women be empowered in law, in culture, and in practice by promoting female economic, social, and cultural inclusion.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
We, the participants in the Just Future conference, will continue to work to further peaceful societies, partnerships, and interreligious harmony with particular emphasis on inclusive economic development, growth, and opportunity through the collaborative use of innovation and technology for all.
We invite all people of good will to join us in the USA, Pakistan, and all other countries and communities.
We thank our sponsors, UPIC and Just Results, as well as our cosponsors from the School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University in the USA; GIFT University in Pakistan; the Centre for Muslim States and Societies at the University of Western Australia; Peace Centre Lahore in Pakistan; the University of Central Punjab in Pakistan; COMMIT of Brooklyn, NY in the USA; Tim Frakes Productions in the USA; Ron Toelke Associates in the USA; and RoadMap Marketing in the USA for their support of this conference and for their efforts to promote our work to achieve a just future.