2026 Programme for “Digital Delegates” of Religious NGOs to the HLPF on Sustainable Development
Click on the following links to view the programme in:
Goals for participants:
- Build understanding of the role of the Religious voice in the UN system and global efforts toward just, sustainable development
- Establish or deepen understanding of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the related High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on progress toward achieving them
- Get support from UN representatives of Religious NGOs toward participation in your national and global conversations on SDG progress
- Meet and learn from other women and men Religious and their partners who are seeking to implement and monitor SDGs in your region and other parts of the world
- Virtually follow the proceedings of the 2026 HLPF (6-15 July 2026) and take note of the commitments made therein by your government
Eligibility to Participate:
- Affiliation with a congregation of Catholic Sisters, Brothers, and priests, including:
- Members of any congregation
- Lay co-members, associates, employees, mission partners of any congregation
- Members of any lay association that is affiliated with a congregation
- Significant personal experience in/of one of the countries whose government with present a progress report at the 2026 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), for example:
- currently lives or recently lived in the country
- is currently responsible for liaising with religious in the country
- is currently responsible for supporting projects in the country
- Ability to read and converse in English, Portuguese, and or French (Note: Spanish interpretation will also be made available if delegates from Uruguay register to participate).
Format:
- Series of live, online gatherings to provide orientation and facilitate preparatory research and engagement of members between January and August 2026
- Global sessions (for all participants): 30 January, 20 February, 27 March, 15 May, 30 June, and 7 August
- Regional sessions (separate calls for delegates from Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia-Pacific):
- 9-23 February: regional meet and greet
- Late February-Late April: Independently follow UN Regional Fora on Sustainable Development
- 22-29 June: regional discussion of national government’s reports
- Independent study/reflection/communication activities to be completed between online gatherings
- “JCoR SDG Lab” immediately following the HLPF (27-31 July 2026)
- Platform featuring a series of open Zoom calls where members and partners can meet to share good practices/knowledge/expertise on various SDGs under review
- time slots for live discussions to be focused on each of the SDGs under review at 2026 HLPF:
- SDG 6 (safe drinking water and sanitation for all)
- SDG 7 (affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all)
- SDG 9 (resilient infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and innovation)
- SDG 11 (inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements)
- SDG 17 (resources and partnerships to support all the SDGs)
Commitment required for participation:
- Participate live in at least 4/8 online sessions (or communicate to the facilitator the reason you are unable to join at least 4 sessions)
- View recordings of any session you are unable to attend live (and communicate to the facilitator afterward that you have viewed the recording)
- Participate live in at least one session of the “JCoR SDG Lab” between 27 and 31 July (or submit a recording/written contribution to at least one session)
- Complete all independent study/reflection activities between gatherings
- Attempt to make contact with a national civil society network that is monitoring SDG implementation in the participant’s country
- Participate in a JCoR WhatsApp group with other HLPF delegates throughout the programme
- Complete final programme evaluation form
Participants who fulfill the requirements above will receive a certificate of completion in August 2026.
Content of online gatherings:
- 30 January 2026: Global Session #1
- What is the Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR)?
- What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
- What is the role of Religious congregations in the UN system and the SDGs?
- 9-23 February 2026: Regional Sessions: Round 1
- Meeting others with your region and learning about their personal areas of ministry and experience
- Exact date and time to be selected by members from each region
- 20 February 2026: Global Session #2
- What is the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)?
- What are Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs)?
- How can we, members of civil society, participate in the VNR process and in the HLPF?
- February – April 2026: Regional Fora on Sustainable Development
- Dates for each region:
- Asia-Pacific: 24-27 February 2026
- Arab Region (Western Asia): 31 March – 2 April 2026
- Latin America and the Caribbean: 13-17 April 2026
- Europe & North America: 21-22 April 2026
- Africa: 28-30 April 2026
- What are the central themes or concerns my national government is emphasizing in our input to the Regional Forum?
- What ideas or concerns are absent from my government’s input to the Regional Forum?
- How does my government’s input compare to those of other countries in the region?
- Dates for each region:
- 27 March 2026: Global Session #3
- Check in on progress toward participation in groups that will make a concrete contribution to the HLPF
- How can we reflect on national SDG progress reports that were submitted by civil society to previous HLPF sessions?
- 15 May 2026: Global Session #4
- What are our reflections on our respective regions’ Regional Fora on Sustainable Development?
- When and how can we reflect on national SDG progress reports that have been submitted by our governments to previous HLPF sessions and to this year’s session?
- What tasks do we need to complete before call #5 in order to prepare for our participation in the JCoR SDG Lab?
- 22-29 June 2026: Regional Sessions: Round 2
- What are our responses to the most recent VNR presented by our respective governments?
- What are our responses to the most recent SDG progress report(s) developed by a civil society network in our respective countries?
- What are the key ideas from each country that we want to include in our presentations/comments for the JCoR SDG Lab?
- 30 June 2026: Global Session #5
- What key ideas and reflections were shared during our June regional gatherings?
- Who will speak in each session of the JCoR SDG Lab?
- How do we follow the proceedings of the HLPF remotely or in person?
- Click here to access all past VNR reports submitted by your country’s government
- Click here to access the VNR report submitted by your government to the 2026 HLPF
- 7 August 2026: Global Session #6
- What were our impressions of the 2026 HLPF and JCoR SDG Lab?
- How do we intend to take the lessons of this process forward?
- What support from JCoR or our congregations would helpful to us as we continue to implement and monitor SDGs in our countries?
REGISTER separately for each global session you will attend live via these links:
- 30 January 2026 (13:00-15:00 UTC): https://bit.ly/4pPmljb
- 20 February 2026 (13:00-15:00 UTC): Coming soon
- 27 March 2026 (13:00-15:00 UTC): Coming soon
- 15 May 2026 (13:00-15:00 UTC): Coming soon
- 30 June 2026 (13:00-15:00 UTC): Coming soon
- 7 August 2025 (13:00-15:00 UTC): Coming soon
