New York, USA. From July 14 to 24, the Claretian Missionaries took active part in the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at the United Nations Headquarters, reaffirming their commitment to the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Representing the Claretian family at the forum were Caridad Cala (Dominican Republic), Fr. Oscar Barrera, CMF (El Salvador), Fr. Reegan Soosai, CMF (USA-Canada), and Fr. Rohan Dominic, CMF of the Claretian UN Team. Numerous other Claretians followed the sessions via UN WebTV.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his opening address, urged accelerated efforts to meet the SDGs, warning that global challenges like conflict, climate change, and inequality are stalling progress. The SDG Progress Report 2025 revealed that only 35% of targets are on track or moderately improving, while nearly half show inadequate progress, and 18% have regressed.
Throughout the first week, the forum focused on key goals: SDG3 (Health), SDG5 (Gender Equality), SDG8 (Economic Growth), SDG14 (Life Below Water), and SDG17 (Partnerships). In preparation, 31 Claretians from 12 Voluntary National Review (VNR) countries joined a six-month formation program coordinated by the Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR), equipping them to engage meaningfully with the SDG process.
A major highlight was the Claretian side event on July 18, hosted by Fondazione Proclade Internazionale-onlus via Zoom. Moderated by Fr. Larry Miranda, CMF, and featuring keynote speaker Ms. Gillian Nazaret, Chair of the UN NGO Committee on Social Development, the session gathered voices from 12 countries. Delegates discussed their nations’ VNRs and showcased local Claretian initiatives that contribute to sustainable development, embodying the theme of “local mission to global impact.”
Claretian participants also joined JCoR’s SDG Lab from July 28 to August 1, presenting community-based projects and fostering deeper collaboration among faith-based groups promoting sustainability worldwide.
Source: Rohan Dominic, CMF, Claretian UN Team, Delegate.
