Celebrating Bridging Futures: UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Phan Thị Kim Phúc inspires at Peace and Futures Forum

1 August 2025

The ��Ҵ�ý recently played host to an extraordinary two-day gathering that brought together some of the world’s most thoughtful voices in sustainability, peacebuilding, and intergenerational dialogue.

Phan Thị Kim Phúc speaking on stage at the Dylan Thomas Centre

Organised by the UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES International Programme Office (IPO) at UWTSD, the inaugural Bridging Futures: Connecting Today’s Decisions to Tomorrow’s Needs took place at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea on 16 July 2025. The event welcomed a diverse audience of policymakers, young leaders, Indigenous representatives, educators, and members of the public.

At the heart of the programme was a deeply moving and widely praised lecture by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Phan Thị Kim Phúc. Known internationally as the ‘Napalm Girl’ from the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of the Vietnam War, Kim has since become a powerful advocate for peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness. Her keynote address left a lasting impression on all who attended, interweaving her personal story with a broader call for compassion and shared global responsibility. She was introduced by UWTSD’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Elwen Evans KC, who offered a heartfelt and warm welcome, reflecting on Kim’s global impact and the significance of her message in today’s world.

“Peace begins with compassion for ourselves, for each other, and for the planet,” Phan Thị Kim Phúc said, reflecting on her time in Swansea. “I shared not only my story, but a message that pain can be transformed into purpose, and that together, we can build a more just and peaceful future.”

The event opened with a public-facing day rich in creativity and connection. From dynamic workshops and film screenings to lively intergenerational dialogues, the spirit of collaboration was tangible throughout. There were meaningful contributions from communities around the world, including a moving message from the Indigenous Kogi people of Colombia. This Cultural Address and Ritual, delivered by Kogi Ambassador Jose Manuel Sauna Mamatacan, with translator Paula Rodriguez, was a powerful expression of ancestral knowledge and ecological responsibility.

Jose manuel from the Cogi people ritual at Dylan THomas Centre

The event deepened conversations through a series of high-level roundtables and strategy sessions. Delegates explored how to embed long-term thinking into policy and practice, with insights from global leaders such as Gustavo Merino (UNESCO), Professor Peter Schlosser (Arizona State University), and Wales’s own Future Generations Commissioner, Derek Walker. These sessions reflected a shared commitment to practical, hopeful action in the face of global challenges. The fireside chat between Derek Walker and Gustavo Merino, Director of Social Policy at UNESCO, focused on the real-world implications of climate policy, grounded in the findings of UNESCO’s latest report.

Another standout moment of the BRIDGES General Assembly programme was the keynote speech Building Bridges to Better Futures, delivered by Jane Davidson, former Welsh Minister for Environment and Sustainability and former Pro Vice-Chancellor at UWTSD. A key architect of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, Davidson offered a visionary talk centred on connection, imagination, and system change. Her remarks encouraged participants to think boldly about the structures that shape our world, and the urgent need to build policy rooted in long-term well-being. She was introduced by Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, who spoke of her enduring legacy and impact on Welsh and global policy.

Creative expression also played a central role throughout. A series of films were shared to explore alternative ways of thinking about the future, and to engage participants emotionally as well as intellectually. A Futures Workshop led by Petranka Malcheva from the Future Generations Office encouraged reflection on how we build bridges between past, present and future, and how we can become good ancestors to generations to come. Another inspiring session, “Everyone has a right…” / “Mae hawl gan bawb…”, delivered by Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museums Wales), opened up rich conversations on belonging and how understanding our past can help shape a better, more inclusive future.

Many discussions focused on co-creation between generations – the idea that wisdom and innovation are most powerful when shared across age, background and discipline. One such session, Intergenerational Conversation: Storying our Futures, brought together diverse voices to explore how the stories we tell shape the futures we imagine and build. It focused on discovering how shared storytelling across generations might inspire more ethical, inclusive, and sustainable pathways forward.

Attendees also took part in interactive exhibits and performances that highlighted how young people are leading the way in sustainability, storytelling, and social change. Participants spoke of a genuine sense of energy and openness across the programme. Many remarked how rare and inspiring it was to see such a broad range of perspectives – from youth activists and policymakers to academics and community organisers – coming together under one roof.

Speaking after the event, Dr Luci Attala, Deputy Executive Director of BRIDGES, described it as a landmark moment for the coalition:

“At a time of profound global disruption, we built bridges between generations, disciplines and cultures,” she said. “This event marks a powerful moment of reflection and shared commitment to a world where compassion, wisdom and future-minded leadership guide our choices.

The success of Bridging Futures was evident not only in the standing-room-only audiences and enthusiastic participation, but also in the quiet conversations, renewed friendships and emerging collaborations that continued long after the formal programme had ended.

As the final reflections were shared and goodbyes exchanged, there was a clear sense that this was just the beginning. The event laid important foundations for future work and ongoing partnership, ensuring that the connections formed in Swansea will continue to inspire change well beyond Wales.”