LGW Shares Recommendations at UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

From July 14 to 24, 2025, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will host the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York, USA. This year’s theme is: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, and science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind.” The forum will review progress on SDGs 3, 5, 8, 14, and 17. 

The Legion of Good Will (LGW), a civil society organization with general consultative status with ECOSOC since 1999, will present a set of recommendations based on its best socio-educational practices aligned with the 2030 Agenda. The organization’s contributions will focus primarily on SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). 

In its statement, the LGW—celebrating 75 years of continuous service in social assistance, education, humanitarian aid, and social and educational communication—highlights several key initiatives. These include: Vocational Training and Productive Inclusion programs, which offer free courses to youth and adults, especially women in vulnerable conditions, such as single mothers and the unemployed; the Good Will Apprentice program, aimed at youth aged 14 to 24, developed in partnership with companies to provide both classroom instruction and hands-on professional training; the Good Will Technical School, which offers a free Radio and Television course designed to support the entry, reentry, or upskilling of young people and adults in the job market. 

The LGW also underscores its efforts to promote access to higher education for young people through the José de Paiva Netto Educational Institute in São Paulo, Brazil; its mobilization of volunteers and strategic partnerships in humanitarian actions; and its commitment to sustainability and the circular economy, exemplified by its partnership with Fox Industry in the Eletrosolidário program, which collects and responsibly disposes of used electronics and appliances, transforming them into resources for social projects. 

The statement also features an important fraternal reflection from the LGW’s President, educator José de Paiva Netto, on the paths to sustainability and collective progress, as expressed in his article “Here One Studies: Brain and Heart Are Formed”: “Sustainable development is one of the greatest challenges currently faced by emerging nations, as well as by those that have already achieved the highest levels of material growth in their economies. However, if we wish to see progress shared by all, we believe and have proposed that the solidary development of our collective home must, above all, illuminate the actions of Earth’s inhabitants and its future generations—from the oldest to the youngest. Therefore, in addition to effective public policy, the planet demands a new awareness, grounded in principles that guarantee the continuity of Life and human coexistence above all other interests. Such a mindset fosters joint actions among countries aimed at assisting peoples urgently in need of a helping hand, especially children and youth, the future builders of better times. It is therefore essential that they be given the opportunity of education.” 

Read the full statement (page 84)

LGW at the UN 

Due to the wide reach and excellence of its services, programs, and initiatives, the Legion of Good Will has maintained consultative relations with the United Nations since 1994 through the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC), and since 1999 with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), where it holds general consultative status.