The Ban Ki-moon Foundation (BKMF) joined the 81th session of the UN General Assembly and Climate Week NYC 2026 from September 22 to 26, 2026. CEO Monika Froehler, Project and Partnerships Officer Roxanne Chao and Senior Communications Lead Katharina Choe spoke with leaders to advance policies, investments, and partnerships needed to build resilient food systems and accelerate climate adaptation for a better future. A central focus of the BKMF’s engagements was strengthening agricultural resilience and food security amid growing climate impacts and geopolitical instability.
At the Goals House “Partnerships for Impact” luncheon, convened by Bayer, the UPS Foundation and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), CEO Monika Froehler explored how public-private partnerships could drive systemic change and mobilize long-term financing for climate resilience.
The discussions highlighted the importance of placing farmers at the center of adaptation efforts, particularly across Africa, where droughts and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns threaten agricultural livelihoods and food production.
At “Global Data to Local Action,” hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation and RF Catalytic Capital, CEO Monika Froehler and Project and Partnerships Officer Roxanne Chao joined discussions on how data and artificial intelligence could help climate-vulnerable communities anticipate risks and strengthen resilience before shocks become crises.
At an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) working session, discussions focused on building resilient, low-emission fertilizer systems amid disruptions to global supply chains. The exchange underscored the importance of improving nutrient-use efficiency, supporting local agricultural innovation and scaling sustainable alternatives.
Together, these engagements reinforced the need to connect agricultural research, financing and policy to ensure that smallholder farmers have access to the innovations and resources needed to adapt to climate change.
The Power Of Collective Action: A Strategic Conversation around COP31
At Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions, CEO Monika Froehler joined Pacific climate leaders to discuss how the upcoming COP31 could deliver meaningful progress for countries and communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.The discussion highlighted three critical priorities for COP31: improving access to climate finance, accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels and taking decisive action to keep the 1.5°C climate goal within reach.
With the official Pre-COP31 scheduled to take place in Fiji and Tuvalu in October 2026, the exchange underscored the importance of Pacific leadership in shaping the negotiations ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. The BKMF emphasized that the experiences, solutions and priorities of climate-vulnerable countries must remain central to international climate decision-making.
Strengthening Youth Leadership and Global Citizenship
On 22 September, CEO Monika Froehler participated in the launch of the Global Network for Youth, a joint initiative of the United Nations Youth Office and Misk Foundation. The initiative brought together youth-serving organizations to strengthen collaboration and expand opportunities for more than 20 million young people to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their futures. The BKMF welcomed the initiative as an important contribution to empowering young changemakers and advancing global citizenship.
Advancing Brain Health Through International Cooperation
Lastly, because of the BKMF’s new commitment to the field of brain health through its newly established Global Brain Care Scholars Program, the BKMF team joined the Global Brain Days by the European Brain Council. Discussions, including contributions from Professor Stéphanie Debette, Executive Director of the Paris Brain Institute, highlighted the importance of brain health for global health resilience.
The BKMF looks forward to put the program into practice with the Paris Brain Institute and Vascular Brain Health Institute, alongside international partners, to support emerging brain health leaders from the Global South.
Across UNGA81, Climate Week NYC and Global Citizen NOW, the BKMF’s engagements reinforced the interconnected nature of climate change, food security, public health and global stability.
