The group, led by former U.S. envoy to the United Nations for management and reform issues Mark Wallace, as well as former Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend, former Sen. Joe Lieberman, and others, is hosting a summit on Monday that “will draw more than 100 youth activists and government officials to New York City from dozens of countries,” it says. The efforts are aimed at preventing young people from being lured into extremist ideology, particularly on the Internet.

Turning first to the question of whether the public is actually interested in climate change, Google web searches show that the countries searching most frequently on the topic tend to be those most affected by changing climatic conditions [...] This suggests that being affected by the phenomena increases public interest: it is not wealthy countries idly researching a topic they hear on the news, it is affected populations trying to understand more about what they are experiencing.

[The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals are] a long list, featuring 17 goals written in the dense language of geopolitics. But how to do that when there are cross-cultural divides, language barriers, and 757 million people around the world who cannot read or write? Enter Jakob Trollbäck, graphic designer and chief creative officer of design and branding firm Trollbäck + Company.

Francis’ visit to the U.N. caps a series of recent diplomatic interventions, including serving as a mediator and guarantor during 18 months of secret negotiations between the United States and Cuba. The two countries resumed diplomatic relations in July, restoring official ties that were cut in 1961.

David Beckham is urging world leaders to put children at the center of the ambitious set of global initiatives that will be adopted Friday at the United Nations.

The Permanent Mission of Israel will be hosting the event in partnership with the Forum for Cultural Diplomacy.[...] The initiative is very important for the Israeli mission, as it is part of Israel’s ongoing campaign to gain UN recognition of Yom Kippur as an official holiday at the United Nations. 

The big question is how effectively he can apply his accumulated soft power to make a difference on the world stage. [...] But the pope's most audacious foreign-policy move has been a crusade against worldwide income inequality and environmental degradation, including man-made climate change.

Pope Francis begins his historic visit to Cuba and the United States this weekend, when he will address the US Congress and the United Nations. It is a chance to influence policymakers on issues that will shape the future of the planet. But there is another platform he should be invited to join.