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DTSTAMP:20260711T025355Z
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DTSTART:20260714T170000Z
DTEND:20260714T180000Z
SUMMARY:UN HLPF Side Event: Trust as Infrastructure for SDG 11: Strengthening
 Sustainable Development Through Credibility\, Behavior Change\, and System
 Design
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by the American Psychological Association (APA)\, which holds
 Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social
 Council (ECOSOC)\, in collaboration with the Brazilian Society of
 Psychology\, this side event explores how trust functions as essential
 infrastructure for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable
 Cities and Communities.\nFeaturing speakers from both the American
 Psychological Association and the Brazilian Society of Psychology\, the
 session will examine how trust influences public engagement\, policy
 implementation\, climate action\, and community resilience. Drawing on
 research and practical examples from local government and international
 initiatives\, presenters will discuss evidence-based strategies for
 strengthening trust between institutions and the communities they
 serve.\nParticipants will gain practical insights into how behavioral
 science can support more effective\, inclusive\, and resilient approaches
 to sustainable urban development.\n Event Description:\nAcross global
 contexts\, trust in institutions has been widely recognized as declining\,
 posing a growing challenge for the implementation of the Sustainable
 Development Goals (SDGs)\, including but not limited to SDG 11. Whereas
 significant focus has been devoted to financing\, technology\, and
 partnerships\, less attention has been given to the social conditions that
 determine whether these efforts succeed in practice.\nCities provide a
 critical lens through which to understand this dynamic. As the primary
 sites of implementation for many SDGs - including SDG 11’s goal to make
 cities inclusive\, safe\, resilient\, and sustainable - these environments
 demonstrate a consistent pattern: the presence of policy\, traditional
 infrastructure\, or investment does not guarantee impact. Outcomes\,
 instead\, depend on how individuals and institutions interact with the
 systems created - whether they engage with them\, trust them\, and sustain
 participation over time.\nResearch across social science and applied
 lessons from governance shows that trust functions as a form of “soft
 infrastructure.” It shapes whether people believe their participation
 matters\, whether systems are perceived as fair\, and whether stakeholders
 are willing to collaborate across sectors. Procedural justice further
 demonstrates that how decisions are made - particularly whether processes
 are transparent\, consistent\, and accessible - plays a critical role in
 building or eroding trust.\nAt the same time\, trust is not only linked to
 policy uptake\, but also to broader well-being and social stability\,
 reinforcing its importance as a cross-cutting condition for sustainable
 development. Examples from participatory governance in both the United
 States and Brazil illustrate that while trust can be built in different
 ways\, it must be intentionally designed into systems.\nThis side event
 will examine trust not as a secondary outcome\, but as a foundational
 condition for SDG delivery - exploring how it can be operationalized across
 contexts to ensure that policies and investments translate into real-world
 impact.\n Objectives:\nExamine the core components regarding how trust is
 built\, eroded\, and repaired within the context of institutions\, ranging
 from local government to global organizations\; and how trust functions as
 a foundational condition for sustainable development across sectors\,
 building from an initial focus on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and
 Communities.\nExplore how procedural justice\, system design\, and
 communication influence stakeholder engagement\, collaboration\, policy and
 program adoption\, and long-term participation. Building from case
 studies\, identify practical strategies for intentionally designing\,
 measuring\, and sustaining trust within complex systems\, particularly
 during times of uncertainty\, rapid change\, or other challenges.
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