“Think higher, feel deeper.” Henry Timms, the Executive Director of the 92nd St. Y, opened the second day of the Social Good Summit with Elie Wiesel’s moving sentiment. Professor Wiesel’s words mirrored the themes of the conference, which focused on technology’s impact on social good initiatives around the world today. The Social Good Summit is a conference held every year during the United Nations General Assembly week, bringing together leaders and activists from around the world to share and discuss solutions to the problems facing today’s world.

Audience members heard speakers from all over the world, the Gold Coast to the White House, lecture on issues that have the potential to be solved through the use of technology. Presentations concentrated on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, ameliorating current day crises from overfishing to cancer. There are 17 SDGs that together target ameliorating people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. For the complete list of SDGs, visit the United Nations’ Sustainable Development website.

Though notable names were not hard to find at this summit, Vice President Joe Biden’s presentation on the Cancer Moonshot was certainly a remarkable part of the programming. He focused on the fact that this generation is facing imminent breakthroughs towards a cure. However, he emorephasized the fact that we have to change the current culture of the research being done and make all information accessible for global collaboration, so that collectively we may stride forward to a cure once and for all.

Woven throughout the summit, which highlighted the importance of technology in  advancing towards societal betterment, was a mandate to focus on women and youth as the key to unlocking a better world for all of us. In the coming years, the work that has been put in by empowered women and the youth of our generation will create a better world. Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kristian Jensen, pointed out, “The girls need to be on the field. We can’t win if half the world’s population is on the bench. We need girls to play.”

On issues ranging from the environment to the economy, speakers used statistics and their own stories to remind the audience that women are at the forefront of this endeavor for achievement of the SDGs, and that without recognizing women as a driving force of this change, it will not happen. Patricia Gualinga, a Kichwa leader from Sarayaku, Ecuador, presented with Alec Baldwin on the importance of environmental preservation in the Amazon, working with SDG 13, “Climate Action.” She advocated for the indigenous people of Ecuador against oil companies. Staking her claim in spite of the dismissals of big corporations, she said, “We’re not just poor indigenous people. We’re contributing valuable resources to the world through the rainforest.”

Dell’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Elizabeth Gore, shed light on the reality of the business situation. Her time on stage focused on the fact that we are in the midst of a global revolution, but “if women aren’t leading this revolution, we aren’t going to get anywhere.” She emphasized that one of the greatest resources that our economy has access to is women. Gore continued to explain that if the gender imbalance is to move more towards equality in the business sector, we need to be investing in women. She pointed out that female entrepreneurs in the United States have access to only seven percent of the capital availed to invest into their businesses. Gore explained that if we invest in women, the return will diversify and strengthen the overall economy.

Sarah Collins, the founder and CEO of Wonderbag, who presented alongside Gore, made it clear that it is imperative that we proceed ethically in business, creating and working with profitable companies with purposeful practices. Ideally, we should be able to use technology as a foundation for new businesses and to advance them to their full potential.

The Sustainable Development Goals will be difficult, but not impossible, to accomplish by 2030. These goals are inarguably necessary to create the highest quality of life for the world’s population. The Social Good Summit clearly evidenced that these goals are absolutely attainable if we continue working and developing consciously with the technology we have available at our fingertips. Listening closely, though, audience members should have walked away with the message that millennials must create this lasting change. Commanding the empowerment of women and youth is the only way that these goals will be reached by 2030. This is our world, and we are the ones who have to propel ourselves forward.

CLARIFICATION: The article originally reported that Sarah Collins was Elizabeth Gore’s presenting partner. It has been since updated to include that Sarah Collins is the founder and CEO of Wonderbag.