Meeting the Moment: fireside chat and panel discussion alongside UNGA 80
On September 25th, alongside the United Nations General Assembly, global leaders came together to explore how to improve outcomes for the millions of people we work alongside.
BY BRAC USA
At our Meeting the Moment event alongside the United Nations General Assembly, participants came together on Sept. 25, 2025, to explore how the sector can improve outcomes for the millions of people we work alongside. Our discussions centered on proven strategies and ways the development community can unite not just to exchange ideas, but to enact bold, durable change.
Panel discussion
Our moderator was Nicholas Kristof, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist with The New York Times, known for his global reporting, bestselling books, and deep commitment to humanitarian issues. Joining him was Shameran Abed, Executive Director of BRAC International, who leads programs across Asia and Africa and chairs the board of bKash. Himesh Bhise, CEO of Arabella Advisors, spoke about partnering with philanthropists and nonprofits to drive social impact, and Alison Fahey, Global Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at J-PAL, explored global collaborations that advance evidence-based solutions to poverty.
Fireside chat
A fireside chat also included Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC, who leads BRAC’s work in Bangladesh; and Kristen J. Molyneaux, Ph.D., President and Co-Founder of Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Video footage and production by Merelis Productions.