Silence, Sustainability, and Art: Global Voices at the UN HLPF 2025

Health, Harmony, and the Sound of Sustainability

By Ahmed Fathi

UNHQ, NEW YORK — At this year’s United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the conversation went well beyond climate targets and economic reform. It focused—quietly but urgently—on an often-overlooked public health crisis: noise.

Chairman Mike Zhang, head of the Global Alliance for Sustainable Development Foundation, sat down with ATN News to discuss how noise pollution directly affects health outcomes and undermines the global vision of a “beautiful human settlement.”

“This time at the UN Sustainable Development High-level Political Conference, we held a forum on health for all,” Zhang said. “Good health and well-being is crucial for everyone. Without health, sustainable growth fails.”

Zhang highlighted the importance of “healthy silence,” linking peaceful living environments to physical and mental well-being. “If one can sleep in a good environment, a nice living space greatly helps physical and mental health,” he said, giving special thanks to Chinese company Tata Wooden Door for their support in promoting quiet, sustainable housing.

The company, Zhang noted, has developed community-based solutions that incorporate soundproofing and eco-friendly design tailored for dense housing and vulnerable populations. “They developed a complete set of ways to help children, and the elderly live very confidently in such a peaceful quality setting,” he explained.

Zhang said that an International Habitat Environment Forum will soon open in China. Its goal is to bring together resources from around the world and raise the bar for quiet, health-conscious living. He also talked about a big ESG Sustainability Summit that will happen this October. The goal of the summit is to bring together the best companies that are dedicated to social and environmental goals.

“Top ESG companies from around the world will join us to promote global sustainable development,” Zhang said.

Complementing the policy-focused dialogue was a deeply human element—art. Rising Chinese painter May Kong also joined the Forum, showcasing a work recently gifted to the President of Croatia. The painting depicts Mother Earth at the center, her roots connecting all directions, symbolizing global peace.

“The theme I created for this painting is world peace,” Kong told ATN. “I hope this painting serves as my first step towards bringing more love and peace to our world.”

Kong emphasized the power of art to bridge cultures and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Art transcends cultures and generations, without language barriers,” she said. “It fosters spiritual connections between individuals. It’s an excellent bridge for global sustainable development.”

From quiet spaces to creative canvases, HLPF 2025 offered a fresh reminder that sustainable development requires more than policies—it requires peace, purpose, and the power of human expression.