Even as we approach the second anniversary of the official declaration of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, variants continue to emerge, causing new waves of infection and creating challenging conditions in many countries. It is distressing to contemplate the reality of people around the world who, without solace or support, carry the wounds of lost health, livelihoods and purpose, or who anguish at the loss of family members or friends.

When we consider the events and trends that mark historical periods, it is clear that we cannot allow this story to be one only of devastating loss undergone and endured. I say this because I firmly believe that the key factor determining the direction of history will prove to be we humans ourselves, and not a virus.

Most crucial is to forge bonds of solidarity from the realizations of connectedness that have come to us deeply and intensely during this unprecedented crisis, and make these the basis for shared efforts to find a way out of the storm.

I would like to discuss, from three different perspectives, the things that I see as essential to overcoming not only the COVID-19 crisis but also the other challenges that confront our world, thus opening a new chapter in human history.

The first is to face head-on the issues the pandemic has exposed and reweave the social fabric so that it can support people’s lives in the years and decades to come. Now more than ever, we need to construct a society where people can confront and together overcome even the most severe challenges, a society in which the palpable sense that it is good to be alive, is shared by all.

The second is that of creating a consciousness of solidarity that extends to the entire world.

The focus of pandemic response measures needs to be on how governments can work together to overcome this threat, not on how each individual state can escape the crisis. The G7 countries should lead efforts to negotiate a pandemic treaty that will establish international protocols for responding to future pandemics, and proactively develop the frameworks of international cooperation that can serve as a basis for such a treaty.

Third, I would like to call for an economy that inspires hope in young people and enables women to shine with dignity.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is scheduled to convene a multilateral forum for a human-centered recovery this year. I propose that this occasion serve as a platform for countries to prioritize efforts to ensure decent, humane work for all, with a particular focus on improving employment conditions for young people. Further, I am thoroughly convinced that gender equality and women’s empowerment are the keys to overcoming the COVID-19 crisis and building an economy and society that sustain human dignity.