Episodes
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This is a special episode in Spanish. Please stay tuned for the English version, coming soon!
En este episodio, conversamos con José Woldenberg, connotado politólogo mexicano que desempeñó un papel clave en la transición democrática de su país como uno de los primeros consejeros ciudadanos del Instituto Federal Electoral – el IFE – y luego como Consejero Presidente del IFE durante los años 1996 a 2003.
José nos cuenta sobre su experiencia de construir y hacer funcionar una institución electoral autónoma e independiente, y de ahí, organizar elecciones transparentes, legítimas e imparciales por primera vez en la historia de México.
Lo que escuchamos de esa experiencia nos pareció de gran relevancia actual, ya que el día de hoy, estamos viendo cómo el cuestionamiento del papel de los órganos de administración de elecciones está alimentando una erosión de confianza en la democracia en varias partes del mundo. En el mismo México, ha venido causando mucha polémica unas propuestas de reformas significativas al Instituto Nacional Electoral impulsadas por el actual gobierno.
Justo en tiempos como estos, nos parece bueno conocer y aprender de un esfuerzo colectivo monumental y a la vez gradual y minucioso que llevó a México a la democracia contra todo pronóstico.
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The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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In this episode, we spoke to Carol Bellamy, former Executive Director of UNICEF. Carol spoke to us with admirable candor about her experience of leading UNICEF at a pivotal time in the organization.
In particular, what was it like to try to broaden the focus of the organization toward fully embracing the all-encompassing vision of the Convention on the Rights of the Child? How did she deal with the management challenges of running an organization with over 10,000 people working all over the world? What do you do when you are faced with serious wrongdoing by your own staff? And what did these experiences tell her about her own strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
Thanks for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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Missing episodes?
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In the 2nd part of our interview, Fernando Carrera shared with us how he navigated the treacherous geopolitics of recognising the State of Palestine as minister of foreign affairs of Guatemala.
Fernando recounted a tricky encounter with the Jewish American Committee during Guatemala's push for the recognition of Palestine, a tense diplomatic showdown with Netanyahu himself, how Israel publicly reacted to the move in the wake of the announcement, and much more.
You can listen to part 1 of this discussion by following this link.
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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What makes you agree to work for a right wing, ex-military President when you have spent much of your life working to defend and promote human rights? What is it like to work with that President to change the longstanding international strategy of waging a War on Drugs? How do you face down the Primer Minister of Israel who is unhappy about your country recognizing the State of Palestine? And what drives you to call on your own President to step down?
These were some of the questions Jason and Yoriko asked Fernando Carrera, former Foreign Minister of Guatemala, in this second episode of CHANGE MAKERS. The answers were always fascinating and often surprising, with some valuable lessons about how politics – particularly geopolitics – works in real life. In fact, the conversation was so engrossing that we decided to extend it over two episodes!
Thanks for tuning in!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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Welcome to the first episode of Global Citizen: Change Makers. In this special subseries, we interview leaders from diverse walks of life who have worked to achieve big changes. Changes in different spheres, including individual communities, institutions, entire nations or at the global level. We talk to politicians, activists, leaders of international organizations and others about the most challenging decisions they have taken part in as they sought to transform the world around them.
Our guests share firsthand accounts of how they navigated the stormy waters of local, national and international politics in order to bring about change, often in the face of daunting challenges, including, in some cases, threats to their lives.
For our first episode, we interviewed Leonardo Garnier, former Minister of Education of Costa Rica. Leonardo told us about how he sought to turn Costa Rican schools into places of learning, not only of the skills needed to get a good job, but about how to live well, including how to love and to take pleasure in sex, responsibly. This was a radical change in a Catholic country where conservative and authoritarian views of education still prevailed. Leonardo faced vehement opposition, including numerous lawsuits brought before the Constitutional Court.
Our chat was a captivating exploration of how you take a transformative vision and turn it into tangible change through public policy, winning support from key actors and overcoming resistance both big and small. At the same time, it was also a reflection on the limits of policy and politics in sustaining such changes in the face of shifting political currents.
Thanks for tuning in!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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In this episode of the Global Citizen podcast, we're talking with Zoe Zeniodi, a conductor and artistic director of El Sistema Greece, a community music project that provides free music education to children and young people in Greece.
After a short chat on Zoe's personal experience as a woman in the world of conducting, we discussed about the impact of El Sistema on social inclusion, and the transformative power of music in building community and fostering emotional connections. Zoe shared personal anecdotes and insights into how music serves as a tool for empowerment and change, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and how it can connect people's hearts on a profound level.
We hope you enjoy our conversation!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 This episode of the Global Citizen podcast presents a deep dive into the critical and complex issue of UN reform, focusing on the need for a more representative and effective Security Council.
🗣️ Today's guest is Daryl Swanepoel, CEO of the Inclusive Society Institute and an expert in global governance. Daryl takes us on a journey through some of the most pressing structural challenges facing the UN, steering away from discussions on the Summit of the Future to focus on the “elephant in the room” — the entrenched power dynamics of the P5 veto system and the need for a more inclusive Security Council.
☑️ In this episode, we explore pragmatic approaches to reforming the UN, why past efforts have struggled to deliver meaningful change, and what can realistically be done to achieve a more balanced and representative global governance structure. Tune in to hear Daryl’s insights on how to create a UN that reflects the realities of today's world.
Thanks once again for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 This episode presents an engaging conversation on the critical intersection of disaster preparedness and global sustainability. As the world faces increasing environmental crises, understanding how to effectively communicate risk and prepare for disasters is more important than ever.
🗣️ Today's guest is Cilene Victor, a professor, journalist, and expert in disaster risk communication with over 30 years of experience. Cilene has worked extensively with UNESCO and the Brazilian government on projects aimed at enhancing disaster preparedness through media and communication strategies. Her work focuses on how global institutions, media, and civil society can collaborate to improve disaster readiness and foster resilience, especially in vulnerable regions.
☑️ In this episode, we explore the role of disaster communication in global governance, the lessons learned from her extensive career, and what the Summit of the Future can achieve in addressing the growing need for disaster preparedness in the face of climate change and other global challenges.
Thanks once again for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 This episode of the Global Citizen podcast presents an in-depth conversation about the future of global governance and the need for stronger international resilience in the face of non-military threats. Dr. Georgios Kostakos, Executive Director of FOGGS, shares his insights into how the proposed Global Resilience Council could be a game changer in addressing global crises such as climate change, pandemics, and other multidimensional threats.
🗣️ Today's guest is Georgios Kostakos, an expert in global governance with extensive experience in the United Nations and international policy reform. He offers a unique perspective on the evolution of global governance, drawing comparisons between his firsthand experience during the 2005 World Summit and the upcoming Summit of the Future. In this episode, Georgios discusses how the proposed Global Resilience Council could transform the way we address global challenges and build a more secure and sustainable future.
☑️ Tune in as we explore the history of UN reforms, the role of major powers in shaping global governance, and how innovative new approaches like the Global Resilience Council could help tackle some of the most pressing issues facing humanity today.
Thanks once again for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 This episode provides an in-depth conversation about the 2024 UN-Civil Society Conference in Nairobi and its impact on global governance. We are joined by Nudhara Yusuf who co-chaired the conference – one which played a pivotal role in shaping civil society's contributions to the upcoming Summit of the Future, particularly through the formation of the ImPact Coalitions, focusing on addressing global challenges like health, youth engagement, and sustainable development.
🗣️ Today's guest is Nudhara Yusuf, co-chair of the 2024 UN-Civil Society Conference and a key advocate for civil society’s engagement in global governance. Nudhara shares her personal experience co-chairing the conference, working closely with the UN Department of Global Communication, and navigating the challenges of bringing civil society voices to the forefront of global discussions. She also discusses the potential for the conference’s outcomes, including the ImPact Coalitions, to influence the ambitious agenda of the Summit of the Future.
☑️ Tune in to hear Nudhara’s insights on the power of civil society to drive change and her reflections on how the Nairobi conference can shape the future of global governance, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and acted upon.
Thanks once again for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode!
Sponsored and published by: 📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 This episode of the Global Citizen podcast presents a thought-provoking conversation on the significance of interfaith dialogue and religious coexistence. As global divisions rise based on religious and cultural differences, the importance of fostering understanding and cooperation across faiths cannot be overstated.
🗣️ Today's guest is Mohammad Taher Gholitabar, a distinguished academic and Director of the Office of European and American Affairs at the University of Religions and Denominations in Iran. Mohammad Taher is also an active member of FOGGS.
☑️ In this episode, Mohammad Taher shares his experiences and insights on the role of interfaith dialogue in bridging divides and fostering religious coexistence. Together, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in promoting inter-religious understanding in today’s world and explore how the United Nations and other global institutions can support these efforts. The conversation also delves into the expectations from the UN and the international community in addressing religious conflicts and promoting peace, with a special focus on the needs and perspectives of the Global South.
Thanks once again for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 This episode of The Global Citizen podcast presents an insightful discussion on the importance of multilateralism and institutional reforms in addressing global challenges.
🗣️ Today's guest is Kerstin Leitner, an experienced former UN official and senior advisor with extensive experience in global governance and sustainable development. Dr. Leitner shares her perspectives on whether multilateralism is still alive and strong.
☑️ Dr. Leitner provides a historical overview of multilateralism, reflecting on periods of strong global cooperation and identifying factors that have led to its current challenges. She discusses key institutional reforms necessary to enhance the effectiveness of multilateral organisations like the UN and explores the roles of major powers such as the US and China. The conversation also touches on the potential of the upcoming Summit of the Future to bring about meaningful changes in global governance and foster a more unified international community.
Thanks once again for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 This episode of the Global Citizen podcast presents an intimate account of a years-long battle between a young French activist working working with refugees in Calais, and the French state, which pressed criminal defamation charges against him for the apparent crime of posting a picture of policemen with a funny caption.
🗣️ Today's guest is Loan Torondel, humanitarian and social worker from France, currently active in search and rescue missions in the mediterranean sea. Loan - who I had the pleasure of meeting and working with a few years ago - kindly agreed to come on the podcast to share his deeply moving story with me, and with you, the dear audience of the GCP.
☑️ In this super intimate and interesting conversation, Loan and I explored the personal dimensions of this ordeal, namely how it affects one's mental health and social life, as well as the political dimensions, like the motives behind the charges, the political climate at the time that led to lawsuits such as this one, and the impact that this ruling has had on future similar cases.
Thanks once again for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy this episode!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
The opinions expressed in this podcast by the host(s) and/or guest(s) do not in any way represent the official positions of FOGGS, katoikos.world, or any other affiliated organization.
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🌎 Our modern multilateral system is based on a political concept that was born more than 300 years ago and underlies international relations to this day. During the negotiations of the peace of Westphalia, new rules defining the nature and rights of states, notably the principle of non-interference, were established in Europe. This came to be known as the Westphalian world order, an international system emphasizing the role of the sovereign state as the basic unit in the global political arena.
🗺️ Over the centuries, with humanity advancing into new paradigms of coexistence, the Westphalian world order seems to be transforming. Supranational power structures such as regional unions (EU, African Union) and the UN have embedded themselves into the international system, introducing new spaces for multilateral interaction.
🤝 With the need to cooperate more imperative than ever, and with multiple planetary crises brewing, we are at an injunction where in order to tackle the challenges ahead, we will have to change the way we relate to each other on all levels.
🗣️ Rebecca Shoot from the US-based world federalist organization Citizens for Global Solutions joined me on the show to shed some light into this subject. Citizens for global solutions is a US-based NGO advocating for a democratic world federation predicated upon peace, human rights, and the rule of law, active in coalition building and advocacy in order to promote its vision. We went over her organization's ideas for UN reform, how world federalism might inform the development of a post-Westphalian order, what being a world federalist is like in the US, and much more.
I hope you enjoy the full interview. Thanks so much for tuning in!
Sponsored and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
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🪙 The end of the second world war ushered in a new era of change for humanity. Having tested out all of their new, shiny weapons on each other, the nation states of Europe decided to tone things down for a while, and to focus on rebuilding their war-ravaged continent. A key factor for the success of this was, of course, the US. American financial aid was a major helping hand for Europe, especially in the years right after the end of the hostilities of WW2. Along with the US' money, however, came also their influence. Europe, holding the United States' hand, entered into an period of liberalism, urbanization, opening up of markets, systemic integration (🇪🇺), and increased laissez-faire in its economies and industries - a period often called by 20th century historians "the Golden Age".
🏙️ This changed Europe's demographic, sociopolitical and cultural characteristics to an incredible degree, and with great speed. A mostly agrarian and industrial collage of societies, Europe was being transformed - to its core - into a land of opportunity, bustling market economies and capitalist models of economic planning. Today, the situation remains the same, but even more intensified. This is the case not only in Europe anymore, but, especially after the fall of the Soviet Union, in the majority of the world's economies. Fukuyama said this was the end of history - however, the corrosive elements of our system are starting to bear their teeth. Scholars believe that late capitalism does not actually require democracy to function. Systems with healthy democratic elements hinder private enterprises' ability to make more profit by keeping them on an "institutional leash", regulating their activities in the name of public interest. Therefore, one could say that giving people power to decide for themselves isn't the greatest business decision. And this has started to become obvious.
🗣️ Today I was joined by Stefanos Loukopoulos, co-founder and director of Vouliwatch, a parliamentary watchdog NGO based in Athens. Greece is a prime example of the process I explained above, and Stefanos was kind enough to come on the show to help explain the situation better. We discussed a lot about Greece, the decline of its democratic institutions, and the disillusionment and apathy of people towards their political system. We also talked about his organization, Vouliwatch, and what kind of action it takes to tackle this phenomenon. Finally, we tied the local to the global aspect, touching on the phenomenon of democratic decline on a worldwide scale. I am so grateful to Stefanos for sharing his amazing insights on these topics, and I'm happy we got to dive deeper into the goings-on of my home country, Greece. I'm excited to share this episode so that all of you can also get a bit of a clearer picture about what's going on in my little sun-washed corner of the globe :)
Thanks for tuning in!
Supported and published by:
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🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
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🌍 The planet is metaphorically (and unfortunately, quite often literally) on fire. Being a young human in their mid 20s, I've slowly and painfully learnt, as I'm transitioning into adulthood, that the world on which I'm living, and one day maybe my children, is on a downhill spiral of environmental degradation, and that increasingly tougher times are ahead.
🏭 The causes of this might be simple to point our fingers to - namely, destruction of the environment, exploitation of natural resources past their breaking point, and radical disruption of very fragile planetary and biological systems. However, if we want to get out of this mess and stay out of it, it is important that we understand exactly why we have brought ourselves to this point of environmental breakdown in the first place.
🏛️ My guest, Finnur, thinks - and in my opinion, very rightly so - that the core of the climate crisis is related to our values as a society. It might be the case that the pillars upon which we base our human existence on this planet in this point in time, which are predominantly values like growth, expansion, individualism and consumption, are fundamentally incompatible with a planet that has finite resources and extremely delicate ecosystems. Maybe the solution for climate change doesn’t only lie in our technological capacities, but might also require that we rethink our relationship with life and nature in general.
🗣️ Finnur Ricart is Chairperson of the Icelandic Young Environmentalist Association, and Icelandic UN Youth Delegate on Climate Change. He’s in his early twenties but he’s already achieved so much, and from what I can tell he’s just getting started. Our conversation covered a range of topics, like the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, which he attended as youth delegate for Iceland, as well as in the role of representative of his organization, the Icelandic Young Environmentalist Association. Finnur gave me a comprehensive, first hand account of what it’s really like to attend the conference of the parties, that absolutely massive political forum, and especially what it’s like to be there as a youth delegate, so we talked a lot about what kind of impact the youth has on the diplomatic procedures of the conference. Of course, as I mentioned above, we also talked a lot about climate change being, at its core, a crisis of values. I'm very grateful that I got to hear his perspective on all of these things, and even more grateful that I get to share them on the podcast.
Thanks so much for tuning in!
Supported and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
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🤝 Since the beginning of our species, the one key factor that has allowed us to survive and thrive is the ability to communicate. With advanced communication comes advanced cooperation - enabling us to achieve feats much greater than any single human would be able to pull off alone. This critical skill has helped us with everything from surviving in prehistoric jungles, to repairing the ozone layer - and it is now more important than ever.
💼 Today, our ability to communicate and cooperate is being put to the ultimate test, as we’re facing arguably the biggest challenge we’ve had to deal with so far: catastrophic climate change. Surviving this cataclysmic event requires effective teamwork. To figure out a collective solution, the international community has created the UNFCCC - the flagship UN agency for dealing with climate change. In the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC, the nations of the world confer with each other and make cooperative pledges to reduce emissions and transition to a sustainable future. But is that enough?
🗣️ My guest for today is Richard Kinley, a retired senior official of the UNFCCC with more than 25 years of experience. He kindly joined me on the show to give me an insider view of this quintessential global forum. We talked about his experience in the UNFCCC and the COPs, the biggest challenges he and his colleagues faced during their active years, and how multilateralism itself has evolved since the beginning of the COPs in the mid 90s. We also discussed whether the international community is doing enough to address climate change, the unfortunate lack of political will in national politics, and outlooks for the future of climate diplomacy.
🎙️ I’m super happy to share this episode, I had so much fun recording it! As a climate nerd and political scientist, this was right up my alley so I hope it’s as engaging and interesting to you as it was to me.
Thank you for tuning in!
Supported and published by:
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🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
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Part 1 here!
🔥Hatred, suspicion and prejudice is easier to spread than love, compassion and understanding. Fear is a strong driver for human beings and, in times of uncertainty and turmoil (such as our own), it takes hold of us. In the digital age, expressions of hatred and fear can interact with each other, connecting and forming ideological networks based on these root emotions. A prime example of this is the rise of the alt-right (alternative right), an online (initially) far-right, white nationalist movement, originating in the US.
🗣️ Today's guest is Ipsita Chatterjee, a human geographer interested in the economic, cultural and geopolitical impacts of globalization. Ipsita is also a prolific author, and her latest book "The Alt-Right Movement: Dissecting Racism, Patriarchy and Anti-immigrant Xenophobia" served as the basis of our discussion. To help me better understand this phenomenon, she took me through how the alt-right came to be, its rise, and its ideological basis. We also talked about the role of the internet as a driver of alt-right ideology, but also as a potential remedy against it. Overall a super interesting discussion that I really feel gave me a much better understanding of the subject, as well as new perspectives on it. Please enjoy part 2!
Supported and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
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🌍 The world is in one of the most critical periods that it's ever been in. Tensions are rising, conflicts are higher and deadlier by the year and the pandemic's scars are visible and painful. The war in Ukraine has dimmed the spirit of international cooperation in a time when it is most needed. Things are looking pretty gloomy - so where do we go from here?
🗣️ To help me cope with my existential dread (and also provide incredible value to you, our listeners), Kerstin Leitner joined me on the podcast. Kerstin has 30 years of experience as a UN official, and she has lived in numerous places around the world, like Africa, China and the United States. Today she lives in Berlin and teaches at Potsdam University.
📖 In our talk, we went over a series of topics. We covered major areas of international politics, like the situations of China-Taiwan and Ukraine-Russia, as well as developing countries and their role in the international stage. We also discussed the potential of the UN to be a key actor in the development of global geopolitics in the coming decades, especially given the monumental importance of climate change and the need for serious cooperation in order to tackle it. We also talked about feminist foreign policy as an alternative to the paradigms that currently exist in governance systems worldwide.
Thank you for tuning in!
Supported and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
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🔥Hatred, suspicion and prejudice is easier to spread than love, compassion and understanding. Fear is a strong driver for human beings and, in times of uncertainty and turmoil (such as our own), it takes hold of us. In the digital age, expressions of hatred and fear can interact with each other, connecting and forming ideological networks based on these root emotions. A prime example of this is the rise of the alt-right (alternative right), an online (initially) far-right, white nationalist movement, originating in the US.
🗣️ Today's guest is Ipsita Chatterjee, a human geographer interested in the economic, cultural and geopolitical impacts of globalization. Ipsita is also a prolific author, and her latest book "The Alt-Right Movement: Dissecting Racism, Patriarchy and Anti-immigrant Xenophobia" served as the basis of our discussion. To help me better understand this phenomenon, she took me through how the alt-right came to be, its rise, and its ideological basis. We also talked about the role of the internet as a driver of alt-right ideology, but also as a potential remedy against it. Overall a super interesting discussion that I really feel gave me a much better understanding of the subject, as well as new perspectives on it.
🎙️Our conversation was actually so interesting that we ended up talking for quite a while, so I split this recording up into 2 episodes. Please enjoy part 1 and stay tuned for part 2!
Supported and published by:
📰 katoikos.world 📰
🏛️ FOGGS 🏛️
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