Robert Bruce Adolph joined us for this short episode to talk about his book Surviving the UN: The Unexpected Challenge. Robert worked on assignments in many conflict areas in the world in the 1990s during his second career as a UN Chief Security Officer, following his retirement as US Army Special Forces Lieutenant-Colonel. He was present during the deadly bomb attack on the UN compound in Baghdad on 19 August 2003.

Over two decades later, as we approach the anniversary of that horrific event, Robert Adolph talks about why he wrote the book and about learning from failure.

Resources

Adolph, Robert Bruce. (2020). Surviving the UN: The Unexpected Challenge. New Academia Publishing/Vellum.

(Available at the UNOG bookstore)

Website: Robert Bruce Adolph - https://robertbruceadolph.com/

Bob's book recommendation

Pinker, Steven. (2012). The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. Penguin Books.

Where to listen to this episode

• Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

Content

Host: Amy Smith

Speakers: Robert Bruce Adolph

Production and editing: Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

*This episode was recorded online and we apologize for the low sound quality.

The interns working at the UN Library & Archives Geneva gathered for a discussion with the Director of the Library & Archives, Francesco Pisano, on their thoughts on multilateralism, multiculturalism and working at the UN.

Raphaela, Lucas, Alicia, Mengna and Ashrul come from different countries, are studying at different institutions and have different academic backgrounds. They share with us inside tips on applying for UN internships, explain their own motivations and give a glimpse of what they have learned during their time at the Library & Archives and UN Geneva. Together, they explore what multilateralism, multiculturalism and multilingualism mean to them in their lives and work.

Resources

UN Internships: https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/page/internships

UN Careers: https://careers.un.org/home?language=en

Where to listen to this episode

• Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

Content

Host: Franceso Pisano

Speakers: Interns at the UN Library & Archives Geneva

Ashrul Bin Mohammad Azmi

Raphaela Gutierrez

Alicia Grünert

Lucas Westphal Jensen

Mengna CHEN

Concept and editing: Mengna CHEN

Producer: Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Ellie Hutterli is a Senior Swiss UN Youth Delegate for 2022-24 and her priority topics are sustainable cities and communities, digitalization, reduced inequalities with a special focus on gender equality, and youth participation and inclusion. Ellie joins us for this episode to talk more about the Youth Delegate programme, her priority topic on women’s rights and gender equality, as well her thoughts more broadly on youth participation in the United Nations.

Resources

Conseil Suisse des Activités de Jeunesse : https://www.sajv.ch/en/projects/youth-rep

Youth Delegate Programme: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/youth/un-youth-delegate-programme#:~:text=The%20roles%20of%20a%20youth,attending%20meetings%20and%20informal%20negotiations.

Youth: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/youth

Our Common Agenda: https://www.un.org/en/common-agenda

Where to listen to this episode

• Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCxsgnF67Lw

Content

Guest: Ellie Hutterli, Swiss Youth Delegate

Host, producer and editor: Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Thomas Hale is Professor in Public Policy (Global Public Policy) at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. He also co-leads the Net Zero Tracker and the Net Zero Regulation and Policy Hub. His research explores how we can manage transnational problems effectively and fairly.

In this conversation, Professor Hale talks with Francesco Pisano, Director of the UN Library & Archives Geneva, about his new book: Long Problems: Climate Change and the Challenge of Governing Across Time. The book offers a fresh perspective on addressing climate change through the lens of political science.

They explore the challenge of long problems and Thomas Hale argues that political science must play a crucial role, alongside natural sciences, in finding solutions to existential threats like climate change through new frameworks for long-term policymaking.

Resources:

https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/people/thomas-hale

Hale, T. (2024) Long Problems: Climate Change and the Challenge of Governing Across Time. Princeton University Press.

Long Problems | Princeton University Press

Where to listen to this episode

• Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
• YouTube:

Content

Guest: Professor Thomas Hale

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer and editor: Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Join us for the next episode in our ambassadors series in which H.E. Mr. CHEN Xu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland talks with the Director of the Library & Archives, Francesco Pisano. Ambassador Chen speaks of the history of China, its role in the Asian region and in the world, as well as in the United Nations.

Content

Speaker: Ambassador CHEN Xu

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer and editor: Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Catherine Bertini is The Rockefeller Foundation Managing Director for Food, former Executive Director of the World Food Programme and World Food Prize Laureate (2003). We were delighted to have her join the Director of the Library & Archives, Francesco Pisano, for this episode to explore the question of food security and the vision of achieving zero hunger in an equitable world.

The Rockefeller Foundation published a report last year providing an analysis of the current obstacles to food security and offers innovative ideas to overcome them. You can read the report via the link below.

Resources

The Rockefeller Foundation Report: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/report/defining-the-path-to-zero-hunger-in-an-equitable-world/

International Food Policy Research Institute: https://www.ifpri.org/event/commitments-impact-analyzing-global-commitments-toward-promoting-food-security-and-healthy

Catherine Bertini: https://www.catherinebertini.com/

Where to listen to this episode

• Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/DgKDGI8ZRi4

Content

Guest: Catherine Bertini, The Rockefeller Foundation, Food

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer: Amy Smith

Editing: Mengna Chen

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

In this rich conversation with Professors Davide Rodogno and Carloyn Biltoft, we delve into a world of meaning making and examine the depth and breadth that history offers for policymaking.

Davide Rodogno is professor of International History and Politics and the Head of the Interdisciplinary Master Programme at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. He specializes in researching international organizations and philanthropic foundations, and transnational networks and movements since the 19th century.

Carolyn Biltoft is associate professor of international history and politics at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Her works fuses the tools of world history, intellectual history, cultural studies and critical theory. She is interested broadly in the dynamic interactions between globalising structures and infrastructures and diverse beliefs, emotions, concepts and human life-worlds.

Resources

Geneva Graduate Institute: https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/international-history-politics

Carolyn Biltoft’s book suggestions:

Hartman, Saidiya. (2019). Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Social Upheaval. W. W. Norton & Company (February 19, 2019).

Johnson, Denis. (2012) Train Dreams: A Novella. Picador

Smail, Daniel Lord. (2007) On Deep History and the Brain. University of California Press; First Edition

Davide Rodogno’s book suggestions:

García Márquez, Gabriel (1967) One Hundred Years of Solitude / Cien años de soledad.

García Márquez, Gabriel. (1985). Love in the Time of Cholera.

García Márquez, Gabriel. (1992) Strange Pilgrims. Twelve Short Stories. (Bon Voyage Mr. President, is set in Geneva)

Where to listen to this episode

• Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h32UaG8AgZc

Content

Guests: Davide Rodogno and Carolyn Biltoft

Host and Producer: Amy Smith

Editing and social media designs: Mengna Chen

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Founder and Executive Director of Diplo Foundation, Dr. Jovan Kurbalija, takes us on a journey from the past to the present and across civilizations to explore the interplay of technology and diplomacy.

Diplomacy and technology are at the heart of Diplo’s mission. Dr. Kurbalija emphasizes the importance of writing as a diplomatic tool and begins by telling us the story in the Sumerian poem “Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta”, recounting how Enmerkar invents writing on clay tablets to relieve the messenger of having to remember the increasing number of messages with which he is charged.

Jovan talks about the similarity of the Ancient Egyptian Amarna letters to today’s diplomatic notes, the advanced messaging system of the Persians at the time of Cyrus the Great, how the Romans and Byzantines concealed information, the advances in technology during the Renaissance period and he highlights the themes of continuity and change all the way to present day. He also speaks about the impact of social media, AI, and our need to remain open to embracing technology in a smart way.

Resources

Diplo website: https://www.diplomacy.edu/

Kurbalija J. (2023) History of Diplomacy and Technology: From Smoke Signals to Artificial Intelligence available at: https://www.diplomacy.edu/resource/history-of-diplomacy-and-technology-from-smoke-signals-to-artificial-intelligence/

Where to listen to this episode

• Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

Content

Guest: Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director, Diplo

Host and Producer: Amy Smith

Editing and social media designs: Mengna Chen

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva