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

We invited Itonde Kakoma, the new President and CEO of Interpeace, to talk about the mission of Interpeace – an organization that had its origins in the UN and works to prevent violence and build lasting peace. Interpeace has over 30 years of experience working in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

In this conversation with the Director of the UN Library & Archives, Francesco Pisano, Itonde Kakoma talks about inclusive peacebuilding, a participatory approach and a vision of peace anchored in the cohesion and resilience of citizens, the diversity and inclusion of communities and the responsiveness and trustworthiness of State institutions. They discuss the obstacles around implementing the strategic aims of rethinking peace, enhancing resilience and embedding peace, as well as the nexus between peacebuilding and multilateralism.

Resources

Interpeace website: https://www.interpeace.org/

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: Itonde Kakoma, President, Interpeace

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer: Amy Smith

Editing and social media designs: Mengna Chen

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

A conversation with Under-Secretary-General Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of UNECE

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is one of the five Regional Commissions of the United Nations. ECE was set up in 1947 to promote pan-European economic integration. Francesco Pisano met with UNECE’s new Executive Secretary, Ms. Tatiana Molcean for a conversation on the role of the Commission and how it serves multilateralism. They also talk about the vision for European economic integration and the challenges currently facing the wider European region.

Resources

UNECE website: https://unece.org/

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=R06Hz-T2C0M&t=3s

Content   

Guest: Tatiana Molcean, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNECE

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer: Amy Smith

Editing and social media designs: Mengna Chen  

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

Will we have a breakthrough or a breakdown? In this second episode with Adam Day, Head of the Geneva Office of the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research, we continue the exploration of the Six Transformative Shifts proposed by the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism for a more secure and sustainable future.

Adam Day talks with Francesco Pisano, Director of the Library & Archives about the second three shifts: digital and data governance, peace and prevention and anticipatory action. They also discuss how the UN architecture that was set up post-World War II has aged and what a review of the UN Charter would look like.

Resources

HLAB Report: https://highleveladvisoryboard.org/breakthrough/

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

United Nations University Centre for Policy Research: https://unu.edu/cpr/abouthttps://unu.edu/explore

Slaughter, A.-M. (2017). The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World. Yale University Press.

Previous episodes with Adam Day:

A Breakthrough. Part I: https://unitednationslibrarygeneva.podbean.com/e/a-breakthrough-six-transformative-shifts-part-i/

A time for change and effective multilateralism – a conversation with Adam Day | The Next Page (podbean.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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R06Hz-T2C0M&t=3s

Content   

Guest: Adam Day

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer: Amy Smith

Editing and social media designs: Menga Chen  

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

In this and the following episode, we take a deep dive with Adam Day, Head of the Geneva Office of the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research, into the Six Transformative Shifts proposed by the High-Level Advisory Board (HLAB) on Effective Multilateralism for a more secure and sustainable future.

Here, in part 1, Adam Day talks with Francesco Pisano, Director of the Library & Archives, about the first three shifts: rebuilding trust in multilateralism; planet and people; and global finance. They talk about re-thinking what consensus means, making multilateralism inclusive and the rights of future generations. Adam also focuses on the vital need to elevate environmental issues, he discusses peace as a public good, and looks at the viable yet ambitious track on finance.

Resources

Previous episode with Adam Day: A time for change and effective multilateralism – a conversation with Adam Day | The Next Page (podbean.com)

HLAB Report: https://highleveladvisoryboard.org/breakthrough/

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

United Nations University: https://unu.edu/explore

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=R06Hz-T2C0M

Content   

Guest: Adam Day, Head of the Geneva Office, United Nations University Centre for Policy Research 

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer: Amy Smith

Editing and social media designs: Menga Chen  

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

We are starting our 2024 series with an episode with H.E. Mrs. Claudia Fuentes Julio, Permanent Representative of Chile.

Ambassador Fuentes Julio talks about her interesting career path into diplomacy and representing her country. She tells us about the geography of Chile, bounded between the magnificent Andes and the vast Pacific Ocean, and she relates some of the history of Chile and its long connection with multilateralism, including as a founding Member of the United Nations.

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=KdlO3HCabTk

Content   

Speakers: Ambassador Claudia Fuentes Julio

Host: Francesco Pisano

Producer: Amy Smith

Editing and social media designs: Menga Chen  

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

In this end of year episode, Francesco Pisano, Director of the Library & Archives and senior managers Sigrun Habermann and Blandine Blukacz-Louisfert, find themselves on the other side of the table to talk about why knowledge matters in our times, whether libraries matter, what expertise we need and what digitization, technology and AI can mean for knowledge services. 

Together, they come up with an innovative list of wishes to bring you advanced knowledge services for work and research in multilateralism.

Resources:

https://www.ungeneva.org/en/library-archives

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   

Speakers: Francesco Pisano, Sigrun Habermann, Blandine Blukacz-Louisfert

Host: Amy Smith

Producer: Amy Smith

Editing & social media: Mengna Chen, Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva