Join us for the special episode in partnership with UN Women to commemorate the International Day of Women in Diplomacy. This conversation on gender equality in diplomacy features insights from the Director of UN Women in Geneva, Sofia Calltorp, and Dr. Sarah Chehab, a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Chehab shares the journey of founding the Women in Diplomacy Research Program and provides the stark statistics on gender representation from the Women in Diplomacy Index. With compelling data, Dr. Chehab discusses the pressing need to bridge the gap in senior diplomatic roles and sparks discussion on the importance of feminist foreign policy.

Also joining the conversation, Sofia Calltorp, Director of UN Women in Geneva, shares her extensive experience in diplomacy and humanitarian affairs. She offers insights into UN Women's global efforts and highlights key developments in gender-responsive foreign policies.

This episode navigates through the challenges and triumphs of women's representation in diplomacy, emphasizing the crucial role of gender equality in achieving sustainable and inclusive peace and governance on a global scale. Tune in for an engaging dialogue on the future of diplomacy and the critical steps needed to ensure equal representation for all.

Resources: Ask a Librarian!

• The UN Secretary General's report on the 30-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action - https://docs.un.org/E/CN.6/2025/3
• CSW 69 Political Declaration- https://docs.un.org/E/CN.6/2025/L.1
• Women in Politics: 2025- https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2025/03/women-in-politics-map-2025

Women in Diplomacy research programme, Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy:

https://www.agda.ac.ae/research/publications-multimedia-events/women-in-diplomacy

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/Nn7Z6YolbXc

Content

Guests:

Dr. Sara Chehab, Senior Researcher, Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, United Arab Emirates

Ms. Sofia Calltorp, Director, UN Women Geneva

Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

In this episode, we explore the world of parliamentary diplomacy with our special guest, Ambassador Anda Filip, Director for Member Parliaments and External Relations at the Interparliamentary Union (IPU). Ambassador Filip, an experienced diplomat, shares insights about her career journey and the pivotal role IPU plays in fostering global cooperation through its work which helps bridge international and national levels, and the democracy gap in international affairs.

We explore the importance of the upcoming Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and how it serves as a platform for addressing pressing global issues by providing a unique forum for high-level engagement and dialogue among parliamentary leaders from around the world.

As we celebrate International Day of Women in Diplomacy in June, Ambassador Filip also highlights the critical challenges and advancements in gender equality within parliaments, celebrating success stories from around the world and underscoring the barriers women continue to face in politics.

Join us as Ambassador Filip offers valuable perspectives on the evolution of IPU's relationship with the United Nations, the power of parliamentary diplomacy in conflict resolution, and the inspiring initiatives that are paving the way for inclusive governance globally.

Resources: Ask a Librarian!

IPU: https://www.ipu.org/

Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, 29-31 July 2025 https://www.ipu.org/event/sixth-world-conference-speakers-parliament

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/

Content

Guest: Ambassador Anda Filip

Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Join us as we celebrate International Archives Week on the theme of Archives for Everyone, with our latest news from the Library & Archives. In this compelling discussion, Danielle Hughes, an archivist and the chief of the Records Management Unit at UN Geneva, speaks about the significance of the archives related to the International Bill of Human Rights being inscribed into the UNESCO Memory of the World Heritage register.

Discover how these archives related to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, were preserved and recognized for their global importance, including the original drafts and influential changes inspired by key figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Hansa Mehta.

The episode also sheds light on the role played by Geneva in hosting these pivotal documents and addresses the broader context of preserving institutional memory for future generations, emphasizing the imperative of safeguarding both historical and contemporary archival collections. Resources and for more information: Ask an Archivist!: Ask us - Ask us

UN Archives Geneva online catalogue: www.archives.ungeneva.org

UNARMS online catalogue in New York: www.search.archives.un.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://youtu.be/15ThYV_-g_A

Content

Guest: Danielle Hughes, Archivist, UN Geneva

Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Recorded and produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Dr. Martin Wählisch, Associate Professor of Transformative Technologies, Innovation, and Global Affairs at the University of Birmingham, delves into the intersection of emerging technologies and international relations in this fascinating episode focused on science-fiction.

Dr. Wählisch discusses how AI, especially empathetic chatbots, can redefine diplomatic conversations and peace processes. Martin also explores the role of futures thinking and science fiction in shaping multilateral policies and encouraging creative solutions to global challenges. This discussion highlights the growing importance of strategic foresight in diplomacy and the valuable lessons hidden within science fiction narratives.

Resources: Ask a Librarian!

Dr. Martin Wählisch: https://globalpeacelab.net/

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/2lKIx8bFxuY

Content

Guest: Martin Wählisch

Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Join us for an episode recorded in August 2024, with Huw Llewellyn, the former Director of the Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs and former Secretary to the International Law Commission (ILC), in a conversation about the evolution of international law.

We cover the history of the ILC, its role in the evolution of international law, and its relationship with the UN Sixth Committee. Huw shares insights from his 42-year career, revealing the Commission's approach to codification and progressive development of the law. The episode also explores the historical milestones that shaped international law, from the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 to the League of Nations.

Huw talks about how stability and change in international relations is reflected in the work of the ILC, tells us more about the Commission's achievements over 75 years, and new areas of work on the agenda including the topic of sea level rise.

We conclude with a personal glimpse into Huw’s retirement plans and his recommendations for crime thriller enthusiasts (Lee Child and Martin Walker)!

Resources: Ask a Librarian!

International Law Commission: https://legal.un.org/ilc/

Resource guide: https://libraryresources.unog.ch/legal/legal/ILC

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/FZX3y3SADV4

Content

Guest: Huw Llewellyn

Host: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Production and editing: Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

This episode is released to mark the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace 2025.

We invited Marie Hürlimann, Co-Director, and Raphaëlle Leung, Head of Communications of Foraus, a Swiss participatory think tank for young thinkers who want to shape tomorrow’s foreign policy, to talk about the latest Foraus publication that they co-edited with Maximillian Rau: GenSouth - New voices from the Global South for the multilateral system of the future. GenSouth is a programme designed to bring together academics and think tank researchers from the Global South, aged between 25 and 35, to engage in discussions about the multilateralism of the future and to develop actionable, ambitious recommendations.

Marie and Raphaëlle talk with Francesco Pisano, Director of the UN Library & Archives in Geneva, about the GenSouth project. They reveal to us four visions of possible futures of multilateralism elaborated in the report.

GenSouth sees a world built on collective responsibility where the international community does not stand by in the violation of IHL; a reimagined South-South cooperation prioritising resilience, sustainability, and sovereignty; a transformation of the global financial architecture to empower vulnerable communities' access to climate finance; and Security Council reform for the inclusion of global south and the future of peace.

With thanks to the authors: Subia Ahmad, Maria Dominika Mediana Rossa Budhisatrio, Marième Cissé, Marília Closs, Paula Lottenberg, Muhammad Nidhal, Luanda Mpungose, Kwaji Ble Ngida, Olumide Onitekun, Luis Gabriel Herrera Perez, Beatriz Pfeifer, Pratyush Sharma, Parousia Tlhompho Shikwambane, Malena Viú.

Read about GenSouth and access the report: https://foraus.ch/en/projects/gensouth-programme-2024/

Resources: Ask a Librarian!

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/7lh81yuAPxQ

Content

Guests: Marie Hürlimann and Raphaëlle Leung, Foraus

Host: Francesco Pisano, Director, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Recorded and produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

In this episode, we examine the complex issue of global food security and the need for a revamped governance system. Despite having enough food produced worldwide to feed everyone, millions still suffer from hunger due to systemic failures.

Our guest, Amir Abdulla, one of the Commissioners of the Kofi Annan Foundation Commission on Food Security, shares vital insights from the recently released report entitled "Reimagining Global Governance." The report provides a roadmap to address systemic failures in our broken global food governance system and to redefine how we address one of humanity’s most pressing challenges. It outlines four governance shifts and provides ten actionable recommendations.

Amir Abdulla, with his extensive experience, including as former Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) and former UN Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, discusses the necessity of political commitment and the importance of youth participation and anticipatory governance in shaping a sustainable future. Join us as we explore the pivotal actions needed to ensure food security for future generations.

Read the report: https://www.kofiannanfoundation.org/publication/fixfoodgovernance/

Resources: Ask a Librarian!

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/dhGG4TNgUL8

Content

Guest: Amir Abdulla, Commissioner, Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security

Host: Francesco Pisano, Director, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Recorded and produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Our guest, Stefan Tschauko, explains how, “Branding in IOs means advancing humankind through the power of ideas”. Join us in this conversation as we explore the world of branding within international organizations, focusing on the United Nations.

Stefan shares his journey of over a decade in researching branding strategies and their impacts on organizational performance and global issues. With insights into the unique challenges faced by these organizations, Stefan explains how branding can shape perceptions and drive change, making it a crucial component for advancing multilateralism. He shares with us his unique model, defining three components of branding manifestations, touchpoints and ideas, how they relate to each other and how that leads to performance and impact.

In this episode, we delve into the components of branding, from logos to stakeholder interactions, revealing the power of branding in IOs to advance human progress through impactful ideas.

Stefan Tschauko is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs where he teaches a class on Strategic Communications in International Organizations. His research focuses on branding and brand management in international organizations, particularly within the United Nations system. He also teaches a class on the United Nations at the Harvard Summer School.

Resources: Ask a Librarian!

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/Jk2X-bUMqdA

Content

Guest: Stefan Tschauko

Host: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva

Production and editing: Amy Smith

Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva