
The Next Page
Are you curious about the power of international cooperation? And how it affects our future? Tune in to the #NextPagePod, the podcast of the UN Library & Archives Geneva, designed to advance the conversation on multilateralism.
Latest episodes

Feb 10, 2023 • 45min
Why we need a new eco-social contract – a conversation with Paul Ladd
Why we need a new eco-social contract – a conversation with Paul Ladd
In this episode we discuss with Paul Ladd, Director of the UN Research Institute on Social Development, about the contribution of the Institute to multilateralism at this 60-year milestone since UNRISD's establishment. In particular, we take a deep dive into the latest report, "Crises of Inequality", which shows why, in order to break the cycle of multiple, interlocking crises and to address inequality, we need a new eco-social contract.
Paul Ladd tells us about how UNRISD's research has, in many instances, been ahead of the curve leading to positive impact. He explains in depth key themes in the recent UNRISD flagship report and gives us clear pointers to ways in which multilateralism must evolve.
Resources
Flagship report: https://www.unrisd.org/en/library/publications/crises-of-inequality
UNRISD website: https://www.unrisd.org/en
UNRISD Twitter: https://twitter.com/unrisd
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: Paul Ladd
Host: Francesco Pisano
Production, editing and social media: Amy Smith and Panha Theng
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Jan 27, 2023 • 34min
Shifting Power in an Unequal World – a conversation with Katja Hujo and Maggie Carter
Shifting Power in an Unequal World – a conversation with Katja Hujo and Maggie Carter
Inequality is undoubtedly one of today’s greatest challenges. In this episode, Katja Hujo and Maggie Carter, editors of the recently published book Between Fault Lines and Front Lines: Shifting Power in an Unequal World, talk about how inequalities have reshaped structures from the local to the transnational level and the impact and consequences of inequalities. They explore the conceptual thinking around inequality and its drivers and illustrate this with examples from cases studies from around the world.
Resources
Book:
Hujo, K. & Carter, M. (Eds.) (2022) Between Fault Lines and Front Lines: Shifting Power in an Unequal World. Bloomsbury Publishing.
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/between-fault-lines-and-front-lines-9781350229020/
Flagship report: https://www.unrisd.org/en/library/publications/crises-of-inequality
UNRISD website: https://www.unrisd.org/en
UNRISD Twitter: https://twitter.com/unrisd
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: Katja Hujo and Maggie Carter
Host: Francesco Pisano
Production, editing, social media: Amy Smith and Panha Theng
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Jan 13, 2023 • 43min
Canada & the multilateral system. A conversation with Ambassador Leslie E. Norton
This first episode of 2023 continues our series with Permanent Representatives to the United Nations at Geneva.
Ambassador Leslie E. Norton tells us about her diplomatic career, speaks about Canada and its role in the world today, as well as exploring the long history of Canada’s involvement in multilateralism. Canada is a founding member of the United Nations, was part of the League of Nations, and has membership in many international and regional organizations, including the World Trade Organization, the G20 and other forums like the Organization of American States and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Canada has served on the UN Security Council 8 times, the most recent being in 2000.
Resources
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=xqTBLYAgiWM&list=PLmzrhlc0gF6KlZ8KES5Jzho0d-UZdyuIx
Content
Speakers: Ambassador Leslie E. Norton
Host: Francesco Pisano
Editor & Producer: Amy Smith
Social media designs: Amy Smith and Yiying Zhang
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Dec 16, 2022 • 32min
Switzerland celebrates 20 years in the UN. A conversation with Ambassador Jürg Lauber
This episode marks the 20th anniversary of Switzerland’s membership in the United Nations. Switzerland became the 190th member of the UN following a national referendum in March 2002, in which the majority of population (54.6%) voted in favour of joining the UN.
Ambassador Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations at Geneva joined The Next Page for a conversation about Switzerland’s journey in the UN and to reflect on the two decades since its accession.
Resources
Follow the Permanent Mission of Switzerland on Twitter: SwitzerlandUN@swiss_un
The Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator: https://gesda.global/
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: (2) Switzerland celebrates 20 years in the UN. A conversation with Ambassador Jürg Lauber - YouTube
Content
Speakers: Ambassador Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Office at Geneva
Host: Francesco Pisano
Editor & Producer: Amy Smith
Social media designs: Ana Hauert, Yiying Zhang, Amber Yin
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Nov 30, 2022 • 49min
Diplomate, pour quoi faire ? Une conversation avec Jérôme Bonnafont
Diplomate, pour quoi faire ? est le titre du nouveau livre de Jérôme Bonnafont, Ambassadeur, Représentant permanent de la France auprès des Nations unies à Genève. Le Directeur de la Bibliothèque & Archives, Francesco Pisano discute avec Monsieur l’Ambassadeur en sa qualité d’écrivain ainsi qu'autour de son livre pour nous donner un aperçu de son expérience du métier, l’importance de la diplomatie multilatérale à travers les années et parler de l’avenir de la diplomatie.
Ressources :
Bonnafont, J. (2022) Diplomate, pour quoi faire ? Editions Odile Jacob
Où écouter cet épisode
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=SCnx8MAtIrw&list=PLmzrhlc0gF6KlZ8KES5Jzho0d-UZdyuIx
Contenu
Invité : S.E. M. Jerôme Bonnafont
Hôte : Francesco Pisano
Réalisation et montage : Amy Smith
Conception pour réseaux sociaux : Ana Hauert, Yiying Zhang, Amber Yin
Photo : ©FPA
Enregistré et réalisé à la Bibliothèque & Archives des Nations Unies à Genève

Nov 16, 2022 • 43min
Le Cap-Vert et la coopération multilatérale. Une conversation avec Madame l’Ambassadeur Clara Manuela da Luz Delgado Jesus
Cet épisode poursuit notre série de conversations avec des Représentants permanents auprès de l'Office des Nations Unies à Genève, où nous explorons leurs points de vue en tant que diplomates dans le système multilatéral et ce que l'ONU signifie pour eux aujourd'hui.
Clara Manuela da Luz Delgado Jesus, Représentante permanente et Ambassadeur extraordinaire et plénipotentiaire du Cap-Vert auprès de l'Office des Nations Unies à Genève et d'autres organisations internationales rejoint le directeur de la Bibliothèque & Archives, Francesco Pisano et notre collège Adriano Goncalves e Silva, pour cette conversation bilingue en français et en portugais sur le Cap-Vert. Le Cabo Verde a fait partie des Nations Unies depuis 1975 et a siégé au Conseil de Sécurité une fois comme membre de l’ONU.
Madame l’Ambassadeur raconte le parcours du Cabo Verde, ainsi que son rôle dans la région et dans le monde, tout en partageant son propre parcours dans la diplomatie. Elle parle de l'importance de la coopération multilatérale aujourd'hui.
Ressources
Où écouter cet épisode
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy
Youtube: (1) Le Cap-Vert et la coopération multilatérale. Une conversation avec Madame l’Ambassadeur Clara Manuel - YouTube
Contenu
Intervenants : S.E. Madame Clara Manuela da Luz Delgado Jesus,
Francesco Pisano et Adriano Goncalves et Silva
Réalisation et montage : Amy Smith
Conception pour réseaux sociaux : Ana Hauert
Enregistrée et réalisé à la Bibliothèque & Archives des Nations Unies à Genève

Nov 4, 2022 • 34min
Polylateralism and Preparing for the Future, with Dr. Randolph Kent
The global challenges we face today are often complex, inter-connected and inter-related. How, as a global community, can we prepare for the global threats of the future? In this episode of the #NextPagePod, we speak with Dr. Randolph Kent about his research on future global crises, and why he thinks polylateralism is needed to face them collectively.
D. Kent is the Director of the Humanitarian Futures Initiative, Visiting Professor at the African Leadership Centre at King’s College London, and Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, where he works on an initiative called the Futures Project. His past roles include several in the humanitarian sector of the UN system, including as UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia (2002), UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Kosovo (1999), UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Rwanda (1994-1995), and emergency and preparedness roles in Sudan and Ethiopia.
Dr. Kent speaks with us about his experiences in the UN, and how they've shaped his work today in futures thinking and polylateralism. What is futures methodology and should it matter for the UN and multilateralism? What exactly is polylateralism, and why does he think it's necessary to better meet global crises as an international community? Let's find out.
Resources
Read Dr. Kent's report "Building an International Architecture for Managing Global Threats": https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/emerging-insights/building-international-architecture-managing-global-threats
Learn more about Humanitarian Futures: https://www.humanitarianfutures.org/
Listen to the #NextPagePod episode with historian Margaret MacMillan as she speaks about the shaping of modern multilateralism: https://unitednationslibrarygeneva.podbean.com/e/episode-32-margaret-macmillan/
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=Udgjtu1vB7U
Content
Speakers: Dr. Randolph Kent
Host: Natalie Alexander
Editor & Producer: Natalie Alexander
Social media designs: Natalie Alexander & Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Oct 21, 2022 • 43min
Achieving the SDGs: How Can We Really Measure Progress? A Conversation with Ruzanna Tarverdyan & Edward Mishaud
Today's episode delves into data. It’s all around us in our daily lives, but how important is data for multilateralism today? Especially, as we look to Agenda 2030, and measuring our progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (the SDGs)?
The #NextPagePod is joined by Ruzanna Tarverdyan, Founding President of the Geneva Consensus Foundation, and author of the book, “Measuring sustainable development goals performance”, as well as Edward Mishaud, Acting Director of the SDG Lab at UN Geneva.
How can we really measure if we’re achieving the SDGs? Are countries’ ready to integrate the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development? What does the data tell us about crises, and our ability to face future challenges? And how can science impact multilateralism? We explore these questions in this episode.
Resources
Learn about the book “Measuring sustainable development goals performance”, by Ruzanna Tarverdyan & Sten Thore.
Read the article from the Official Journal of the European Union entitled "Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Listening to the citizens of Europe for a sustainable future" (Sibiu and beyond)’ adopted in 2019 when the European Economic and Social Committee chose to use Ruzanna Tarverdyan & Sten Thore's definition of the notion “Sustainable Competitiveness”.
Visit SDG Lab website: https://www.sdglab.com/
Visit the UN Sustainable Development Goal indicators website
Listen to the #NextPagePod series collaboration with the SDG Lab at UN Geneva, It Takes A Global Crisis on YouTube or here on Podbean.
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=DugVc5uUABU
Content
Speakers: Ruzanna Tarverdyan & Edward Mishaud
Host: Natalie Alexander
Editors & Producers: Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi & Natalie Alexander
Social media designs: Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi & Natalie Alexander
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Sep 30, 2022 • 38min
Developing International Understanding by Reading the World: a Journey with Ann Morgan
Join us with our guest, Ann Morgan, an author, editor, Royal Literary Fund Fellow, TED speaker, literary activist, based in the U.K., for a conversation on the power of stories to connect us. At the heart of the UN Library & Archives Geneva is its mission to promote international understanding.
We reached out to Ann Morgan to tell us more about her ongoing adventure of Reading the World and how reading literature from different places can help us embrace the unknown, suspend judgement and avoid jumping to fill the gaps, so that we can move from incomprehension to understanding and take part in the richness and joy of the shared experience of a story.
In this episode, we consider how reading the world’s literature can help us develop the sort of cross-cultural communication skills that are necessary for diplomacy and multilateralism.
Resources
The List: https://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/
Photo credit: Igor Emmerich
Books:
Morgan, A. (2022) Reading the World: How I Read a Book from Every Country. Harvill Secker/Random House (UK Edition)
Morgan, A. (2015) The World Between Two Covers: Reading the Globe. Liveright/Norton (US Edition)
Morgan, A. (2016) Beside Myself. Bloomsbury Publishing
Website: https://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/
TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/ann_morgan_my_year_reading_a_book_from_every_country_in_the_world?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://youtu.be/kJN3NTf6Yok
Content
Speakers: Ann Morgan
Host: Amy Smith
Editors & Producers: Amy Smith
Social media designs: Natalie Alexander & Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva

Sep 9, 2022 • 47min
How Anthropology Helps Us Understand Multilateralism
In this episode of the #NextPagePod, we are joined by Professor Miia Halme-Tuomisaari, Associate Professor in Human Rights studies at Lund University in Sweden, and Research Associate at the Global Governance Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
Professor Halme-Tuomisaari is a social anthropologist with a background in international law, whose focus is on the study of the contemporary human rights phenomenon.
Why does anthropology matter to the study of International Organisations and multilateralism? Our Director at the UN Library and Archives Geneva, Francesco Pisano, joins Professor Halme-Tuomisaari to find out what her research reveals.
Resources
Visit Professir Halme-Tuomisaari's website: https://miiahalmetuomisaari.net/, as well as her Instagram https://www.instagram.com/observari/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/HalmeTuomisaari
Visit the Allegra Lab website: https://allegralaboratory.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:
Content
Speakers: Miia Halme-Tuomisaari
Host: Francesco Pisano
Editors & Producers: Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi & Natalie Alexander
Social media designs: Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi & Natalie Alexander
Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva