Latest Katoikos.world Podcast | CHANGE MAKERS by the Global Citizen
We have just released the first episode of Global Citizen: Change Makers, hosted by FOGGS Vice President Yoriko Yasukawa. This sub-series of our Global Citizen podcasts features politicians, activists, and other leaders sharing firsthand accounts of navigating significant political and social obstacles to drive transformative change.
For this 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.
Katoikos.world Artist of the Month
Zoe Zeniodi: Maestra of music and social cohesion
Zoe Zeniodi is a conductor from Athens, Greece. She has enjoyed a long and successful career in the world of music, initially as a pianist, but mainly as an acclaimed conductor. She has worked with many collectives such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, the Santa Fe Opera, the Queensland Opera, the New Zealand Opera, and many more. Her fantastic work has earned her the titles “the Ingenious Greek Maestra” and “Ms Dynamite”.
FOGGS supported Initiative | Letter on Israel-Palestine to Presidents of UNGA and UNSC
FOGGS facilitated the preparation and dispatch to the Presidents of the UN General Assembly and Security Council of largely identical letters on Israel-Palestine signed by former senior UN officials. Dated 22 November 2024 and sent in view of the UN observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November, the letters, shown below, recommend “a strategy through which the UN could open political space for those in the region who are prepared to step back from the fighting and begin a dialogue towards peaceful co-existence”. The signatories attach a list of recommendations they had recently sent to the UN Secretary-General, including the lifting of the US veto in the Security Council so that Palestine can be admitted to the United Nations as a full member state, and the appointment of a Special Envoy and a Commission on the Middle East to undertake intensive shuttle diplomacy towards a peaceful, mutually beneficial and lasting solution.
FOGGSÂ Open Consultation Mondays
#2 Shifting geopolitics and its impact on global governance and the UN
18 November 2024
Watch the recording here.
NEW FOGGSÂ PaperÂ
Resolving the Israel-Palestine Conundrum – A New Era
In view of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and taking into account the impending change in US Administration, Francis M. O’Donnell examines the possibilities of establishing lasting peace in the Middle-East. Looking into the origins of the conflict, and the need of both parties for security and prosperity, he proposes how the United Nations could contribute towards that end, building on success stories such as the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor.
Read the paper here.
In Observance of UN Day, 24 October 2024
Sign the Call to End violence in the Middle East
Now and for Good
Katoikos.world Article
Stop the MADness of communal hatred and violence
The anniversary of the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas and other militant Palestinian factions on southern Israel from Gaza finds the Middle East in a state of generalized warfare, which threatens to spill over globally. The horrendous murders and hostage taking of the initial event were followed by massive killing and destruction, first in Gaza, gradually engulfing the West Bank too, and more recently in Lebanon.
Katoikos.world Article
A war without winners, and a possible way out
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike, escalating the ongoing Middle East conflict that began with the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. The violence has resulted in massive casualties on all sides, with Israel’s current government pursuing a strategy of total victory despite international concerns. Calls for a ceasefire and a diplomatic resolution are urgent as the situation risks broader regional destabilization.
FOGGS at the Summit of the Future
FOGGS Executive Director Georgios Kostakos attended a number of events around the UN Summit of the Future (SOTF), as well as part of the Summit itself (22-23 September 2024), in New York City. His impressions of the SOTF and its outcome, the Pact for the Future, can be found in his article entitled “A Pact for Humanity’s Future that Remains Precarious”, which was published by To Vima. Among Georgios’ activities while in New York was to present the Global Resilience Council (GRC) proposal at the Social Movements and Organizations Encounter on 20 September 2024.
Summit of the Future podcasts
🌍 Join us as we speak with Civil Society leaders and experts like Kerstin Leitner, Mohammd Taher Gholi Tabar, and Nudhara Yusuf, diving deep into topics relating to the SOTF. From our discussions on multilateralism, civil society’s role in global governance, or even interfaith dialogue, we go over the critical reforms needed to address the global challenges of our time.
Don’t miss these insightful conversations! ✨
Katoikos.world Article
The Nexus Between Narcoterrorism and Jihadism in the West Africa Sahel
In her latest article, Eleonora Cammarano examines the intricate connections between narcoterrorism and jihadism in the Sahara and West Sahel regions of Africa. Focusing on Guinea-Bissau’s emergence as a key hub in the global drug trade, she explores the impact on local communities and regional stability. The article provides a nuanced overview of how these criminal networks interact and their implications for security in West Africa…
Katoikos.world Articles
Reflections on the Politics of Race and Language in a French Classroom
It was mid-June when the summer heat that had already settled over Paris hadn’t yet reached Normandy, when my coworker invited me to his house to celebrate his birthday. It wasn’t a big event (altogether we weren’t more than nine or ten that had gathered at this house in a small town on the English Channel) but we were big enough that for most of the night, we spent it in smaller groups. Gossiping over the upcoming legislative elections, judging the quality of the wines our host had chosen. Talking about school. About students, about my students.
Katoikos.world Articles
BRICS: Navigating a Complex Economic and Political Landscape
Initially formed as “BRIC” – Brazil, Russia, India, China – and subsequently becoming “BRICS”, with the addition of South Africa, this group of countries constitutes a unique coalition of emerging economies that collectively represent a significant counterbalance to the established economic powers of the West. Despite their collective identity, BRICS members are markedly different in many respects. Geographically, they span several continents, with Russia and China sharing a long border, just as China and India do. However, their civilizations are distinct, with Brazil, India and South Africa’s cultures shaped significantly by colonial influences.
Three ways to revive the UN
With the Summit of the Future (SOTF) due to be held in September in New York, Paola Betteli and Georgios Kostakos propose in a recent article on PassBlue a fresh start for the UN, its member states and their leaders through three key recommendations that could revive multilateralism, namely:
- Re-Establish Conflict Resolution Processes
- Join Forces to Implement the SDGs and Address Existential Threats
- Cut Down on Ideology and Be Serious About Human Rights
Global Resilience Council (GRC) Revisited
The Global Resilience Council (GRC) proposal put forward by FOGGSÂ as a way to address systemic, multi-dimensional threats to human security like climate change, pandemics and unequal development keeps gathering support, and keeps being further refined in the process. Check out the latest iteration prepared in collaboration with the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD) and the Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) of South Africa that sees the GRC closely associated with the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), to deal with the root causes undermining the achievement of the SDGs and contributing to conflict.
Digital with Purpose Global Summit, Portugal in July 2024
The Digital with Purpose Global Summit held in Cascais, Portugal from 9 to 11 July had four broad themes – Biodiversity, Smart Cities, Education and Sustainable Finance. FOGGS Board Member Veerle Vandeweerd and Executive Director Georgios Kostakos were the co-conveners of Education track and FOGGS Advisor Manan Shah represented global youth and chaired the Education opening plenary. The Education track had many participants from diverse sectors (government, education, gaming, ed-tech, IT), setting stage for updating education using digital tools and introducing new human-centred approaches in the way education is imparted. The recorded sessions from the summit can be seen here.
FOGGS at ACUNS Annual Meeting 2024
FOGGS took part in this year’s Annual Meeting of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS), held on 20-22 June 2024 at United Nations University (UNU) Headquarters and the University of Tokyo Komaba Campus in Tokyo, Japan, and online. FOGGS and partners organised three roundtables at the meeting.
- “Effectively addressing human security challenges: What would a Global Resilience Council bring” discussed the rationale, ways of establishing, mandate, structure and operating procedures of a Global Resilience Council (GRC) that would deal with threats to human security, such as climate change. The latest iteration of the GRC proposal would have the Council renamed to Systemic Crises Response Council (SCRC) to indicate the multidimensional and pervasive character of such crises. As a result of the discussion at this roundtable as well as in other parts of the ACUNS Annual Meeting, another iteration of the FOGGS proposal is expected to be released shortly.
- “Assessing institutional capacities to deliver in a changing world” saw unanimous concern at the state of multilateralism today, with the UN itself as well as the G20, BRICS, G-7 and AU all failing their respective constituencies and the world’s peoples. Suggestions included Security Council reform that would see seats for regional groups such as the AU, and more equity in international relations through a recognition of BRICS and stronger G20 leadership and accountability.
- “The UN Secretariat—Left-over of a bygone era or humanity’s advocate?” discussed the necessity of an impartial, dedicated and highly competent secretariat for the UN to be effective in advancing peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. Institutional memory, objectivity and continuity were key elements justifying the existence of the Secretariat but these elements were not always put to use, as a lot depended on the knowledge, vision, ambition and boldness of the UN Secretary-General.
The full programme of the ACUNS Annual Meeting 2024 can be found here.
Katoikos.world Articles
Youth Exodus: Emigration, Nationalism, and the Fight for Progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The European Union has just witnessed a strong surge in support for far-right and nationalist parties in the June 2024 EU Parliament elections. Parties such as France’s National Rally, Germany’s Alternative for Germany, and Italy’s Brothers of Italy, have all gained sweeping victories in the EU elections.Â
Digital with Purpose Global Summit 2024
FOGGSÂ is advising and partnering with GeSI for the Education Track of Digital with Purpose Global Summit 2024, to be held in Cascais, Portugal on 9 – 11 July, 2024. To register and get more information, click here.
Katoikos.world Article
The Hidden Crisis of Lake Chad: How Environmental Degradation Fuels Boko Haram
Situated in Central Africa, Lake Chad was once a flourishing freshwater reservoir that sustained the lives of more than 30 million people across Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria. However, the lake has drastically shrunk by around 90% since 1963. This diminishing body of water crucial for irrigation, fishing and drinking is now at the heart of a crisis affecting humans and the environment.
FOGGSÂ at Transnational Workshop of the Democrat Project in Dublin, June 2024
Dublin City University (DCU) hosted on 6-7 June 2024 the third Transnational Workshop of the Democrat Project, bringing together the project partners and local pilot projects (LPPs) from Finland, Spain, Poland, Ireland, and Estonia. See details and key takeaways here.
Open letter to UN principal organs for immediate action regarding the situation in Gaza
An open letter addressed to senior officials of the United Nations and requesting ”immediate and decisive action to address the crisis in Gaza” was issued by the Peacemaking Reflection Group (PRG) of former UN system staff, supported by FOGGS. The full letter, with the signatory names, can be found here.
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Katoikos.world Article
Political theatre of the absurd: Ukraine Peace Conference in the Swiss Alps
In a few days’ time, high up in the Swiss mountains, where the glaciers are melting faster than ever before, there will be a “peace conference” of the most ambitious kind. It won’t be about climate change in the literal sense of the term but drastic climate change it is supposed to achieve. A conflict that has frozen for a couple of years now, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, is expected to melt down and reveal a peaceful day after, where the good will prevail and the evil will be cooperative and remorseful. Or will it?
