Global Connections Television Podcast

Dr Phil Williams is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh, where he taught from January 1990 to April 2022.  In the first part of his career, at Aberdeen University, Southampton University, and Chatham House, he wrote books on Crisis Management, The Senate and US Troops in Europe, During the last 30 years his research has focused primarily on transnational organized crime, His most recent book is “The Mediterranean Connection: Criminal Networks and Illicit Economies in North Africa.” Aspects of criminal networks usually include the smugglers' toolkit: concealment, deception, circumvention and facilitation   North Africa itself can be understood as a space of flows – primarily south to north, but also north-south (hazardous waste) and horizonal flows, cannabis from Morocco moves Eastwards while counterfeit cigarettes move from Dubai to the Atlantic and through Algeria into Europe.    Some international assistance is provided by Interpol and the United Nations agencies to counteract this.

Michael Albertus is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. Albertus is the author of five books. His newest book, Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies, tells the story of how land came to be power within human societies, how it shapes power, and how its allocation determines the major social ills that societies grapple with. The Great Reshuffle   determines society's winners and losers in a variety of ways in the USA, such as establishing and reinforcing racial hierarchies, dealing with the housing crisis and potential solutions, including using federal land and pushing for eased zoning restrictions. Other examples include major disruptions to home insurance markets due to climate risk affecting availability and influencing relocation decisions. One notable situation is the Trump administration's increased territorial competition and land grab for Greenland, Gaza, the Panama Canai and Canada.

Morten Bøås (PhD) is a Research Professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. He works on violent conflict, insurgencies, and fragile states in Africa and the Middle East. From 2020 to 2023 Bøås was the Principal Investigator of the EU Horizon 2020 funded Project PREVEX – Preventing violent extremism in the Balkans and the MENA: Strengthening resilience in enabling environments. His latest book is “Resisting Radicalization: Exploring the Non-Occurrence of Violent Extremism.” Out of 9-11 attacks, one major conclusion is it was a Black Swan Operation which means it could happen, but intelligence services missed the signals. Grievances or underlying causes may push someone into a violent life due to lack of education, food insecurity, or poverty.  Soft Power programs, such as Peace Corps, UN assistance and USAID may provide a better life for people who are susceptible.  USAID is rated as an extremely efficient and effective self-help program. 

Tony Payan, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. His most recent book is, “U.S.-Mexico Relations: Structuring Alternative Futures.”  The US-Mexico relationship is very complicated in the areas of climate, migration, security and trade. Mexico is the US's largest trading partner with trade at almost $850 billion a year.  Candidate Donald Trump threatened to put a 200% tariff on John Deere tractors produced in Mexico. Generally, any tariff will be paid by the customer and raise the purchase price, increase the inflation rate and could lead to a Smoot-Hawley international recession or depression, whereas selective tariffs can be helpful in some cases.  Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum does not have a strong team; whereas Donald Trump may have the same problem, or a brain drain of expertise, if he fires more than 50,0000 knowledgeable professional public administrators. 

Felix Dodds has been a leading thinker in the area of global governance and sustainable development for thirty years. He is now an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina.  Felix chaired the UN conference in 2011 that put forward the first set of indicative Sustainable Development Goals. He set up the Water and Climate Coalition at the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). He attended the COP29 held in Baku Azerbaijan in November of 2024.   The COP-29 presidency announced the “Baku Financial Goal,” a new commitment to allocate $1.3 trillion annually from climate financing for developing countries. Additional achievements include: Establish a Global Carbon Market Mechanism; Full Operation Guarantee for the Loss and Damage Fund; Launch of the Water for Climate Action Program; and, Emphasis on Public-Private Partnerships:  A major criticism is that the fossil-fuel interests have played too large of a role in the COPs.

Dr. Michael Cairo is a Professor of Political Science and the Program Director of International Affairs at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky His most recent book is  “American Presidents and Israeli Settlements since 1967.”  American Presidents and Israeli Settlements since 1967Tracing presidential administrations since Lyndon B. Johnson, this book argues that the Trump administration's p...Since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel, 90% of Gaza has been destroyed, 46,000 Palestinians were killed and 100,000 wounded. Given the continued development of many illegal settlements, it will be even more difficult for the US to be a neutral broker. UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) has 13,000 employees, but only 5 have been accused of collaborating with Hamas. UNRWA is critical to providing educational, nutritional and medical assistance to the Palestinians.   Without a two-state solution, it will be difficult not to have an official Apartheid System. Emphasis should focus on humanitarianism to get more aid and revitalize UN operations on the ground such as UNRWA and the World Food Progra

Dr. William Marcy, a lecturer at Buffalo State University, has authored two books: “The Politics of Cocaine,” and his most recent “Narcostates.” He highlights the scope of the Narcostates and the significance of the Central American crisis in expanding the cocaine trade in North America. Mexico's permanent campaign against narcotics trafficking on Mexican cartels was directly affected after the Mexican economic crisis, the Zapatista Rebellion, and the Salinas administration's corruption, all which worsened the situation in Mexico.  Also discussed are details of various programs such as the War on Drugs, the Merida Initiative, Kingpin Strategy and CARSI.   Cryptocurrency is a popular way to launder money through false invoicing, money transfers and others. America has apparently lost interest in Latin America and is mostly known for decades of benign neglect and gunboat diplomacy. Recommendations to Trump and Scheinbaum Administrations is cooperate, root out corruption, develop infrastructure and education, and curtail recidivism.

Ben Dusing is a former federal prosecutor who practiced law for twenty years in the Cincinnati, Ohio area before discovering his “purpose and passion” is doing humanitarian work. He is co-founder and Director of Humanitarian Operations for World Aid Runners in Kherson, Ukraine. Mr. Dusing, a Russian-speaker, operates the Free Store at the Front that is less than 1-kilometer from the front in Kherson. His colleague Kristina Synia is a native of Kherson, Ukraine and a graduate of Kherson State University,  Ms. Synia and her family are survivors of the Russian occupation of Kherson by  the Russians who unleashed a reign of terror amounting to war crimes, systematically torturing, sexually violating, and executing tens of thousands of local civilians.   Other international groups such as Rotary International and several United Nations agencies have also been on the ground providing food, medicine, generators, hygiene products, and financial assistance since the Russians invaded.

Steve Schlesinger, Fellow at the Century Foundation in New York City, authored "Act of Creation: Founding of the United Nations," and is an expert on the UN and international issues. Over the past 8 decades the UN has expanded its mandate and development programs to reduce conflicts, combat diseases and climate change, develop maritime and aviation safety, move ships, mail and weather information worldwide. We have not experienced a major world war since 1945. The modern, interconnected world could not exist without the UN. Although the US is one of the major beneficiaries of UN programs, the Republican House of Representative voted to cut off funding to the UN, which would be devastating for many US foreign policies. The polls show that the public supports American involvement in the UN. Project 2025 is a blueprint for an isolationist, Fortress America that is dangerous for both the US and the world.  

Dr. Frank N. von Hippel, Senior Research Physicist and Professor of Public and International Affairs emeritus of the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University's forthcoming book is, “Ending the Nuclear Arms Race – A physicist's quest.”  The world has 9 nuclear states and over 10,000 nuclear weapons. The Doomsday Clock sponsored by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists is now 90-seconds before striking midnight.  DoD spends over $125 million per day to maintain our nuclear stockpile. Rather than spend trillions to modernize nuclear weapons, we should reduce them. A key player has been the United Nations, through its treaties and conferences, in reducing nuclear threats. The UN Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) concluded in 1970 is the major treaty.  Today's weapons are far more powerful and devastating than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.  Recommendations: No First Use of nukes; 2) Get away from launch on warning posture.

Michelle Gladieux, a communication expert, debate coach, executive coach, and author of “Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges,“ brings years of experience in training leaders in almost every industry for more impactful presentations.  Four personality skills consist of: 1) driver for highly assertive person; 2) analyst is great at details; 3) amiable means you are flexible; 4) expressive style is one who is gregarious and loves to talk.  The four challenges: 1) hiding from risk when the risk should be confronted; 2) defining to be right and confident; 3) rationalizing the negative and being afraid to bring it up; 4) settling for just “good enough.” Example of ProMoves is just doing a little more than the average reaction. Mainstream media was accurately criticized for biased, unprofessional coverage of the Trump-Harris Campaigns, especially by consistently burying many of Trump's acerbic inaccurate statements such as imprisoning some political opponents.

Skyler Badenoch, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, is Executive Director for the Hope for Haiti organization. Hope for Haiti is a developmental organization focusing on poverty alleviation with an emphasis on women and children.  It has 150-full time staff working on education, health care, clean water, and economic development programs in the southern region.   Haiti, the size of Maryland, shares the Caribbean Island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.  Although the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and the first free Black Republic, Haiti is culturally rich but has a tragic history of natural, economic and political disasters. Various Rotary International Clubs have assisted with clean water projects, whereas the United Nations UNICEF agency has collaborated in implementing nutrition and water sanitation programs.  Haiti has several challenges, and o

Craig Storti, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, is an author and a trainer/consultant in the field of intercultural communications and cross-cultural adaptation. Eight of his books are on intercultural topics, while the two most recent—Why Travel Matters and especially The Hunt for Mount Everest—are for general audiences. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, which offered a unique experience that was crucial in promoting the concept that there are several world views and expanding his love of travel and the intercultural field.  When President Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, he had three goals to provide technical assistance, discuss America with your host country nationals and bring the experience home and share it.  Main themes in intercultural training include your values, beliefs and assumptions, which may be different from someone else's, being more aware of your own culture when you travel and always being open minded.

Dr. Justin Quinn Olmstead is a historian for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  His most recent book “From Nuclear Weapons to Global Security: 75 Years of Research and Development at Sandia National Laboratories.”  Dr. Robert Oppenheimer helped launch the Sandia Labs, which is an engineering laboratory for the nation's nuclear deterrence. President Harry Truman was directly involved in setting up the Lab, whereas President Eisenhower initiated the Plowshare Program to explore the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the Atoms for Peace program in 1957.  Sandia supports global security by working with US agencies, the UN's IAEA, and several of the United Nations treaties, such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty that focuses on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to avoid nuclear proliferation.   Sandia has been “ hands-on” in helping mitigate the BP Oil Spill, Fukushima Disaster, Challenger explosion, the rapidly devastating climate crisis and the 9-11 destruction.

SRSG Pramila Patten, originally from Mauritius, was appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict with the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. Her office was established by Security Council Resolution 1888 and introduced by Hillary Clinton. USG Patten succeeded Margot Wallström and Zainab Bangura, both of whom have been guests on Global Connections Television.   The United Nations Sexual Violence in Conflict Office confronts some of the most horrendous and complex acts during wartime: violence against women, which is a very underreported crime. The Secretary General's Annual Report on Conflict Related Sexual Violence has  very specific, feasible and logical suggestions  how to reduce this problem.   A few examples include: need for member states to comply with Arms Treaties; provide  access to the reports and documentation of crimes;   adopt time-bound commitments;  predictable funding levels; enhance accountability. Every war has shown an increase in sexual violence.

hom Hartmann is an American radio personality, author, former psychotherapist, businessman, and progressive political commentator, whose talk show has been rated in the top 10 shows for over a decade by Talkers Magazine. His most recent book is “The Hidden History of the American Dream?” America, primarily thanks to FDR and unionization, was a catapult for the middle class until the early 1980s. The Reagan influence of Neoliberal economics contributed to the decentralization of regulations, race to the bottom, union busting and globalization for cheaper wages. The National Relations Labor Act legalizing unions was some of the most substantive legislation supported by FDR.  Five suggestions to reactivate the American Dream: 1) encourage unionization and National Labor Relations Act; 2: raise top income bracket for the rich; 3) raise top corporate income tax to reduce bogus tax deductions; 4) reestablish inheritance tax; and,  5) guarantee social safety movement with health insurance.

Dr. John Barkdull, Texas Tech University Emeritus, taught Political Science at Texas Tech University, established the Global Studies program, taught two years as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the US Air Force Academy and was a Fulbright scholar in Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. His most recent book is “Confronting Climate Change.” The United Nations has been in the forefront of combating the climate crisis in a multitude of ways, such as the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, the IPCC, the UN Paris Agreement, the SDGs and the UNFCC, just as examples. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is warning the globe is suffering from global boiling.” Scientists and governments proffered they might control the rapidly rising temperatures through adaptation, mitigation and transformation. If the world is unable to adapt more quickly, it may have to confront Deep Adaptation which is the collapse of the global civilization.

Dr. John Barkdull, Texas Tech University Emeritus, taught Political Science at Texas Tech University, established the Global Studies program, taught two years as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the US Air Force Academy and was a Fulbright scholar in Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. His most recent book is “Confronting Climate Change.” The United Nations has been in the forefront of combating the climate crisis in a multitude of ways, such as the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, the IPCC, the UN Paris Agreement, the SDGs and the UNFCC, just as examples. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is warning the globe is suffering from global boiling.” Scientists and governments proffered they might control the rapidly rising temperatures through adaptation, mitigation and transformation. If the world is unable to adapt more quickly, it may have to confront Deep Adaptation which is the collapse of the global civilization.

Kevin Cassidy is currently a Managing Partner at iC One Global which is an international development consultancy providing support in addressing integrated social,  economic and environmental challenges. Mr. Cassidy has 40 years of international experience across the UN system, most recently with the United Nations International Labor Organization. He discusses how the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is already having a tremendous impact on the global economy and is deeply integrated into the daily activities of societies everywhere. It also has the potential to transform the workforce of the future in ways policymakers, including the UN, governments and businesses, are still trying to understand better as AI rapidly flows through our lives in complex ways. Mr. Cassidy emphasizes how AI impacts our working lives, what can be done to ensure that countries are prepared for its impact on jobs and how youth can “future-proof” their opportunities in a transformed world of work.

Professor Barry Zellen is a research scholar in the Department of Geography at the University of Connecticut and is a Senior Fellow (Arctic Security) of the Institute of the North.  His recent book is: “Arctic Exceptionalism: Cooperation in a Contested World.”   The Antarctic Treaty System convened the states that have an interest in the area but no legal claims. The United Nations, through its treaties, has been instrumental in setting up international laws that have provided stability for both areas at polar opposites.  Treaties on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Law of the Sea and the IMO Polar Code are the linchpins.  Arctic Exceptionalism is a reflection of inherently cooperating and warfare was the exception. The eight states in the Arctic Council include the US, Russia, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland and Greenland.  The invasion of Ukraine by Russia upended this delicate balance and challenged the stability of Arctic Exceptionalism.  

Glenn Blumhorst is a leader in the Peace Corps community and is currently heading the Peace Corps Foundation in its flagship initiative to establish the Peace Corps Park on the National Park Service site near Capitol Hill and the National Mall in D.C. Blumhorst, formerly president and CEO of the National Peace Corps Association from 2013-2022, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala. He highlighted how President John F.  Kennedy was a visionary by launching the US Peace Corps in 1961 to lend a hand to developing countries to enhance their infrastructure. Peace Corps' mission is to promote world peace and achieve the three goals which are to: train professionals to provide technical assistance in developing countries, help people overseas understand America better and to bring the unique Peace Corps experience back to the US, incorporate it into their lives and share it with policymakers, media and the public.

Mark D. Walker, a Returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer from Guatemala, is an award-winning writer and President of Million Mile Walker. His recent book is “The Guatemala Reader: Extraordinary Lives & Amazing Stories”. Prior to that he wrote, “My Saddest Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road.”  His Peace Corps experience totally changed his life. His publications include features of Guatemalan cultural and political leaders, as well as focus on the crisis of democracy which was spearheaded by the quest for cheap labor and to enrich the wealthy, which has been destructive for the majority of Indigenous Guatemalans. It is critical to learn more about countries in South and Central America, especially given their geo-political proximity to the US. In both Guatemala and the US, there has been a frontal assault on the freedom of expression, especially with books being banned by elected officials in states such as Florida and Texas. 

Dr. Joe Young, Director of the University of Kentucky's Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, discusses some of the causes of violence  in the US and worldwide.   Violence should never be tolerated; however, a democracy depends upon the peaceful transfer of power, which was not recognized during the illegal insurgency  to overthrow the free election and US Government on January 6, 2021.  Tragically, two of the major areas of extreme violence are in Gaza and Ukraine. Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine could lead to a larger international conflict if it is not neutralized. Through the support of scores of countries, NATO,  and the United Nations agencies, the Ukrainians were much more resilient in confronting Russian aggression. Although the United Nations Security Council has been partially paralyzed, due to the Russian Veto, other UN agencies such as the WHO, UNICEF, and WFP are on the front lines to assist Ukrainians.

Rebecca Shoot, Executive Director of Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS), is an international lawyer and democracy and governance practitioner with extensive experience supporting human rights, democratic processes, and the rule of law on five continents. She explains how global governance is NOT global control over a country, but is defined loosely as a framework of institutions, rules, norms, and procedures that facilitate collective action and co-operation among countries and other actors. Global institutions, such as the United Nations, need to be strengthened to be more effective, promote democracy and the rule of law. Global cooperation is essential to resolve problems such as climate change.  The upcoming Summit of the Future, sponsored by the UN, is critical to strengthen action oriented global decision making to achieve the 17-Sustainable Development Goals to abolish hunger and poverty, combat the climate crisis, empower women and more. The UN is more relevant today than ever.

Felix Dodds is an Adjunct Professor at the Water Institute University of North Carolina and Associate Fellow, Tellus Institute, Boston, and is an International Ambassador for the City of Bonn. His latest books are “Heroes in Environmental Diplomacy: Profiles in Courage” and” Tomorrow's People and New Technology: Changing How We Live Our Lives."Felix recently attended the United Nations COP28 conference in Dubai and the previous two COPs to that in Egypt and the UK.  The United Nations has been one of the most significant players in the battle to confront the environmental crisis. To lay the groundwork for the myriad of UN Conferences, various UN agencies had key roles in focusing the spotlight on climate change and sustainability: in 1979, the First World Climate Conference was sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); in 1988 the WMO and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Dr Gardner Thompson, a UK scholar, has written two interesting books on countries located in culturally and geographically diverse areas of the world: Israel and Zimbabwe. His first book is:  Legacy of Empire. Britain, Zionism and the Creation of Israel in which he defines Zionism, why the United Nations established Israel and Palestine in 1948, the role of Britain and the Balfour Declaration in the area and suggestions on how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The second book is “A Critical History of Southern Rhodesia” which focuses on the situation that existed before it became Zimbabwe. It was a moral debate as to whether the country would be an Apartheid System such as South Africa's. Robert Mugabe emerged in 1980 as a leader of the independent state. Two lessons from the books: statesmen should realize that decisions will have major repercussions for decades and both sides should not be automatically condemned.

Steve Schlesinger is a Fellow at the Century Foundation in New York City. Mr. Schlesinger authored "Act of Creation: Founding of the United Nations," and is an expert on the UN and international issues. The UN was created out of the ashes of WW2. Initially, the UN dealt with security and war challenges, but now helps move aircraft, ships, mail, and weather information globally, as well as combats the climate crisis and diseases, assists refugees, migration issues and confronts every major international problem. In September, the UN will conduct a Summit of the Future to address 5 areas: financial structure for the world; international peace and security to prevent wars; digital arena with AI, Bitcoin, and cyberspace; assisting children around the world; and, reorganizing the UN structure to be more agile and effective. The UN is still the epicenter of the world that assists all 8 billion people on Earth.

Judge Thomas G. Moukawsher is a retired Connecticut complex litigation judge and former lawyer, legislator and lobbyist. He is the author of “The Common Flaw: Needless Complexity in the Courts and 50 Ways to Reduce It. It is critical that the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) have a strong Code of Ethics with enforcement penalties.   Recent SCOTUS decisions, especially the absolute immunity, have made it more confusing and difficult to prosecute a corrupt US President. For decades the US has been a beacon for justice and democracy; however, with an attack on our Rule of Law and democratic institutions many nations are alarmed. The US should strongly support the UN's  International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to maintain our moral authority internationally. The US Constitution and other legal mechanisms played a critical role in developing the United Nations Charter in 1945 and the Universal Declaration for Human Rights in 1948

Abiodun Williams is Professor of the Practice of International Politics at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and The Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University.  He was Director of Strategic Planning to UN Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon and is past Chair of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS).  His latest book is “Kofi Annan and Global Leadership at the United Nations.” Annan was a proactive leader who launched monumental programs that improved the UN, such as the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Global Compact and the Millennium Development Goals, which were the precursors to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Annan was also a transformational visionary who strengthened UN peacekeeping and involved academia, NGOs and the private sector in helping overcome many international problems. Annan was quite accurate in his critique of President Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq.

Dr. Shao-cheng (Michael) Sun is an Associate Professor at the Citadel. He is a veteran of the Taiwanese army, retiring as a full colonel.   Dr. Sun is the author of “Hedging China Threat: US-Taiwan Relations Since 1949.“ His research interests are East Asian security and politics, U.S.-China relations, and U.S. security policy in Asia. He teaches East Asian Affairs and International Politics. He explained the importance of the Taiwan Relations Act between the US and Taiwan, and the One-China Policy, which the US has supported since the Carter Administration.  Is it feasible to turn Taiwan into a relationship similar to Hong Kong's in the 1997 Agreement, which is different from the Taiwanese situation?  If there were an armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait, it could radically upend the economic systems around the world, create physical devastation, plus a simulated war exercise showed the US Navy would suffer severe losses.

Somaya Faruqi is the former Captain of the Afghan Girls' Robotic Team – nicknamed the ‘Afghan Dreamers'.  She and her team made international headlines when they built a ventilator from used car parts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan. Faruqi was born in Herat, Afghanistan in 2002. She cultivated her love of engineering in her father's mechanic shop. Her high school career was cut short by the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. She and the rest of her teammates had to flee the country in August 2021.Currently an engineering student, Faruqi has received several awards over her career, including being named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia in 2021, BBC's 100 Women in 2020, and the 2017 Silver Medal for Courageous Achievement at the FIRST Global Challenge – in recognition of science and technology in the US. She is a Global Champion in the UN's Education Cannot Wait Program.

Rachel Pittman serves as Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), a grassroots movement of more than 20,000 Americans in over 200 chapters across the U.S. who are dedicated to supporting the work of the United Nations in communities, on campuses, and on Capitol Hill.  Prior to joining UNA-USA, Rachel served on multiple leadership teams for several professional associations that represented lawyers, surgeons, regulators and engineers.  UNA-USA helps Americans develop a broader understanding of the United Nations. Not only does the UN Security Council strive to reduce dangerous conflicts, but there is a larger humanitarian operation that is absolutely critical such as working with over 80-million refugees, teaming with Rotary International to eliminate the scourge of polio and a myriad of other programs confronting climate change, hunger, poverty and empowering women. Other programs include assisting with the movement of aircraft, ships, mail and weather information in international space. 

David Swanson, author, activist, journalist, and radio host, is executive director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. His latest book is: “NATO: What You Need to Know.” NATO, which is approaching its 75th Anniversary, is not the UN or a stand-alone nation. Swanson suggest that NATO  not pursue destructive arms races, an irrational fear of Russia and a democratic military force to abide by international treaties, work with the UN, reduce the arms race, and promote international understanding.    In the Israeli-Hamasa War, it is critical to stop providing unlimited numbers of weapons by the US and other participants.  The recent Biden proposal, which has been rejected by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, will be futile until the flow of weapons is halted. The military-industrial-academic-Congressional-media complex is completely out of control and has taken over US society. Over $2 trillion is spent on the arms race internationally.

Professor Thomas Just serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor within the Future Security Initiative at Arizona State University. Professor Just served as Assistant to the Director of African and Middle Eastern Affairs within Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is the author of “Combating Antisemitism in Germany and Poland: Strategies Since 1990.”   Antisemitism is often defined as  hostile acts against Jews based on religious, political,  economic, and racial grounds.  Two major programs to reduce antisemitism in Poland and Germany are through legal measures and public diplomacy. It is illegal in both countries to deny that the Holocaust existed. Conspiracy theories related to the Covid-19 pandemic have contributed to antisemitism in the USA.  Unfortunately, social media outlets were critical to disseminating misinformation about Jews.  Jewish people cannot be blamed for Netanyahu's disastrous policies in Gaza, and a person is able to be pro- Palestinian, pro-Israeli and anti-Netanyahu's' prosecution of the war.

Charles Moxley is the principal of Moxley ADR, a law firm specializing in arbitration and mediation. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham Law School. His recent treatise on “Nuclear Weapons and International Law” highlights the major challenges with nuclear weapons.   The UN's Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty has kept the numbers down somewhat; however, some countries are looking at upgrading their aging nuclear stockpiles that will cost trillions of dollars. Years ago the US spent $150 million per day on maintaining the aging nuclear stockpile. 90% of the 13,000 nukes today are held by Russia and the USA.  Media, educational system, and Members of Congress must be educated regarding the potential threat. Several Congresspeople and politicians put out misinformation that we could do a limited nuclear exchange. As an example, former president Donald Trump cavalierly said he would destroy North Korea with nuclear weapons, which displays his ignorance of the issue.

Paula Caballero is the Regional Managing Director for Latin America at The Nature Conservancy. Previously, Paula Caballero was Senior Director of the World Bank Environment and Natural Resources Global Practice, and she was the creator of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Her recent book is “Redefining Development: The Extraordinary Genesis of the Sustainable Development Goals.”  Colombia created the concept of the SDGs which were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.  The SDG concept was geared to a universal agenda because all countries have development issues and there are common global problems, such as climate and migration, that needed to be confronted.  The SDGs were laudable in that the emphasis was to eradicate poverty, eliminate hunger, empower women and girls, combat climate change, and 13 additional goals. The corporate sector was very supportive because the SDGs were concrete proposals to confront problems from a macro-standpoint with systemic solutions.

Dr. Winston Langley is Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science and International Relations andSenior Fellow at McCormack Graduate School for Policy & Global Studies. He has written widely on the United Nations, disarmament, human rights and women's rights in the US. His recent book is “Abolishing War.” A major problem is that we have a “Culture of War” that glorifies war and makes heroes of its participants; the Military, Industrial, Media, Academic Complex justify militarization and the media is complicit because they want to please advertisers, many of whom have a direct financial or political interest in launching a war. The UN could play a major role in abolishing war, but there must be some changes: UN Secretary-General would have a seven-year term, the World Court would accept charges by individuals; UN would establish a Court of Humans Rights; and, Security Council is expanded to include other key countries.

Dr. Margaret P. (Peggy) Karns is a Senior Fellow in the Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security and Global Governance at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Professor Emerita of Political Science at the University of Dayton.  She is coauthor of “International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance (4th ed., 2024)” and “The United Nations in the 21st Century (6th ed., 2022).”  She lived and taught in both China and Vietnam in the 1990s. Global Governance is not a one-world government, but it is a way to bring together the norms and institutions to recognize, understand and deal with the major challenges confronting them. The UN is the epicenter, while the states, other intergovernmental organizations, non-state actors/NGOS, are critically involved. The UN is a complex system that works to confront problems, such as climate crisis, wars, humanitarian relief, diseases, as well as helping move ships, aircraft, mail and weather information safely worldwide.

Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign and Senior Vice President at the United Nations Foundation, leads the Foundation's strategic engagement with the U.S. Congress and Administrations to advance policy changes that support the UN's work for global progress. Although there are many myths about the UN, recent polling shows that 52% of Americans have a favorability rating of the UN. The UN affects all inhabitants of the planet with its valuable programs to assist refugees, combat climate change, provide humanitarians assistance, control diseases, and help move aircraft, ships, mail and weather information in international space. When the UN Security Council was paralyzed re: Ukraine, several UN agencies worked on the front lines to provide food, medicines and other humanitarian needs. The UN is striving to improve its coordination, transparency and accountability to be more effective and efficient. If the UN did not exist, we would have to create it tomorrow.  

Kathleen Mogelgaard is President and CEO of the Population Institute, where she directs the organization's advocacy and public education activities.  Population Institute advocates for gender equality and universal access to sexual and reproductive health services to improve lives, promote human rights, save the planet, and build a better tomorrow. In 2022, the world's population surpassed 8 billion people, and according to demographers at the United Nations, global population may add another 2.4 billion before leveling off toward the end of this century. The Population Bomb, a 1968 book co-authored by Paul R. Ehrlich, predicted worldwide famines due to overpopulation, as well as other major societal upheavals, and advocated immediate action to limit population growth. A counterpart organization with the Population Institute is the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the global sexual and reproductive health agency that strives for a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

Norman Solomon, American journalist, media critic, author and activist, discusses his latest book, “War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine.”  Mr. Solomon was actively involved in launching RootsAction and the Institute for Public Accuracy. His main contention is that the governments and media inundate the public with unrealistic and false propaganda regarding the horrific nature and devastation of wars. Examples include President Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq, as well as the terrible situations in Ukraine and the Israeli-Hamas war. Often, news media encourage the public to choose up sides, blindly accept the misinformation and ignore the diplomatic option to promote peace.  To end these conflicts, the US should re-prioritize its support of Ukraine and Israel and abide by the Leahy Amendment. If the public learns about the horrors of war, we will exert more influence upon the media and policymakers, as well as have a better-informed public.

Laura Hagg, Director for Capacity Building and Governance with the International City County Management Association (ICMA), has a career of more than 30 years of experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and internationally in the fields of local governance, economic development, public outreach, communications, and strategic policy efforts. Technical assistance programs are mutually beneficial to the US and the host country. Previously she worked in 16 cities in Ukraine to develop investment videos and encourage foreign investments. Given the massive amount of misinformation and disinformation, one of the greatest challenges is the anti-democratic phenomenon and the attacks on the Rule of Law, free speech and democratic elections, as opposed to an autocratic state that represses these freedoms. The media and educational systems have a responsibility to inform the public as to the opportunities of technical assistance programs, as well as beneficial organizations such as the United Nations.

Dr. Dale C. Copeland is a professor of international relations with a focus on trade, war and economic interdependence. His recent book is “A World Safe for Commerce: American Foreign Policy from the Revolution to the Rise of China.”  He discusses how trade dynamics have influenced America's approach to peace and conflict throughout history. By focusing on the current geopolitical landscape, particularly with regards to China, he reflects the historical tensions and opportunities of centuries of international trade and commerce. A major challenge is the delicate balance between expanding influence for resource access and avoiding trade disruptions that could lead to armed conflict.  One suggestion is to improve the overall trade expectations as a means to foster long-term peace and stability between nations, as well as comprehending interactions of globalization. Throughout history, many countries have shifted from peaceful policies to coercion and force in the pursuit of trade interests.

 Dr Peter Layton is a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane Australia; a Royal United Services Institute Associate Fellow; London and a Fellow of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group Canberra. He has extensive aviation and defense experience. His research interests include grand strategy, national security policies particularly relating to middle powers, defence force structure concepts and the impacts of emerging technology. He is the author of the book “Grand Strategy” and co-author of “Warfare in the Robotic Age.”   Advances in robotics are profoundly reshaping the world but so are any other things and not all of them are technological.   The character of warfare will be different in the robotic age but the nature of warfare remains Clausewitzian, that is war is waged for political objectives.   Robots may be considered as machines able to perform four basic tasks: sense, think, act and communicate.

Jonathan Granoff, president of the Global Security Institute, highlights the need to focus on the Rule of Law rather than Rule of War. The United Nations, although it is not perfect, is the only international organization that brings together countries of the world to deal with nuclear proliferation, climate change, human trafficking, poverty, hunger, empowering women, and scores of other challenges. Currently, there are about 13,000 nukes controlled by 9-nuclar power states.  Many countries are moving to expend trillions of dollars to modernize their nuclear stockpiles, which will add to the proliferation. Given that the US and Russia have withdrawn from several major international treaties, this creates an even more dangerous world.  The danger is even more severe when the Russian president denies the sovereignty of Ukraine and the former U.S. president basically ignores or violates international laws and treaties.  There is a lack of trust among the nations.

John Feffer, author of Splinterlands and current director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, summarizes how Donald Trump pursued illiberal internationalism versus liberal internationalism of Joe Biden.  Trump was semi-isolationist, cavorted with authoritarian leaders, and wanted to militarize the border between the US and Mexico.  Biden's emphasis was to engage the US in the world through involvement in the UN, WTO and other multilateral institutions. The Israeli-Hamas War has resulted in over 30,000 deaths and reduced most of Gaza to rubble.  Biden has pushed for a two-state solution, working with Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. It was alleged that 13 of the 13,000 employees of UNRWA collaborated with Hamas, which has prompted an automatic reaction of the US and some other funders to withdraw their financial support.  On another front, Republican Speaker of the House Johnson has refused to bring up a bill funding assistance to Ukraine.

Dr. Augusto Lopez-Claros, Executive Director of the Global Governance Forum, highlights his recent book,, “Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century.” Global institutions, such as the United Nations, confront the world's major problems, such as climate change, Israeli-Hamas War, Russian invasion of Ukraine, attacks on democracies, and nuclear proliferation. The United Nations has been the epicenter of confronting on these problems.  Unfortunately, many national goals are not in conformance with international goals. Also, there is an unraveling of the nuclear arms treaties over the last 30-years. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for the “Summit of the Future Conference” in September to deal with many of these problems. To be more successful, the UN must begin to reform the institution, especially the Security Council, as well as to discuss overhauling the UN Charter. The main challenges are to protect democracy in the UN and worldwide and have a more carbon-free lifestyle. 

Dr. Robert Farley has taught security and diplomacy courses at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky since 2005. Dr. Farley is the author of Grounded: The Case for Abolishing the United States Air Force  and Patents for Power: Intellectual Property Law and the Diffusion of Military Technology.    The Ukraine and Gaza conflicts are two of most intractable problems confronting leaders of the world today. The Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza, ignited primarily due to the massacre by Hamas of mostly Israelis on October 7 has posed a major quandary for President Biden, given he is juggling U.S. support of Israel but still trying to moderate the Israeli military response, which has been criticized internationally as disproportionate. A small but vocal group of Republicans in the US Congress has temporarily derailed funding for Ukraine, which directly benefits Putin, and indirectly assists China and North Korea.  

David Betz is Professor of War in the Modern World in the Department of War Studies, King's College London, and is a Senior Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Centre. His most recent book is “The Guarded Age: Fortification in the 21st Century.”  A fortification can be defined as a piece of militarized architecture that focuses an enemy into doing something they normally would not do. Major examples of this might include the Great Wall of China and the border wall between Mexico and the USA.  A wall can slow down a foe, but it will not stop individuals unless the wall is secured through another form, such as by human surveillance, drones, or cameras. If not guarded, the barrier will not be very effective. The Iron Curtain was a barrier designed to keep people from moving from the East to the West. Sophisticated surveillance can make physical walls more unnecessary.

Ward Wilson, founder and executive director of RealistRevolt, is widely acknowledged as one of the leading sources of innovative pragmatic arguments against nuclear weapons.  The title of his recent book is “It Is Possible: A Future Without Nuclear Weapons.”  Nuclear weapons, of which there are about 13,000, are some of the most devastating threats on Earth.  The nine nuclear countries are: the USA, Russia, China, UK, France, North Korea, Israel, India and Pakistan.  The main thrust of his book is that while damage and destruction of nukes is real, their utility and importance have been exaggerated. The United Nations has been in the forefront in promoting treaties, such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to limit or eliminate nuclear weapons. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary General of UN Disarmament Affairs, leads the effort to forestall a new nuclear arms race. In 2017, the UN began a process on a treaty for the prohibition of nukes.

Kris Kimel is the Founder of Humanity in Deep Space, an initiative exploring the challenges and hard problems facing humans as we transition to deep spacefaring species. He is the Co-founder of the commercial space company Space Tango.  His major focus is how humans can do deep space exploration physically, safely, and ethically. Legal, ethical and physiological concerns are some of the most challenging.   Today, the United Nations' 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which was the foundation of the discussions, was a far-reaching concept by UN member states to provide the framework as how we can explore and develop outer space, but to do so peacefully, safely and sustainably. Key questions: Who can own parts of outer space? How can outer space be utilized without militarizing it with nuclear weapons? How can we keep our humanity?  The United Nations and UNESCO have some of the best research information on outer space.