Zubaida Bai discusses how bold systemic change can make gender equality achievable In 2015 the nations of the world—with much fanfare—agreed to achieve gender equality by 2030 as one of the U.N.’s “Sustainable Development Goals.” With the approach of the 10-year anniversary of that declaration, it’s obvious to even the UN statisticians that there i…

Dr. Olayinka Omigbodun addresses Africa’s urgent youth mental health crisis amid economic and social challenges. It is trite, but true that youth are our future. Unfortunately, what is also true is that in most countries the mental health of young people has been declining over the past two decades, a decline that seems to have accelerated during a…

Francesca Borri discusses the future of Palestine amid escalating conflict and the potential for lasting change. Over the last several years Palestinians felt abandoned and ignored by Arabs, Americans, and Europeans. The people in Gaza and the West Bank seemed to have become almost invisible to everyone except themselves and the Israelis with whom …

Sasha Chanoff, founder of RefugePoint, explains some of his ideas that could change the future for migrants everywhere. Two hundred and fifty years ago the Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote, "Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn." He obviously wasn't talking about the tragedy of modern mass migration, but he could have been. Today…

Scott Miller offers insights into how the candidates aim to sway undecided voters and boost turnout in a nation where many still don't vote. Once again, Americans are getting ready for a presidential election that is widely described as the most important in their lifetimes. That may or may not be true, but two things are certain: the two candidate…

Hossein Mousavian discusses Iran's new president and explores potential new directions for the country's future. During the summer, Iranians elected a new president: Masoud Pezeshkian, a cardiac surgeon, who is considered to be a political reformer. His victory surprised at least many foreign observers who are skeptical about all things Iranian, no…

Dr. Christian Ntizimira delves into the social, psychological, cultural, and spiritual aspects shaping the final days of someone who is dying. The Greek philosopher, Epicurus, wrote “The art of living well and dying well are one.” However, most of us spend our lives desperately trying to avoid even thinking about dying, never mind preparing for it.…

Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, explains how his team uses online open-source investigation to distinguish fact from fiction. We live in a world where facts are everywhere, recorded and shared ubiquitously. That ought to make this an era where arguments, journalism, and politics are routinely rooted in fact; unfortunately, it is more a world …

Leora Hadar and Naty Barak talk about the human impact and implications of all the fighting and destruction of the past 10 months. Israel is at war, and not just with Hamas, Iran, the Houthis, and their fellow travelers. Israeli’s most dangerous war may be with itself. That was certainly true before October 7th, and it’s still true. Back then the s…

Allison Minor, a Middle East expert, explores how these tensions might escalate into a regional conflict and whether a broader war can be avoided. The Middle East is a war zone with Gaza as ground zero. But barely a day goes by when there isn't also fighting in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Israel, the Red Sea, or elsewhere. The danger is that…

Philip Zelikow explores potential global conflicts and the shifting dynamics between China, Russia, the U.S., and their allies. War in Ukraine. Fighting in Gaza, and across the Middle East. Risky air naval incidents in the South China Sea. Worries about a potential Taiwan conflict. All of it wrapped in visibly growing tensions between China and Rus…

Europe funds North African countries to dump refugees in the Sahara, raising serious human rights concerns. It’s not exactly headline news that many countries are inventing all sorts of novel ways to seal their borders from migrants and refugees or, when those efforts fail, to force the uninvited and unwanted to leave. It is news, however, when Eur…

Chris Dalby explains what the Mexican cartels want and how they are getting it. Politics in Mexico has long been a blood sport: not only “winner takes all,” but also incredibly violent. Last month’s national elections—when the country's first female president won with a record number of votes and by a record margin of victory—demonstrated both tren…

Alice Barbe, a French political and social activist, shares her concerns and expectations for the second round and beyond. Much to everyone’s surprise, France’s President Macron recently decided that—like much of the rest of the world—his country ought to have national elections this year. The outcome of the first of two rounds was devastating for …

The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet. Tero Mustonen, recently back from the Arctic, offers a firsthand debrief. That the Arctic is warming is not exactly breaking news on a planet where almost everywhere is warming. But it is critical news that the Arctic is warming almost four times faster than the rest of the…

Vishakha Desai unpacks India's recent election and its consequences. Like everything else about India, its democracy is complicated. Recent parliamentary elections—more than 640 million people voted (roughly two-thirds of eligible voters)—produced a contradictory, confusing outcome. On the one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP party won a pl…

Neil Quilliam discusses a U.S.-backed peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel as a potential solution to Middle Eastern turmoil. It’s been an amazing, terrifying eight months in the Middle East. The horror of October 7th; the endless pounding of Gaza ever since; civilian deaths, casualties and lives disrupted, mostly in Gaza but also in Isr…

Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, explains how his team uses online open-source investigation to distinguish fact from fiction. We live in a world where facts are everywhere, recorded and shared ubiquitously. That ought to make this an era where arguments, journalism, and politics are routinely rooted in fact; unfortunately, it is more a world …

The Hamas-Israel conflict, sparked by Hamas actions, has evolved into a broader war with global ramifications, explored by journalist Armin Rosen Almost seven months ago, Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel murdering, raping, and kidnapping. In response, Israel launched its attack on Gaza that has reportedly killed at least 34,000 people (mostly c…

Pashtana Durrani, Lala Lovera, & Caroline Kronley discuss how it’s possible to deliver quality education even under the most complicated circumstances. We live in an era of mass migration. Millions of people and families are on the move, driven by conflict, natural disasters, insecurity, and lack of opportunity. The human cost of migration is high,…

Rafa Yuste and Jared Genser advocate for safeguarding our "neuro rights", and are achieving success in various states and countries. What do Shakespeare, neuroscientist Rafa Yuste, and human rights lawyer Jared Genser have in common? They all believe that our brains make us human. Yuste and Genser add their own coda to that belief: therefore, it is…

Andrew Bastawrous, the 2023 Prize winner, discusses the transformative power of innovative thinking in eye care. Andrew Bastawrous solves problems. As a well-trained, highly skilled ophthalmologist he was devoted to treating as many patients as possible, in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa. But even gifted surgeons can only do so much, and Andrew came…

Nabil Fahmy advocates for immediate peace efforts between Palestinians and Israelis. Both of the following statements are true: The surprise October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel was brutal, outrageous, inhumane, and far outside the boundaries of behavior even remotely “acceptable” in war. The ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza has terrorized Palestinia…

Pashtana Durrani, an Afghan woman dedicated to advancing her country by empowering women and educating girls, one at a time Terrorists and Afghanistan were back in the headlines because of the recent murderous ISIS-K attack on a concert in Moscow. No one should be surprised, since terrorism seems to be one of that benighted country’s few reliable e…

Clionadh Raleigh, expert in political violence, unveils global conflict's forms and dire impacts on civilians. Philosopher George Santayana wrote those words 100 years ago, between two massively destructive world wars. Unfortunately, they continue to ring true today amidst a growing global epidemic of political and civil conflict. That epidemic tak…

Andrew Selee of the Migration Policy Institute advocates for rational migration policies benefiting all. Mass migration is once again in the headlines around the world. This is less because of the numbers of people on the move than because it is an intensely political year—and fear of migrants is grist for politicians’ fear-mongering. The United St…

Amid Ukraine's conflict, George Beebe of the Quincy Institute emphasizes Western support to prevent defeat while advocating crucial negotiations. As Ukraine’s war enters its third year, it’s past time to dampen the rhetoric and tune up the reality. The war has shifted from failed Russian blitzkrieg, to valiant Ukrainian defense and then recovery, t…

Guest host Michael Niconchuk explores the global rise of violent extremism with experts Juncal Fernandez-Garayzabal and Noah Tucker. Violent extremism is growing globally. It doesn't know religion or creed. Where once it was confined to specific ideology or identity groups, at least in public discourse and discussion, now it appears across societie…

Amid Ukraine's conflict, George Beebe of the Quincy Institute emphasizes Western support to prevent defeat while advocating crucial negotiations. As Ukraine’s war enters its third year, it’s past time to dampen the rhetoric and tune up the reality. The war has shifted from failed Russian blitzkrieg, to valiant Ukrainian defense and then recovery, t…

Andrew Bastawrous, recipient of the 2023 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize, discusses the transformative power of innovative thinking in eye care. Andrew Bastawrous solves problems. As a well-trained, highly skilled ophthalmologist he was devoted to treating as many patients as possible, in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa. But even gifted…

Meg Lowman talks about her passion for the health of the global forests that are essential components of the natural systems that keep us all alive. Winners of the Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize typically have several things in common. They look at the big challenges confronting society as opportunities for innovation. They don’t cel…

A thought piece where Alan Stoga, Chairman of the Tällberg Foundation, shares how the foundation supports global leadership We live at a unique moment in human history. We—and, by “we” I mean practically all of civilization—have experienced roughly 70 years of widely shared prosperity, human development and even peace. Almost everyone alive today i…

Dr. Christian Ntizimira delves into the social, psychological, cultural, and spiritual aspects shaping the final days of someone who is dying. The Greek philosopher, Epicurus, wrote “The art of living well and dying well are one.” However, most of us spend our lives desperately trying to avoid even thinking about dying, never mind preparing for it.…

Uncover U.S. education challenges and solutions with Shawn Benjamin, principal of a successful Bay area charter school. One of the many challenges facing the United States today is an education system that seems to be rotting from the bottom: while graduate and professional schools are still world-class, elementary, middle and high schools are wide…

Migration expert Sergio Carrera critiques European policies, urging reflection on a more welcoming approach. European politicians talk endlessly about the rule of law, justice, human dignity and freedom of movement. But those words fade fast when the issue of migration pops up, replaced by endless efforts to stop migrants and refugees at the border…

Isabel Aninat offers her reflections on the implications of what happened on her country’s search for a more perfect democracy. During 2024 more than 50 countries, including seven of the world’s most populous nations, will vote in national elections. While many thousands of names will appear on ballots, what’s really at stake is the future of democ…

Lars Trägårdh does a deep dive into the social and political challenges confronting America. The United States seems to be on the verge of some kind of Judgement Day. Extreme partisanship, a past (and future?) president facing seemingly endless indictments and legal entanglements, a profound loss of trust in institutions and leaders, citizens who t…

Elisabeth Braw explores the potential consequences of being too tolerant. "If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.” Karl Popper in The Open Society and Its Enemies Fina…

Tero Mustonen discusses the urgent need to rewild the Far North to counteract climate change. The Arctic is warming at least twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet. All the vital signs—sea and land surface temperatures, terrestrial snow cover, the melting rate of the Greenland Ice Sheet, the extent and timing of sea ice—are all flashing red. …

Eduardo Amadeo discusses whether Argentina can finally escape the mess it has made for itself Why not? The country's inflation rate is approaching 150%. 40% of its people live in poverty. The currency is practically worthless. And Argentina is the IMF’s largest debtor because practically no one else will lend it money. By any definition, the countr…

Zelensky must be honest about the state of the war. Listen as we discuss with Svitlana Morenets what an honest assessment might mean. On January 1st Ukraine’s President Zelensky welcomed 2023 with the words, "Happy New Year! The year of our victory!’ Instead, as we approach year’s end, the conflict seems to have settled into a war of attrition whic…

Thomas Graham on how to cope with Russia today as well as tomorrow. Winston Churchill famously said that Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. After the end of the Cold War, many in the West thought the puzzle was solved. The Soviet Union had collapsed. Russians would embrace free markets and even liberal democracy. And Presiden…

Allyson Maynard-Gibson discusses a new way of thinking about how people can find the justice they deserve. It’s commonplace today to bemoan the erosion of democracy almost everywhere. Seemingly endless polls document citizens’ complaints; even more academic books and papers seek to explain the problem. But maybe we are overthinking this. Maybe the …

Guest host Michael Niconchuk explores the global rise of violent extremism with experts Juncal Fernandez-Garayzabal and Noah Tucker. Violent extremism is growing globally. It doesn't know religion or creed. Where once it was confined to specific ideology or identity groups, at least in public discourse and discussion, now it appears across societie…

In this SPOTLIGHT piece by Alan Stoga, he offers a glimmer of hope in the war between Israel and Hamas. The war between Israel and Hamas is a classic “lose/lose” proposition: there can be no winners, with a range of outcomes that stretch from bad towards disastrous. Is this just one more awful conflict in a region whose history is pockmarked by war…

Dr. Ruth Faden explains what happened during COVID and how we can do better. According to the WHO, the COVID pandemic killed almost seven million people. The full bill was undoubtedly far greater, not only in terms of lives lost, but of liberties suspended, economies disrupted, educations interrupted, economic development foregone. All in all, the …

Lars Trägårdh does a deep dive into the social and political challenges confronting America. The United States seems to be on the verge of some kind of Judgement Day. Extreme partisanship, a past (and future?) president facing seemingly endless indictments and legal entanglements, a profound loss of trust in institutions and leaders, citizens who t…

Luke Iseman and Andrew Song explain how they think they can cool the planet. Supposedly, Herodotus wrote that when the Greeks were told that the Persian archers at the Battle of Thermopylae would blot out the sun with their arrows, they responded: “Good, then we shall have our battle in the shade.” Fast forward to the early 21st century and the iss…

Listen to Ambassador Mirpuri's reflections on what he learned about America during his service in Washington. "There is nothing dramatic in the success of a diplomatist. His victories are made up of a series of microscopic advantages: of a judicious suggestion here, of an opportune civility there, of a wise concession at one moment and a far-sighte…

Elisabeth Braw explores the potential consequences of being too tolerant. "If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.” Karl Popper in The Open Society and Its Enemies Fina…