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Putting institutions above individuals: Ending impunity to save trust in democracy
UN General Assembly

Putting institutions above individuals: Ending impunity to save trust in democracy

Ambassador Paula Narváez Ojeda warns that when powerful actors break norms without consequences, young people lose faith, further pushing societies toward tribalism and away from respectful debate, amplified by toxic social media dynamics. The fix: put institutions above individuals and make accountability real.

Why is public trust low, and how to fix it
UN General Assembly

Why is public trust low, and how to fix it

Why is trust in democracy so low? Iain Walker, executive director of the newDemocracy Foundation, argues that the incentives of modern elections, which reward demonization and five-second public opinion, make it difficult to solve complex problems. The fix: create spaces for public judgment where citizens have time, information, and a mandate to deliberate.

Democracy 2.0: Delivering on people’s needs
UN General Assembly

Democracy 2.0: Delivering on people’s needs

Are there more autocracies than democracies in the world today, and why does it matter? María del Carmen Sacasa (UNDP LAC) argues we’re in a paradigm shift, not a terminal crisis.

Citizens’ assemblies helped Ireland move from conflict to consensus
UN General Assembly

Citizens’ assemblies helped Ireland move from conflict to consensus

Citizens’ assemblies helped Northern Ireland transform a violent past into today’s deliberative politics. Ambassador Fergal Mythen traces the arc from the New Ireland Forum (1983–84) through national roadshows and town halls to today’s independent citizens’ assemblies, processes that fed into parliament, broadened public understanding, and built “losers’ consent.”

Protect the watchdogs: Journalism, justice, & accountability
UN General Assembly

Protect the watchdogs: Journalism, justice, & accountability

Journalists are often the whistleblowers exposing high-level corruption. UNODC’s Delphine Schantz explains why we must engage and protect reporters, equip them with investigative tools, and strengthen criminal justice systems so accountability isn’t optional.

Participation = trust: Malawi’s citizens’ juries deliver democracy
UN General Assembly

Participation = trust: Malawi’s citizens’ juries deliver democracy

Public trust isn’t a “nice to have," it’s the foundation of democracy. Ambassador Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande explains how citizens’ juries in Malawi bring people into local budgeting and development decisions, building transparency and trust by design.

How can data and AI transform humanitarian action?
UN General Assembly

How can data and AI transform humanitarian action?

As the United Nations turns 80, the urgency to rethink global cooperation has never been greater. In a live broadcast from the UN headquarters and moderated by GZERO Media’s Global Chief Content Officer, Tony Maciulis, an expert panel gathered to discuss if AI and data can reshape a strained multilateral system to meet today’s crises.

The UN at 80: Reform, multilateralism & the Global South’s voice
UN General Assembly

The UN at 80: Reform, multilateralism & the Global South’s voice

"It’s the only space right now that the Global South has for multilateralism," says Ambassador Philip Thigo, special envoy on technology for the Republic of Kenya.

The AI arms race goes global
Europe

The AI arms race goes global

“They’re not going to own it. They’re not going to make it. They’re going to be takers, not makers.” Ian Bremmer and Julia Chatterley discuss how the AI arms race is reshaping geopolitics, not just for the Global South, but also for Europe and beyond.

Global trade is experiencing a tectonic shift, says UNCTAD's Rebeca Grynspan
UN General Assembly

Global trade is experiencing a tectonic shift, says UNCTAD's Rebeca Grynspan

The Trump administration’s tariffs have added uncertainty and complexity to global trade, particularly burdening emerging and developing economies. UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan calls this a “tectonic shift in the trade regime,” noting that negotiations have replaced a potential tariff war.