Who Rules the World

Some people fight for human rights in the streets. Others do it in the negotiating room. This week, we meet one of the latter. Join Veronika and Lars for a fascinating conversation with Kajsa Ollongren, the EU's Special Representative for Human Rights. From the death penalty to climate justice, gender equality to migration — her mandate touches the defining challenges of our era, and she's working...

Today's guest is someone whose life story is a testament to resilience, courage, and an unwavering belief in the power of policy to change lives. Ramika Khabiri grew up in Kabul amid decades of conflict, and from an early age she found her voice through art and music — using both as tools to speak out against violence toward women. That instinct to advocate would go on to define her entire career....

In this episode, Lars spoke with the Ukrainian Youth Delegates, Vitalina Shevchenko and Yan Erl Ruzhytskyi, about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and its profound impact on young people. In this conversation, they share their perspectives on how the war has affected youth across the country, and how young Ukrainians are showing resilience and leadership even in times of conflict. Vitalina...

This is a very special episode, as it marks Giulia's last conversation on this platform as the EU Youth Delegate to the UN (2023-2025). Welcoming her successors, Veronika Novotna and Lars Westra (2025-2026), they delve into a deep conversation about what it means to be an EU Youth Delegate to the UN, the ups and downs of the mandate, sharing insightful recommendations. Veronika and Lars will take...

In a special co-production with the Who Rules the World? Podcast, created and produced by EU Delegation in New York, Lars Westra, EU Youth Delegate to the UN, presents this month’s episode of London Calling EU. Lars attended the EU Delegation to the UK’s Annual Youth Dialogue event held this year in Newcastle University, where he caught up with the EU Ambassador to the UK Pedro Serrano. Ambassador...

In this episode we re-visit to the Opening or High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly 80th Session in New York. EU Youth Delegate Veronika Novotna had a conversation with Glenn Micallef, EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. EU Commissioner Micallef’s mission is to work on creating more space in the society for young people to be influential, and...

We devote this episode to the mark celebratory UN@80 - UN Day - 24 October. During the High-Level Week of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, we had a talk with the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, who devoted some time to youth in his busy schedule. In his role, Commissioner Síkela is responsible for ensuring that the EU builds long-term, mutually beneficial par...

We devote the special Europe Day episode to the 80th Anniversary of the United Nation. This year we also celebrate 75th years of Schuman Declaration the foundation of the European Union. It is a great moment to reflect on what multilateralism truly means today and how we can reconnect people, especially youth, with the institutions that are meant to serve them. We are honoured to have UN’s own, US...

This episode highlights the experience and perspective of LGBTQI+ human rights defenders, with a focus on the intersections of activism, mental health, and the power of the performative arts in raising awareness about the LGBTQI+ Community. Erik’s work as a psychologist and cultural facilitator offers a unique lens into how artistic expression can become a tool for resilience, resistance, and comm...

In this episode of Who Rules the World?, hosted by the EU Delegation to the United Nations, we're diving into one of the most important events for gender equality this year: the 69th Commission on the Status of Women, or CSW69, and the 30-year anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Three decades after world leaders gathered in Beijing to set an ambitious agenda for women's...

On 6 March, 2025, High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas hosted her first Youth Policy Dialogue on EU Foreign Policy. This event was organised in response to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's request to hold a Youth Policy Dialogue within the first 100 days of the mandate and then annually. Youth Policy Dialogues are designed to provide young people with a platform to sh...

Today’s episode of Who Rules the World?, hosted by the EU Delegation to the United Nations’ Youth Delegate Giulia Tariello, delves into a topic of women’s career and leadership roles. Our guest is Stella Ronner-Grubačić, EU Ambassador for Gender and Diversity, who attended the UN Commission of Status of Women 69th Session, held from 10-21 March in NYC. Being in the lead of the Gender Equality Amba...

In today’s episode of Who Rules the World?, host Giulia Tariello European Union Youth Delegate, talks with Eleonora Svanberg, an inspiring woman reshaping the narrative around women and girls in STEM. Eleonora is a half-Swedish, half-Persian writer, speaker, founder, and advocate, currently pursuing a PhD in mathematical physics at the University of Oxford. Beyond her groundbreaking academic pursu...

On Human Rights Day, which brings the #16DaysofActivism to end gender-based violence to a close, we want to talk loudly about Women’s Reproductive Rights! Today’s episode of Who Rules the World?, hosted by the EU Youth Delegate Giulia Tariello, delves into a topic that sits at the heart of health, equality, and human rights: women’s reproductive rights. Our guest is Adina Nivukoski, Finland's UN Y...

This is a take-over of EU Talks video series ( European Union at United Nations - on YouTube) by EU Youth Delegate Giulia Tariello. Giulia has two guests Mariia Kotsiurba, Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the UN 2024-2025. Mariia is a youth worker and project manager at the NGO «Development and Initiative», Master of International Law with a specialization in human rights protection, alumna of FLEX, CU...

In this episode EU Youth Delegate and Who Rules the World? host Giulia focuses on the Youth Sound Board (YSB) members, EU Youth Engagement initiatives, the Action Days, and the upcoming Global Gateway High-Level Youth Event "Engage, Empower, Connect". Pak-Yen is a Global YSB member from Malaysia. She heads outreach and collaboration at the United Nations Association Malaysia and also serves as the...

The new episode features Niel Swanepoel, a Namibian youth activist and digital policy expert currently serving on the EU-Namibia Youth Sounding Board, and studying international relations in Washington, DC. Previously, Niel served as a South African Youth Delegate to the G20, developing youth-focused policy recommendations for G20 Heads of State. Giulia and Niel discuss EU Youth Engagement initiat...

This podcast episode highlights the significance of the upcoming UN Summit of the Future, especially for youth. It also announces the new edition of the EU global campaign #OurVoiceOurFuture. Young people worldwide are invited to participate in the social media challenge My Voice, My Future, becoming co-authors of a global narrative advocating for a better future. Their collective voices, shared u...

In this episode EU Youth Delegate Lukas Svana is in conversation with Ambassador Vesna Batistić Kos about the Council of Europe and European Union. Ambassador Vesna Batistić Kos is the head of the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. She is the representative of the EU vis-a-vis the Council of Europe and represents the EU in the Committee of Ministers, the Council of Europe decisi...

This episode of Who Rules the World? Podcast is devoted to the newly established UN Youth Office. Lukas talks to our guest from the UN Youth Office, Programme Management Officer for Youth Engagement Romeral Ortiz Quintillà. Romeral Ortiz Quintillà has over 10 years of experience in youth strategies focusing on program and project design, implementation, and monitoring. She has worked at country, r...

This episode of the "Who Rules the World?" podcast features a dynamic discussion with Tomás Fenati, a successful content creator from Buenos Aires, Argentina and #OurVoiceOurFuture champion. The episode aims to explore how Tomás leverages social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to educate and inspire a global audience on topics such as history, politics, economics, and LGBTIQ+ ri...

In this episode Lukas and Giulia answer the questions that the followers of their social media accounts have asked. They discuss how they became EU Youth Delegates, what were/are the challenges and how does their experience feel now in comparison to their expectations before they started. Why is youth representation in the international organizations important?

In this episode, Giulia and Lukas are finding out more about President Röpke's work with youth and beyond. President Röpke has been championing youth in all his activities, setting up Youth Group inside the EESC, implementing the EU Youth Test, as well as including youth at the table when discussion topics of importance for them (i.e. EESC had a youth delegate joining our EESC Delegation to COP28)...

n this episode, Giulia and Lukas interviewed the Trainees at the European Union Delegation Audrey Gourdein and Gijs Van Doorn. They are finding out details about their application and selection process, about their work at the Delegation, their general experience, and why they believe that it is important to apply, reflecting on the important role of the European Union in the United Nations. This...

In this episode Giulia and Lukas have a special guest, Helena Dalli first European Commissioner for Equality. They will discuss the priorities of United Nations second largest annual gathering – Commission on Status of Women (CSW68) with this years’ theme being “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty”; European regulations a...