Who Rules the World

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 the lead on this amazing journey at the United Nations and will bring you into the insightful conversations of the Who Rules the World Podcast.

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 Serrano, who was in fact the first EU Ambassador to the UN, spoke to Lars about the importance of youth voices in multilateralism and why youth should get in contact with different cultures/environments. At an important juncture in EU-UK Youth relations, the importance of keeping channels open with the youth is more important than ever.

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 with more responsibility in the European societies. The main question is how can this be achieved when international institutions still struggle to take youth voices seriously? Another important question is why arn’t youth representatives consitlted and invloved in policy decision making processes? Veronika also asked EU Commissioner Micallef how can politicians and youth work together to achieve meaningful youth participation in global and local level. Children’s rights are also part of the converstation. Th hear what other issues Veronika riased with Commissioner Micallef listen to the full episode!

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 partnerships that strengthen prosperity, resilience, and security. In this conversation, he reflects on his recent travels, shares insights into the Global Gateway initiative, building on the Team Europe approach and explains how Europe is working to deliver concrete projects that make a difference on the ground. Among all the important issues, Commissioner Sikela also ensures the EU support and promotion of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. EU Youth Delegate Veronika Novotna, discusses all this and also the resilience of the international system in uncertain times, the role of young people in global cooperation, and how the EU is addressing backsliding on human rights, gender equality, and the need for more inclusive partnerships with civil society, academia, and the private sector. Commissioner Síkela offered a personal message to the young people attending UNGA80 — and to youth everywhere – listen to the episode to hear his message!

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, USG for Global Communications Melissa Fleming. USG Fleming has been a passionate advocate for the power of truth, information integrity, storytelling, and of course, international cooperation. She has been the heart of how the UN communicates to the world. USG Fleming together with EU YD Giulia explores the evolving role of the UN, cooperation with the EU, and the importance of multilateralism; what it means to communicate hope and action in the age of disinformation, and how we can build trust in institutions that often feel far away but impact our lives every day.