For the final episode of this season, Nicole Cicognani - podcast editor at EST - meets Waltraud Heller, responsible for the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). This conversation aims at analysing the challenges and difficulties facing CSOs, NGOs and Civil Societies in their broader sense, in a European landscape that becomes increasingly threatening to personal freedoms, and sets the tone for a better understanding of future actions and sustainable paths to ensure representation, effectiveness and protection for the crucial work of Civil Society. What will be Europe's next steps to protect its citizens' rights and freedoms?

This episode was hosted and produced by Nicole Cicognani. 

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Olivia Serra Calvo - communications director at EST - is this week’s guest on the podcast, bringing us a difficult but necessary conversation on the role of children in conflict, the legal tools, the ethical debates, the misconceptions and ramifications of this phenomenon. To read Olivia's article on this topic, visit our website. 

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Laura Sanzarello, and sound engineered by Victoria Bergström. Research and content by Olivia Serra Calvo.

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Joanna Pamoukoglu - EST Ambassador to the Netherlands - joins us again to discuss the Eurocentric discourse permeating conflict narratives from a ‘western’ point of view, and how different war can look depending on what side of the world they affect - and how. 

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Asimina Melissi, and sound engineered by Angeliki-Efraimia Markopoulou. Research and content by Joanna Pamoukoglu. 

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Kocha Changelia - member of the Working Group on Human Rights at EST - is our guest this week to discuss Europe’s colonial legacy, how it impacts states’ societies and what steps are required to recognise and redress discrimination.

To learn more about the Working Group on Human Rights and their work, visit our website. 

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Nicole Cicognani and Laura Sanzarello, and sound engineered by Angeliki-Efraimia Markopoulou. Research and content by Kocha Changelia.

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Federica Ballardini - EST Ambassador to France - joins our hosts to discuss how the words defining climate change have drastically shaped the policy-response driven by western powers and influence, transforming needs into threats, and migration into security concerns.

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Nicole Cicognani, and sound engineered by Angeliki-Efraimia Markopoulou. Research and content by Federica Ballardini.

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Alessandra Cardaci – Project Manager at Debating Europe – explains why democracy might have become unfit for the 21st century, and how it should change to better fit the needs of today’s societies.

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Laura Sanzarello, and sound engineered by Nicole Cicognani. Research and content by Alessandra Cardaci.

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Soso Chachanidze – member of the Young European Ambassador Network – joins us this week to unpack the historical, cultural and political reasons behind the recent applications for EU membership submitted by Moldova and Georgia. Following last week’s discussion on the enlargement process, this episode will unveil the hopes and challenges that EU membership represents for these countries and their citizens, the popular sentiment towards this decision and what is going to happen next, both in terms of obstacles and opportunities.

To know more about YEA, visit their website.

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Laura Sanzarello, and sound engineered by Angeliki-Efraimia Markopoulou. Research and content by Soso Chachanidze.

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Juuso Järviniemi - Vice-President of JEF Europe - joins us in today’s podcast to discuss the recent developments on the front of European enlargement. As one of two episodes created in collaboration with our external partners, this episode will explore the process behind membership applications, what will be the future of the new candidates and how that is going to affect EU policy and security. 

To know more about JEF Europe and their work, visit their website. 

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Laura Sanzarello, and sound engineered by Florentin Ndizeye. Research and content by Juuso Järviniemi. 

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Anca Grigorescu - editor at EST - analyses the ongoing crisis of the international system, with the threats posed by new influences, military capabilities and the revival of ‘superpower’ aspirations. While current crises and discussions bring us back to decades-old themes and talks of the Cold War, what could be the future of international stability, alliances and peace? 

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Laura Sanzarello, and sound engineered by Angeliki-Efraimia Markopoulou. Research and content by Anca Grigorescu.

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.

Lano Mahmood - writer at EST - is the guest for this week’s episode, where she discusses how the European Union’s normative power influences human rights policies and advocacy in Africa, and what it means to exercise such power within a form of ‘revitalised multilateralism’.

This episode was hosted by Victoria Bergström and Florentin Ndizeye. Edited by Asimina Melissi and Laura Sanzarello, and sound engineered by Florentin Ndizeye. Research and content by Lano Mahmood.

Music by John Sib and Winking Fox Music.