As world leaders gather for the 80th UN General Assembly, we’re digging into the past to illuminate the present. What UN reforms are needed? Historian Thant Myint-U talks about how the UN became sidetracked from genuine multilateralism, where it should focus, and why the selection of the next secretary-general in 2026 is crucial.

Guest:

Thant Myint-U, historian and author of “Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World.” ____

Got a question or feedback? Email [email protected] or post on social media using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism. ____

SHOW NOTES

• Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World.
• Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror
• UN 80
• UN General Assembly High-level Week 2025