[Update] The digest and recording of this WebDebate are now available.
This year is the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, and we are marking the occasion with a Webdebate on the past and the future of the organisation.
By looking back at the past 75 years of the world organisation, we will try to answer an important question: Are we seeing an evolution or a revolution in some of the key UN topics and how they are addressed?
Registrations for this event are now closed. You can watch it live on YouTube and Facebook.
The past 75 years vs the last 7.5 months: The need to respond to COVID-19 and the tremendous impact the crisis had on almost all aspects of life around the world, highlighted the crucial importance of the UN. To what extent are the past 75 years reflected in the past 7.5 months?
Our discussion will focus on three core pillars of the UN: peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development. We will also explore how these three pillars are increasingly connected via the emerging theme of digital co-operation.
Questions around peace and security, and human rights, have been with the organisation from its inception, while sustainable development and digital co-operation are more recent topics on the UN’s agenda. In each case, we look back at past developments in order to reflect on future ones. Are we witnessing an evolution or a revolution, and how have the past 7.5 months further shaped these topics?
Join us on Tuesday, 1st September, at 12:00 UTC (08:00 EDT | 14:00 CEST | 20:00 CST).
Registrations for this event are now closed. You can watch it live on YouTube and Facebook.
Speakers
Dr Jovan Kurbalija - Executive Director, DiploFoundation | Head, Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) | former Executive Director of the Secretariat of the UN High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation (2018-19)
Mr Marc Limon - Executive Director, Universal Rights Group (URG) | diplomat at the UN Human Rights Council between (2006 - 2012)
Ambassador Asoke Mukerji - India’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN in New York from 2013 to 2015
Ms Irena Zubčević - Chief, Intergovernmental Policy and Review Branch, Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Moderator
Dr Katharina Höne - Senior Researcher and Lecturer, DiploFoundation
About our WebDebates
Our WebDebates on the future of diplomacy are live streamed on the first Tuesday of every month. They are organised by DiploFoundation within the framework of the International Forum on Diplomatic Training (IFDT). Learn more about our series of WebDebates.
If you form part of a dynamic circle of practitioners in your community, we encourage you to establish a diplomatic hub to follow the WebDebates and to facilitate discussions. For more information, contact Diplo’s Ms Mina Mudrić.
Our experts involved
Dr Katharina Höne
Director of Research
Dr Katharina (Kat) E Höne researches, writes, and teaches on a number of issues in the area of diplomacy, global governance, and the impact of technology on international relations. Over the last years, she has focused on research at the intersection of diplomacy and technology. She was part of a research project on Data Diplomacy: Updating diplomacy to the big data era and the lead researcher and author of Mapping the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence for the conduct of diplomacy report, both supported by the Ministry for Foreign of Affairs of Finland. In addition, she has more than 10 years of experience in teaching international relations at universities in the UK and Germany, and in delivering in-situ, blended, and online training to diplomatic practitioners. Kat holds an MA in Diplomatic Studies (University of Leicester, UK) and a PhD in International Politics (University of Aberystwyth, UK). In her work, she is driven by her aim to level the playing field at international negotiation tables through capacity development, and to provide out-of-the-box thinking and inspiration by drawing on her passion for science-fiction.
Dr Jovan Kurbalija
Executive Director
Dr Jovan Kurbalija is the Executive Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP). He was a member of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance (2004‒2005), special advisor to the Chairman of the UN Internet Governance Forum (2006‒2010), and a member of the High Level Multistakeholder Committee for NETmundial (2013‒2014). In 2018-2019, he served as co-Executive Director of the Secretariat of the United Nations (UN) High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation.
A former diplomat, Jovan has a professional and academic background in international law, diplomacy, and information technology. He has been a pioneer in the field of cyber diplomacy since 1992 when he established the Unit for Information Technology and Diplomacy at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies in Malta, and later, DiploFoundation.
Since 1997, Jovan’s research and articles on cyber diplomacy have shaped research and policy discussion on the impact of the Internet on diplomacy and international relations. His book, An Introduction to Internet Governance, has been translated into 9 languages and is used as a textbook for academic courses worldwide. He lectures on e-diplomacy and Internet governance in academic and training institutions in many countries, including Austria (Diplomatic Academy of Vienna), Belgium (College of Europe), Switzerland (University of St Gallen), Malta (University of Malta), and the United States (University of Southern California).
His publishes regular articles on DiploFoundation's blog, and the Huffington Post.
Amb. Asoke Mukerji
Former Indian Ambassador
Ambassador Asoke Mukerji’s diplomatic career spans 37 years, from 1978-2015. As India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (2013-2015) he oversaw India’s negotiations on Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development, focusing on prioritising the use of technology for achieving the SDGs. He represented India in the inter-governmental negotiations that recommended a text-based outcome for UN Security Council Reforms in September 2015. He led India’s successful initiative in the UN General Assembly in 2014 for adopting a resolution to declare 21 June every year as the International Day of Yoga.
Ambassador Mukerji was India’s Delegate to the World Trade Organization in Geneva (1995-1998). He was Deputy High Commissioner of India in the UK (2007-2010); India’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan (2005-2007); Deputy Chief of India’s Mission in the Russian Federation (2001-2005); and India’s first resident Charge d’affaires in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He headed India’s largest consular post in Dubai (UAE) as Consul General from 1998-2001 and was India’s last Consul General to Soviet Central Asia.
As Special Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, he oversaw Indian foreign policy planning and review, India’s policies in international organizations, and led Indian delegations participating in joint working groups on countering terrorism. He initiated India’s first international cyber dialogues with the USA, the UK, the Russian Federation, Japan, and the EU. He worked as Chef de Cabinet of India’s Minister of State for External Affairs (1993-95) and as Private Secretary to India’s Minister of External Affairs (1985-86).
Ambassador Mukerji chaired a multi-stakeholder working group under India’s National Security Council Secretariat to recommend cyber norms for India (2017-2018). He has addressed audiences at seminars and conferences in India and abroad, including the Global Conferences on Cyber Space at London (2011) and New Delhi (2017). He lectures regularly on multilateral issues to Indian and foreign diplomats at India’s Foreign Service Institute.
Ambassador Mukerji has published articles and book chapters in Indian and foreign publications on India’s foreign policy, as well as several books. He obtained a BA (Honours) and MA degree from St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. In July 2018, he was awarded a Doctor of Civil Law (honoris causa) degree by the University of East Anglia (UK) for his contributions to diplomacy.