Thank You Democracy Podcast

The final episode of this season of the Thank You Democracy Podcast comes to you from the key implementers of the #ThankYouDemocracy campaign: Elisenda Balleste, the Coordinator of the GDC, Laura Flores, the Outreach and Governance Officer at Club De Madrid, Nestor Baez, the Communications Officer at Club De Madrid, and Nicki Kalfas, Research Assistant at the GDC. They convened to share inside stories and comments about the process and development of this campaign. This episode covers why Club De Madrid wanted to join the campaign, how our expectations evolved along the way, why collaboration has been so vital, advice for new democracy advocates, ideas for new ways the campaign could evolve, and each of our favourite moments or aspects of the campaign.  To learn more about the behind-the-scenes of this campaign, share a laugh with us, and be inspired by the events of the past several months, tune in now!

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Global Democracy Coalition sat down with Ambassador H.E. Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations under the democratically elected government, to discuss what it has been like to serve as an ambassador during such a turbulent period in Myanmar’s history, his commitment to democracy and human rights at the UN, his decision to speak out against the military coup at the UN General Assembly in February 2021, the challenges he has faced in ensuring the voices of Myanmar’s people are heard on the global stage, and more.  Ambassador H.E. Kyaw Moe Tun has previously served as Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, as well as the Conference on Disarmament, from July 2018 to October 2020.  He concurrently served as Ambassador to Switzerland, as well as Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). To learn more about the Ambassador’s journey, and to hear his motivating perspective, listen to this episode. 

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Global Democracy Coalition sat down with Silvia Alvarenga, a student of International Relations, General Coordinator at the Feliciano Martínez Foundation, National Coordinator at Cultura Democrática and Representative of Juventud LAC. During this episode, she discusses the biggest challenges young people face when trying to engage in political processes and democratic movements, both in Paraguay and across Latin America, some of the most rewarding initiatives or projects she has been involved in that have advanced the cause of youth participation in democracy, the challenges with the recent passage of the #LeyGarrote, and more.  To learn more about Silvia’s journey into international relations and democracy, the obstacles she has faced, and to hear her inspiring perspective, listen to this episode. 

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Global Democracy Coalition sat down with Jorge Jraissati, President of our Coalition Partner Economic Inclusion Group, to discuss his professional journey, his decision to focus on the intersection of economic opportunity, financial inclusion, and democracy, the impact anti-money laundering laws and counterterrorism financing regulations have on people’s lives, why it is essential to include young voices in economic policymaking, and more.  Jorge, while only 28, brings an experienced background as a researcher at IESE Business School, an economic and policy consultant, and is known for his work advocating in G7 countries for financial reforms to guarantee a “Right to Banking” for immigrants and human rights defenders. Jorge is also an influential voice in his home country, Venezuela, pushing for greater political and economic freedoms.  To learn more about Jorge, his journey, and to hear his incredibly unique perspective, listen to this episode. 

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, we sat down with two members of Club De Madrid’s #WYDE Global Network of Young Decision Makers network, Jokate Mwegelo, the Secretary General of CCM’s Youth Wing in Tanzania, and Elena Motta, a member of congress in Guatemala. During this episode, they discuss their decisions to run for political positions, how political violence impacts the participation of women in politics, institutional and societal steps needed to protect women in politics, their advice, and more.  Jokate Mwegelo previously served as the District Commissioner for Kisarawe, where she led initiatives to enhance education and infrastructure, is the founder of Kidoti Company and was recognized on Forbes Africa’s “30 Under 30” list for her contributions to youth and women’s empowerment. Elena Motta is known for her work in legislative reforms and social initiatives. Prior to her role in Congress, she was an advocate for community development and played a key part in promoting educational and economic programs to support marginalized communities. Learn more about their incredible perspectives and inspiring journey’s in this episode. 

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Global Democracy Coalition sat down with Susana Malcorra, the President and cofounders of GWL Voices for Change and Inclusion, to discuss the different paths her career has taken, her candidacy for UN Secretary General, how her organization champions female candidates for global roles, democratic backsliding, and more. Susana brings vast experience and insight as a seasoned diplomat, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, and a former United Nations Chief of Staff to Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. For more on Susana’s unique perspective and inspiring journey, listen in to this episode!

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Global Democracy Coalition sat down with Gina Romero, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, to discuss why the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association are fundamental to a thriving democracy, some global  trends that are particularly alarming, how young people are shaping the current and future landscape of  these rights, current gaps in educational efforts, and more.  Gina brings vast experience and insight as the co-founder and former Executive Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy, one of our coalition partners, and the Leading/Senior Researcher for the Youth Violence Assessment in Colombia for Democracy International. For more on Gina’s unique perspective and inspiring journey, listen in to this episode! 

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Global Democracy Coalition sat down with Dr. Kevin Casas Zamora, Secretary General of International IDEA, to discuss his path in public service, the advice he would give to his younger self, effective ways to increase youth engagement in today’s political processes, and his personal story as to why he has dedicated most of his life to promoting and protecting democracy.  Kevin brings vast experience and insight as the former Vice President of Costa Rica, a distinguished political scientist, and a globally recognized advocate for democratic governance. For more on Kevin’s unique perspective and personal stories, listen in to this episode! 

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the European Democracy Youth Network sat down with Jakub Rychlý, Veronika Šustrová, and Jakub Šuster to discuss the realities of living under socialism and how it shaped people’s understanding of freedom, the transition from socialism to democracy, how democracy evolves with new generations, how youth is included in democratic processes and more. These three speakers brings vast experience and insight.  Jakub Rychlý is the founder and COO of Nekrachni, an organization dedicated to helping young people achieve financial maturity, as well as an ambassador for EDYN Czechia. He currently acts as the Spokesperson for the Republic Youth Forum, which operates under the Czech Council of Children and Youth. Veronika Šustrová is an internationally certified coach (ACC) and business mentor with over 25 years of experience in fields such as finance, banking, healthcare, and telecommunications. Jakub Šuster is the co-founder and CEO of Elv.ai, a Slovak startup using AI to fight online misinformation and hate speech. For more on their thoughts and experienced insights, listen in to this episode!

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Global Democracy Coalition sat down with Colombe Cahen-Salvador, distinguished political activist,  co-founder of the Atlas Movement, and a candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations, to discuss her candidacy for UN Secretary General, challenges from rising authoritarianism, the importance of youth engagement in strengthening democratic processes, Atlas’s successes in furthering democratic development, and more.  Colombe brings vast experience and insight as the co-founder of the first pan-European political party, Volt Europa, which elected representatives at the 2019 European Elections and local elections on a vision of a more united and progressive EU, and as a trustee of the United Nations Association – UK, working to improve knowledge of transnational organisations and reform. For more on Colombe’s thoughts, listen in to this episode! 

In the third episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, our Coalition Partner, The Youth Cafe sat down with Samuel Komu and Joshua Muteti Munyoki, both are Project Officers at Transparency International Kenya. Samuel is a lawyer by profession with more than 8 years experience in governance, project management, policy formulation, partner and community engagement, movement building and fundraising. Samuel also coordinates local, regional and international advocacy efforts to promote good governance in the land sector. Joshua Muteti is a Political Economist with vast experience in good governance and tax justice work. He currently leads in the development of strategies and interventions aligned to the successful implementation of programs, monitoring and documentation, and providing overall programme leadership to the Public Finance Management Programme in Transparency International Kenya. In this episode, Samuel and Joshua discuss the impact and success of Integrity Walkathons, how young people are getting involved in anti-corruption efforts, and more. This episode has been adapted to align with the content of our Advocacy Campaign. To learn about the impact of corruption in Kenya and for more on Samuel and Joshua’s thoughts, listen to this episode! #ThankYouDemocracy  For the full episode, please visit the Youth Cafe’s podcast: ⁠https://www.theyouthcafe.com/the-youth-cafe-podcast⁠

In the second episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, the Asia Centre sat down with Prim Maneechot, Thai advocate for human rights and civil society, to discuss the enduring impact of Thailand’s youth movements in democratic initiatives such an the push for free and fair elections, education system reform, a more democratic constitution and challenging traditional structures like monarchy, all crucial issues in today’s global democracy. Prim brings vast experience and insight as a community organizer for Article Group, a volunteer project coordinator for the project “Freedom of Expression”, a freelance content creator, law tutor and passionate human rights defender. For more on Prim’s thoughts, listen in to this episode! 

We're thrilled to kick off the "Thank You Democracy Podcast" with special guest, Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs. From his early days in medicine to his pivotal role at the UN, Paullier embodies the spirit of active, impactful youth engagement in democracy. In this episode, Felipe dives into the transformative role of young leaders in today's political arena and shares inspiring insights on how the youth can and are reshaping democracy. Join us for a journey through the challenges and triumphs of advocating for youth participation at a global scale.

In this episode of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, we sat down with Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs from the UN Youth Office, to discuss his appointment to the UN, the transformative role of young leaders in today's political arena and inspiring insights on how the youth can and are reshaping democracy. Felipe brings vast experience and insight as Director General of the National Youth Institute of Uruguay where de developed the Global Impact Leadership Program in 2017 and Deputy Mayor in Montevideo. For more on Felipe's thoughts, listen in to this episode! 

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