Jul 26: Participated in ‘Preventing Torture and Ill-Treatment – Strengthening Co-operation and Implementation: Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting III. Representatives of the 57 Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) participating States were there (photo © OSCE/Micky Kroell).

Jul 26: Visit to the Austrian Parliament with global human rights advocates: Mary Kaye Holmes, Esq., Katarina Stankovic, Esther Madi, and Moumi Awudu. After a tour, we held a strategy session to explore synergies in pan-African projects dealing with education, climate change adaptation, economic empowerment, and good governance.

Jul 26: At the Austrian Forum for Peace, I spoke at ‘Technology for Peace – Empowering Women and Youth at the Grassroots.’ This event explored how PeaceTech can strengthen the role of women and youth in peacebuilding while bridging the gap between community needs, policy frameworks, and tech developments.

Jun 26: I have completed eight virtual-learning courses for Footprint to Freedom’s upcoming research and capacity-building projects in Africa. Samples include ‘Leadership Models: Foundations for Social Impact’ and ‘Trauma-Informed Interviewing and Self-Care’. Can’t wait to see them online and in use.

Jun 26: What an honor to host Setsuko Thurlow in Vienna! As a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Setsuko-san has spent decades transforming personal tragedy into global action. At 94, she continues to inspire with grace, courage, and determination. She is shown here at the AIT/SBA Research event.

Jun 26: Also delighted to host filmmakers Susan Strickler and Mitchie Takeuchi and human rights/disarmament advocate Aigerim Seitenova for an impactful week with Setsuko Thurlow. Shown here at the UN Vienna after meeting the UNODA Disarmament Fellows. NHK, ORF, and other outlets covered the activities.

May 26: A new op-ed of mine was published in The Diplomatic Insight: AI Militarization, Data Centers, and the New Architecture of Risk. It explores how AI is increasingly presented as a national security imperative. Yet beneath the rhetoric of defense lies a troubling reality.

May 26: Delighted to lead a session of the Joint Seminar of the Western Balkans Fellowship Programme. In cooperation with the European Fund for the Balkans, the Austrian Parliament offers Fellowships for Parliament employees. Our session covered interactions around the SDGs.

May 26: I worked on the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, providing support with communications. It is the world’s longest-running annual international television music competition. Over five million people watched the Grand Final broadcast.

Apr 26: Honored to take part in ‘Independent Experts Peace Initiatives: Europe, Ukraine, and Security,’ an initiative between the Ukrainian Institute for Politics and the American Council for Justice and Conflict Resolution. This symposium led to the creation of a multilateral Executive Brief.

Apr 26: Delighted to join forces with Footprint to Freedom (FtF) in creating eight virtual-learning courses for its upcoming research and capacity-building projects in Africa. The courses will be deployed across the continent in various accessible formats including e-Learning and WhatsApp.

Apr 26: I initiated a project to impact the narrative on nuclear proliferation and disarmament. In short, Setsuko Thurlow will visit Vienna in June to deliver talks and participate in events. Ms. Thurlow is a nuclear disarmament campaigner who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Mar 26: In cooperation with Kunst+Kultur Pur, held another successful concert in our newly-opened music venue in Burgenland, Austria. Full house, smooth sounds of Tangerine Dreams stars, cozy vibe.

Mar 26: Hosted Malaika Oringo, human trafficking survivor leader and Executive Director of Footprint to Freedom. We worked on scaling and implementation strategies for trafficking prevention in Africa.

Mar 26: In Brussels for a meeting on effecting change and boosting trust in the legislative process. Shown is a multilateral discussion on challenges to social cohesion and participatory democracy.

Jan 26: It was a great pleasure to participate in the UN at Your Doorstep Dialogue on Peace & Security. Intergenerational collaboration at its finest. Enjoyed seeing Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) again. Access the learning resource here.

Jan 26: On a pro bono basis, honored to have supported Refugees International Women Empowerment (R.I.W.E) by building their website: riwe.ngo. R.I.W.E. is a women-led, refugee-led organization combining lived experience with professional expertise in human rights, gender policy and anti-trafficking.

Jan 26: The perks of living in an ancient-yet-modern Austrian village were on full display last week in the charming cellar of my home: The 2026 opening concert of the KUNST+KULTUR PUR (Pure Art and Culture) Association. Opening with ‘Burgenland Chanson’ music, we now will hold monthly events.

Dec 25: Consulted journalists working on issues of disability representation. Media can be a powerful force in challenging societal misconceptions and in presenting persons with disabilities as integral to human diversity.

Dec 25: Volunteering support in establishing a women-led, Ukrainian refugee-led NGO being formed in Bulgaria and focused on prevention of gender-based violence (GBV). Anti-trafficking issues are in scope. More info in 2026…

Dec 25: Delighted to be a speaker at the ‘Environmental PeaceTech: Exploring Innovation in Climate-Conflict Settings’ event of the Austrian Centre for Peace, the Austrian Institute of Technology, and the PeaceTech Alliance.

Nov 25: Moderated the Austrian Parliament’s 8th Democracy Workshop Forum. With participants representing parliamentary administrations from seven countries, we explored ‘Fostering Democratic Values through Education and Participation.‘

Nov 25: In New York for the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. Joined survivor leader Malaika Oringo (shown here) in advocating for trauma-informed approaches.

Nov 25: The High-Level Meeting resulted in adoption of the UN’s Global Plan of Action which also covers emerging issues, such as trafficking in persons through new technologies, including the role of artificial intelligence, and trafficking for forced criminality,

Oct 25: At the OSCE in Vienna for a forum on the nexus of emerging technologies and freedom of expression. The OSCE also launched its Policy Manual on Safeguarding Media Freedom in the Age of Big Tech Platforms and AI: expert insights into the challenges posed by Big Tech and encroaching authoritarianism.

Oct 25: In Poland for the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference on the current state of human rights and fundamental freedoms across the OSCE area. Participated in bilateral on police-media relationship in shaping narratives on GBV and policy doc launch: Think Again: Freedom of Thought in the Age of AI.

Oct 25: In Rome for the United Nations SDG Awards. Congratulations to Malaika Oringo and Footprint to Freedom for being one of nine finalists out of over 5,500 applicants! Footprint was recognized for its ‘survivor-led resilience to end human trafficking.’ It has been my honor to mentor Footprint on its incredible journey.

Sep 25: Participated on the PeaceTech Hub’s event panel: ‘How is AI transforming the world of work – and how do we ensure that no one is left behind?’ I focused on the automate vs. augment angle related to personal development, social cohesion, and policy shifts.

Sep 25: Joined the panel discussion of the United Nations Vienna event: ‘UN – 80 years for Peace, Perspectives for the Future’. I spoke about WWII Witnesses, the Summit of the Future and its aftermath, as well as new approaches, such as PeaceTech.

Sep 25: Moderated the Vienna Energy Security Dialogue high-level panel on ‘Securing Energy in the Digital Age’. C-Suite from Siemens, Eni, EY, Microsoft and elsewhere shared insights on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection, and resilience.

Aug 25:  Joined a foundational meeting of the Global AI Governance Alliance which is aimed at effective, accountable, and inclusive global governance to ensure AI serves humanity safely and ethically. Focus on the ICC.

Aug 25: Honored to be invited by Footprint to Freedom and the African Survivor Coalition to speak about trauma mitigation and prevention. Emphasis on culturally-grounded frameworks and lived-experience leadership.

Aug 25: In Basel for the Good Future Forum: world futurists, youth campaigners, experts and policy-makers discussing ways to optimize global governance and collective action regarding AI, climate, and nuclear weapons.

Jul 25: Participated in the PeaceTech strategy group at the Austrian Centre for Peace; my focus was on inclusion and data sovereignty.

Jul 25: Meeting with international delegates at the United Nations in Vienna in the context of the AI for Developing Countries Forum.

Jul 25: At the UN in Vienna, I spoke about ‘Creating New Investment Paradigms for Development.’ I argued for transparency.

Jun 25: An opinion piece I wrote on the recent school shooting in Austria was published by the major Austrian newspaper Die Presse. The op-ed discusses the causal impact of social media.

Jun 25: Participated in the three-day International Digital Security Forum in Vienna. Great to see PeaceTech leader Nathan Coyle again and to meet Dr. Farhat Asif of IPDS.

Jun 25: Wonderful meeting members of the African Survivor Coalition and Footprint to Freedom at the United Nations in Vienna. They were here for an anti-trafficking event.

Jun 25: Developed with the participation of youth, the Vienna Charter for Digital Rights for Children and Young People was launched at the City Hall. Honored to be invited to join.

Jun 25: Delighted to work with HR leaders in Armenia in this webinar focused on burnout prevention and mitigation. We covered my SHE OR HE burnout model.

Jun 25: Met with Melissa Fleming, head of the UN Department of Global Communications, and Nour Barakeh. We discussed scaling impact and A Hope More Powerful than the Sea.

May 25: In Norway for the Oslo Freedom Forum on democracy and human rights. Bilaterals on blockhub.care and finding synergies with initiatives like the Online Activist Academy.

May 25: Honored to moderate the Oslo event launching Aigerim Seitenova’s documentary JARA. This powerful film features six testimonies from women in nuclear-affected regions.

May 25: Wrapping up time in Oslo with hundreds of impactful leaders from across the world gathering to unite for sustainability and against tyranny. Ready for the next steps!

May 25: Enjoyed speaking at the Tech & AI Fair – Vienna. My keynote covered burnout in the context of tech workers. Fascinating bilaterals on EdTech and humanitarian applications of AI.

May 25: Spoke on a panel covering EU Regulatory Framework topics for AI at the PeaceTech Conference connected to the massive ViennaUP events.

May 25: Honored to moderate the event launching Aigerim Seitenova’s documentary ‘JARA – Radioactive Patriarchy. Women of Qazaqstan‘ in Vienna.

Apr 25: Had a great time at the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) leading a strat coms workshop for journalists. Also covered: tools for engaging cross-culturally.

Apr 25: The website for blockhub.care is officially online, and we already are making waves ‘leveraging technology for humanitarian outreach.‘ EdTech and PeaceTech in action.

Apr 25: We launched blockhub.care at the 25th Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in a side event focused on dealing with child trauma. Video excerpts here.

Mar 25: In Montenegro for the 7th Democracy Workshop Forum held jointly by the Parliaments of Montenegro and Austria. Here with Nataša Komnenić and Prof. Nenad Vujadinović.

Mar 25: In Montenegro, it was also a pleasure to moderate a Democracy Workshop Forum panel with Professor Olivera Komar and Members of the Parliament of Montenegro.

Mar 25: Honored to support the Austrian Parliament in activities connected to building capacity for the Anti-Torture Committee (CPT) of the Council of Europe.

Feb 25: The Tug of War and Its Collateral Damage is now online. The premise? Sustainable peace requires intersectional approaches to mental health, climate, media, displacement, and trafficking.

Feb 25: Great progress on my new project to apply EdTech and PeaceTech to humanitarian education and outreach. Wonderful team coming into place! We will launch in Q2 25 and pilot in East Africa.

Feb 25: Honored to be invited to join the Advisory Team of the African Survivor Coalition (ASC). ASC is building a network of empowered human trafficking survivor advocates from all 54 African nations.

Jan 25: Wonderful to see Malaika Oringo at the United Nations in Vienna. We are planning a scalable healing project using Blockchain to launch in East Africa.

Jan 25: Participated in the Africa Day 2025 event of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce with the aim of exploring synergies and establishing partnerships (© Marko Kovic).

Jan 25: Built a website pro bono for the inspiring Olympian Saman Soltani. This kayak sprint champion from Iran competed on the Refugee Team in Paris and has high hopes for 2028.

Dec 24: This year was a deep dive of supporting climate action and environmental entities to scale their work. That will continue.

Dec 24: But I‘m also now establishing a tech initiative to scale emotional resilience and trauma mitigation in last-mile settings.

Dec 24: Ended this year with treasured activist friends and looking forward to our upcoming multidisciplinary collaborations in 2025.

Nov 24: The first of the television shows that we recently filmed in Manhattan was broadcast. I co-produced and hosted these segments on environmental justice in New York.

Nov 24:  An eLearning course I helped develop for ODIHR will be launched at the Parliament in Belgrade. The topic is political inclusion of people with disabilities.

Nov 24: Gave a TEDx Talk on intersections of war (media, forced migration, trafficking, trauma, conflict, and climate change, etc.). Can’t wait for the Talk to air in 2025.

Oct 24: At the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for the launch of a toolkit on the increased risk of human trafficking for minorities: victim identification, policy recommendations, etc.

Oct 24: In New York for Climate Week. Here I‘m at the MNN studios, wrapping up two TV segments with reps from the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance who shared insights into systemic challenges.

Oct 24: At the United Nations in New York for the Summit of the Future (and its aftermath) aimed at challenges ranging from conflict to climate. Wonderful meeting Costa Rican Ambassador Maritza Chan, disarmament icon.

Sep 24: At the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia. I supported Doaa Al Zamel and Nour Barakeh in this “Living library” session on the topic of flight and migration.

Sep 24: Contributed to the Bled Strategic Forum’s official newspaper covering diverse topics for audience of political and business leaders, thinkers, and academics.

Sep 24: Arranged television coverage for Doaa with RTV Slovenija. Interview topics ranged from building personal resilience to promoting better policy re. refugees.

Aug 24: On a pro bono basis, supported the creation of an eLearning course for the African Survivor Leadership Academy: ‘Understanding Human Trafficking in Africa’.

Aug 24: Developed a series of capacity-building videos and other multimedia training materials on the topic of scaling emotional wellness and mental health solutions.

Aug 24: Thrilled to have been invited to speak at TEDx Innsbruck in October. The topic will be ‘Balancing Polarity: Building Bridges in a Polarised World.’

Jul 24: Delighted to have supported the Democracy Workshop Forum at the Austrian Parliament where delegations from the Western Balkans met for two days to shares best practices in scaling democracy education among youth.

Jul 24: The Democracy Workshop Forum promotes multilateral and multisectoral collaboration models to reach beyond borders in promoting high-quality and inclusive educational outreach initiatives. An honor to accompany this ongoing process.

Jul 24: In Rome for the Climate Reality Project
Leadership event. Inspired by former US VP
Al Gore’s impassioned presentation; also got
an update on topics ranging from clean energy
to greenwashing.

Jun 24: Delighted to participate in the Vienna Business Agency’s festival of entrepreneurship and innovation: ViennaUP. Interesting bilaterals on the impact of AI and new technologies, such as digital twins, on the balance between green development and industrialization.

Jun 24: Supporting the NGO Rare in a major strategic instructional design project. I appreciate Rare’s focus on behavioral science in tackling climate change, protecting biodiversity, securing food systems, and driving capital toward better environmental outcomes.

Jun 24: Honored to join the panel of the Permanent Mission of France to the UN’s ‘Combating Sexual Exploitation in Armed Conflicts: A Whole-of-Society Approach.’ I‘m seen here with French Ambassador Benhabylès-Foeth, Austrian Parliamentarian Bayer, and Austrian Ministry Director Spadinger.

May 24: In Barcelona for the Innovation in Politics Awards. Having served as a Juror, it was exciting to meet the creators of these projects in person and discuss possibly synergies.

May 24: From hundreds of innovative projects, 30 were chosen for competition in the Awards. Winners included projects for EdTech, climate protection, social cohesion, and more

May 24: Took a workshop in biodynamic farming. Learned principles of curating crops to the unique ecosystem of an area in a holistic way for health and sustainability.

Apr 24: Supporting the development of the African Survivor Leadership Academy. It will nurture emerging trafficking survivor leaders and train stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

Apr 24: What an honor to connect with these impactful human trafficking survivor leaders (Malaika Oringo, Laurent Ziegler, Sandra Norak). Inspiring to hear their insights and aims. Lived experience leads!

Apr 24: Impactful meeting at the United Nations Vienna re. the great educational outreach work of UNIS and UNHCR. Delighted to see friends from the Austrian Parliament’s educational programs there.

Apr 24: At the 24th Alliance Conference against Trafficking in Persons, with Dr. Kari Johnstone, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator against Trafficking and survivor leader Malaika Oringo.

Apr 24: Visited the Austrian Parliament with Malaika Oringo, where we met with MP Steffi Krisper and discussed innovations for scaling solutions for human trafficking in Austria and the EU.

Apr 24: At Parliament, we also met with MP Gudrun Kugler and MP Faika El-Nagashi to explore synergies in outreach initiatives regarding human trafficking prevention, awareness, and mitigation.

Mar 24: Invited to the Austrian Parliament to meet with MPs in the context of International Women’s Day. Doaa Al Zamel shared her story and insights.

Mar 24: Enjoyed the intensive EU Fundamental Rights Forum. Captured synergies with impact makers from across the globe; many follow-up meetings planned.

Mar 24: After a Democracy Workshop at the Austrian Parliament. This innovative flagship supports youth  re. democratic awareness, media literacy, and more.

Feb 24: Delighted to support, on a pro bono basis, a mental health capacity-building project for East Africa. Emphasis is on developing holistic, scalable, social-healing interventions.

Feb 24: Participated in the Austrian Parliament’s Session on the Sustainable Development Goals. Especially interested in discussions on climate action innovation and DEI implementation.

Feb 24: The eLearning course I helped develop for the OSCE is now on edX – and in two languages. The topic is energy efficiency and markets, with a focus on Central Asia.

Jan 24: Met with staff of UNHCR Austria at the United Nations in Vienna. We explored synergies for creating impactful means of promoting human rights in the current geopolitical context. Scaling impact is key.

Jan 24: Great discussion with Ms. Shams Asadi, the Human Rights Commissioner and Head of the Human Rights Office of the City of Vienna. Looking forward to collaborating on the EU Fundamental Rights Forum.

Jan 24: As a follow-up to the Q4 Mental Health Forum in LA, the FundaMental Change team and I are discussing some follow-up initiatives. Emphasis is on intergenerational capacity building.

Dec 23: Led a series of high-level workshops at the Austrian Parliament. What a treat to dive into issues around forward-thinking democracy, diversity, and inclusion in this historic setting.

Dec 23: Joined the opening session of the Vienna Human Rights Conference. Especially delighted to connect with the Women’s Human Rights Education Institute of Costa Rica.

Dec 23: Participated in meetings at the EU Parliament in Brussels. So many challenges for 2024 – and opportunities for innovation, transformation, and collaboration.

Nov 23: Was honored to speak about trauma at the 2023 Mental Health Forum in Los Angeles. Held by FundaMental Change and Mission Community Hospital, the Forum explored mental health and public policy (credit: FundaMental Change).

Nov 23: Intersections between trauma, substance abuse, homelessness, and mental health issues were widely discussed at the Forum. Here I’m with Veronica Lewis, MPA, Director, HOPICS (Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System).

Nov 23:  ODIHR’s new eLearning course “Promoting the Participation of Persons with Disabilities: An  Interactive Tool for Parliaments and Political Parties”  was launched at the Irish Parliament! Happy to have supported this DEI project (credit: ODIHR).

Oct 23: Participated in the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Focus was on rule of law, non-discrimination, freedom, and humanitarian issues (credit: OSCE/Piotr Dziubak).

Oct 23: At the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, moderated a panel on taking a trauma-informed approach re. the National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs), i.e. identifying, supporting and referring potential victims of human trafficking.

Oct 23: Working with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on an eLearning project aimed at increasing inclusion in political life for people with disabilities. Met with my OSCE partners re. the upcoming launch.

Sep 23: Honored to have moderated and supported in the organization of the Austrian Parliament’s annual Democracy Workshop aimed at building capacity and community among engaged actors in CEE and beyond (credit: Parlamentsdirektion-Zinner).

Sep 23: At the welcome breakfast with Susanne Janistyn-Novak, Deputy Secretary General of the Austrian Parliament, and Katharina Stourzh, Head of the Division for Parliamentary Cooperation (credit: Parlamentsdirektion-Zinner).

Sep 23: Leading the discussion on the imperative to democracy of promoting media literacy among many stakeholders. Obtaining resources, generating content and developing political will were also in focus (credit: Parlamentsdirektion-Zinner)

Aug 23: Impact from my ‘Bridging Climate Divides’ launch at the UN Vienna is still coming in… Multiple media stories on various elements, like this one on the trafficking angle. Looking forward to expanding this inclusive climate action approach.

Aug 23: Recently finished the University of Toronto’s four-part course on ‘Gender Analytics: Gender Equity through Inclusive Design Specialization.’ After years of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work and decades of innovations, I enjoyed the update.

Aug 23: Delighted to have been invited by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to transform material on renewable energy into a full eLearning course -> innovations in scaling climate information.

Jul 23: Our World Youth Skills Day event at the United Nations in Vienna was a major success! Packed room of stakeholders – topics ranging from criminal justice and rule of law to curriculum design for effective outreach. A lot of follow-up projects in the works…

Jul 23: Also launched Bridging Climate Divides at the UN. So inspiring to see policymakers, young activists, business leaders and civil society members collaborating to create shared and impactful climate solutions.

Jul 23: Our UN event featured a corresponding art exhibition. Laurent Ziegler displayed prints from »Die Erinnerung an meine Kindheit«, Ruchira Gupta shared art works, and Footprint to Freedom was showcased.

Jun 23: What a pleasure to meet Colonel Ann Wright at the Peace in Ukraine Summit. She co-launched the Global Campaign against Weaponized Drones, and we discussed approaches to dealing with extremism.

Jun 23: Participated in Vienna’s massive Impact
Days. Many discussions on artificial intelligence
(pro and con) along with applying eLearning to
business and activism projects.

Jun 23: Finalizing the upcoming UN launch of my new project: Bridging Climate Divides. Bottom-up solutions and collaborative development for climate impact.

May 23: This interview segment I filmed with
Malaika Oringo in New York during the UNGA
is now broadcasting. We discuss trafficking,
climate change, and GBV. Many thanks to the
Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN).

May 23: Delighted to contribute to the new book PARLIAMENT AUSTRIA: Architecture Interior Tour covering the renovation of this ancient treasure (© Parliamentary Administration /Stefan Olah).

Apr 23: Led a full-day workshop at the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation for journalists from all over the country. Emphasis was on human trafficking awareness with related gender-based violence issues and in that regard, we held live interviews with four international survivor leaders.

Apr 23: Moderated the Parliament Working Group for Space Policies European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC) Workshop in Vienna. Leaders from across the EU discussed intersections such as climate change and migration (Photo: ©Parlamentsdirektion / Thomas Topf).

Apr 23: Presented the virtual-learning modules I created for OSCE/ODIHR on the margins of the 23rd Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons. The program will be on EdX. Click here for the pptx and here for a note from ODIHR Director  Matteo Mecacci.

Mar 23: In New York for the CSW67: ‘the largest gathering of feminists, academics, government officials and policy makers to take stock of gender equality progress, renew their collective purpose, and chart a new roadmap forward.’

Mar 23: While in New York, I did a televised interview with Ruchira Gupta, Emmy-winning journalist and founder of the NGO Apne Aap. At the MNN studios, we discussed her debut fiction novel, I Kick and I Fly, and intergenerational trauma.

Mar 23: The CSW67 closing Session focused on ‘full and equal participation and leadership of women and girls in the design, transformation and integration of digital technologies and innovation processes.’ (credit: UN Women/Ryan Brown)

Feb 23: Progress on the Footprint to Climate initiative in Uganda. This month, an entire village participated in a tree-planting campaign to mitigateclimate change. What an honor to cooperate with Footprint to Freedom on this impactful project.

Feb 23: We released the 2022 Impact Report for SDG2030.me, IFOUND, and MESPERO: Impact for Resilience. Amazed that we have been able to get so much accomplished so quickly. Humbled and grateful.

Feb 23: Held a core team summit to identify key areas of focus for our various initiatives in the near future. We decided to emphasize migration issues, mental health, human trafficking, and climate change – intersectionalities and related innovations.

Jan 23: Consulting on upskilling and reskilling a global workforce, retaining talent, etc. With today’s challenges, HR and L&D are best positioned strategically – not just as service units.

Jan 23: Supported the launch of a new book dealing with GBV and trafficking (I Kick and I Fly). Created the book’s site (incl. eLearning) and provided strategy on a pro bono basis.

Jan 23: After five years of renovation (in alignment with green sustainability principles), the historic Austrian Parliament Building was reopened. Proud to have been on this multidisciplinary team.

Dec 22: Moderated the Austrian Parliament’s Democracy Workshop Forum again this year. L&D specialists, NGO reps and civil servants shared best practices in scaling sustainable results (credit: DemokratieWERKstatt).

Dec 22: Honored to hold a variety of trainings for the Austrian Parliamentary Administration. Here I am with Rania Ali, whom I invited to be a guest speaker on youth empowerment in one of the courses.

Dec 22: Led a ‘Chatham House’ style workshop on AI implications for online violence against women and people of a refugee background. Discussion covered everything from deep fakes to preventive algorithms.

Dec 22: We held another Humanitarian Community Life psychological first aid virtual training for NGOs in Yemen. Many thanks to Layla Barakeh for her leadership of this initiative.

Dec 22: Designing a major L&D, virtual-learning project aimed at building capacity for survivors of human trafficking. A global security-oriented intergovernmental organization is the sponsor.

Dec 22: As a follow-up to COP27, Nour Barakeh completed this analysis of North-South relationsre. MENA in global environmental governance. It has been an honor to mentor this project.

Nov 22: Launched the SDG 13 HUB to build community and showcase innovative, grassroots climate change action projects. Intergenerational, cross-cultural, inclusive and multidisciplinary.

Nov 22: The SDG 13 HUB includes a Learning Zone. Having made most of these digital interactions, I am now training young people to create this multimedia for their own projects.

Nov 22: Farewell to COP27.  Our intergenerational team connected with impactful entities from across the world and built strong bridges from the grassroots to the highest levels.

Nov 22: Invited a youth delegation to the COP27 climate conference in Egypt. Here with delegate Ishaan Shah and Les Simm at the COP27 Culture Hub focused on innovative community building.

Nov 22: At COP27, we launched Footprint to
Climate, a survivor-led, female-led, youth-
focused project aiming at preventing human
trafficking while mitigating climate change.

Nov 22: Malaika and I met with the Head of Principal Sustainability at Hugo Boss. We discussed the importance of emphasizing human rights when analyzing the fashion industry’s supply chain.

Oct 22: Proud to say that our Humanitarian Community Life project for building psychological first aid training in Yemen was featured in the media (Arabic language). Kudos to Layla Barakeh for her excellent work in this youth-led initiative.

Oct 22: Delighted to support the FORWARD UK Foundation and its partner in pro bono capacity-building training. FORWARD is the leading African women-led organization working to end violence against women and girls – including FGM.

Oct 22: Consolidated many of my recent human-trafficking awareness activities into this interactive showcase. Spotlight on youth and people with lived experience. Next steps: add more virtual-learning modules and a Teachers’ Manual.

Sep 22: In New York for the 77th session of the UN General Assembly: “Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges.” Did media work and held bilaterals primarily on the private sector adopting sustainable and socially-responsible policies.

Sep 22: With Malaika Oringo and Ruchira Gupta at the OSCE’s ‘Addressing Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking in Armed Conflict’ event in New York. Focus was on prevention and the protection of identified victims.

Sep 22: At the request of young activists I met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in NYC, I created this activism primer which uses L&D principles to develop sustainable strategies for driving social change.

Sep 22: Delighted to join Andreas Heckmann (Executive Vice President, Head of Customer Solution Support and Innovation, SAP Product Engineering) in this openSAP podcast on promoting mental health in the workplace.

Sep 22: Honored to mentor Humanitarian Community Life’s psychological first aid remote training in Yemen and to join its first session. Layla Barakeh has done a great job of establishing this initiative.

Aug 22: Happy to welcome the human trafficking survivor leader Malaika Oringo and her family to Austria. Here we are at the United Nations in Vienna ringing the Peace Bell.

Aug 22: Leaving the United Nations Vienna, after having successful multilateral meetings on promoting cooperation, awareness, and impact regarding human trafficking.

Aug 22: Have been working hard on Phase 2 of a MESPERO project: Humanitarian Community Life (HCL). With Layla Barakeh as lead, we are developing an intensive remote training program (in Arabic) for psychological first aid.

Aug 22: This current HCL project is aimed specifically at benefiting humanitarian workers and youth in Yemen. Emphasis is on capacity building for disaster and recovery periods. Subsequent plans include scaling to other regions.

Jul 22: We showcased a wonderfully eclectic group of speakers on topics ranging from human rights, public policy, mental health, foreign affairs and global activism. Subsequent discussions have led to concrete plans for shared projects.

Jun 22: Visited London to see the venue (Goodenough College) and to do groundwork for our exhibition and event on human trafficking and modern slavery coming up next month. Tagline: Lived experience leads.

Jun 22: At the Digital Enterprise Show in Malaga, Spain. Held discussions on digital transformation and Learning and Development (L&D) including workplace tech. Key is mechanisms to ensure that AI is used ethically.

May 22: Very happy to say that SDG2030.me has been chosen to contribute to a major UN annual meeting on the SDGs: The High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

May 22: Found my tribe at the Oslo Freedom Forum! What an incredible group of people and initiatives, all focused on human rights, journalistic freedom, etc.

Apr 22: Visited Amsterdam to meet with anti-human trafficking leader Malaika Oringo, CEO of the survivor-led Footprint to Freedom. Inspiring woman! We are setting up a multimedia project to be released in 2023.

Apr 22: More Changemaker Challenge workshops, this time with Fauziah Wanjiru and Nyadoi Philister of Footprint to Freedom. Greatly appreciated their lived-experience input on applying the SDGs to human trafficking.