Today marks the final session of the Columbia Law School Mediation Skills Training Fall 2025 series, highlighting gender equity in the peacebuilding process.

Dr. Sharon Lynn Kagan, Professor at Teachers College, Mr. Marco Suazo, Head of UNITAR NYO, and @DrARMidani, Founder & CEO of Poseidon-AI, engaged students in a discussion on the role of diplomacy and multilateral engagement in shaping global childhood policy.

The symposium continued with a module on the United Nations' roles and functions led by Dr. Angel Angelov, Consul-General of Bulgaria. Students examined the UN's structures and evolving priorities, with a focus on how global frameworks like the SDGs shape early childhood policy.

Today, we welcomed students from @TeachersCollege for the International Perspectives on Early Childhood Policy Symposium, held in partnership with IAA and Columbia University's Teachers College. Students began their journey with a guided tour of @UNHQ led by @DrARMidani.

Happening Now: Session 2 of the Mediation Skills Training series, held in collaboration with @ColumbiaLaw, is underway. Today’s session focuses on Conflict Resolution in the Era of Political Polarization.

Jocelyn Meyer, Alex Franchi & Ezriel Gelbfish of the CLS Mediation Clinic continued the discussion on how mental health and conflict resolution intersect—and how mediation tools strengthen negotiation. Thank you to Prof. Alex Carter & the CLS team for an insightful first session!

CLS Mediation Clinic's Kevin Marti, Caelan Dick, and Ezriel Gelbfish examined how mental health influences conflict dynamics. Through case reflections and dialogue, participants considered how trauma and stress responses impact approaches to negotiation and peacebuilding.

The session continued with an interactive discussion among participants and members of the Columbia Law School Mediation Clinic on mental health awareness and emotional resilience, framing today's discussion on the intersections between conflict, mental health, and negotiation.

HAPPENING NOW: The first session of the UNITAR-Columbia Law School Fall 2025 series is now underway. Professor Alexandra Carter, joined by members of the CLS Mediation Clinic Team and over 40 participants, opened today's discussion on Conflict Resolution and Mental Health.

Closing today’s event, Mr. Nicolás Schubert, Public Affairs & International Organizations Manager at Google Spanish Speaking LatAm, highlighted the power of collaboration in advancing responsible AI—joined by 65+ participants from Missions & UN agencies.

Mr. Marco Suazo, Head of UNITAR NYO, closed the event, emphasizing that collaboration between innovators & institutions is key to ensuring AI strengthens governance & inclusion worldwide, and reaffirming UNITAR’s commitment to preparing diplomats and governments for the AI era.

H.E. Mr. Yabesh Monari, Deputy Permanent Representative of Kenya, and H.E. Ms. Ana Jiménez de la Hoz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain, opened the dialogue, emphasizing global cooperation and knowledge-sharing to ensure AI advances inclusive and sustainable development.

Mr. Shlomi Pasternak, Senior Technical Program Manager, Google Research, shared insights on how Google’s AI for Policy initiative can help support policymakers in designing data-driven, evidence-based solutions that enhance governmental effectiveness and maximize public benefit.

Ms. Anna Carter, Global Health Portfolio Lead, Google Research, discussed how Earth AI is supporting UN agencies in post-disaster response and recovery—showcasing how AI can enhance resilience, accelerate relief efforts, & deliver equitable outcomes for affected communities.

Google’s Rajat Gupta showcased real-world examples of how Google Cloud is helping institutions and governments in emerging markets, like the World Bank, UNFPA Nepal, and UNOPS in Afghanistan, harness AI to tackle local challenges and unlock growth.

Mr. Bhushan Sethi, Partner at PwC US, outlined practical strategies for emerging market governments to adopt AI responsibly—prioritizing low-risk, high-impact applications and building an AI-ready workforce.

H.E. Ms. Karen Ong, Deputy Permanent Representative of Singapore, highlighted Singapore’s whole-of-government approach to AI policy and its focus on trust, innovation and human-centric governance.

Ms. Noa Leffler, Google's Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy in Israel, Turkey, Central Asia & Caucasus, shared insights on how AI is enhancing government efficiency and productivity, driving smarter policymaking across education, healthcare and other sectors.

H.E. Mr. Wellington Bencosme, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic and Vice-President of ECOSOC, reflected on AI’s transformative role in advancing economic and social progress, framing the discussion within the UN context.

Through a live AI showcase, Mr. Rajat Gupta from Google Cloud Public Sector demonstrated how NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant, can help governments and individuals modernize the way they analyze information, synthesize insights, and make data-driven decisions.