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Awake At Night

by United Nations, Melissa Fleming · English · News

What does it take to be a United Nations worker in some of the world's most complex and dangerous places? How are UN humanitarians, human rights advocates, prosecutors, development experts, climate leaders and peacekeepers improving our world?  Stationed in all reaches of the world and witness to su

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 40 min
Latest: 15 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

15 Sep 2026 · 48 min

It is a gift to serve humanity, with António Guterres - United Nations Secretary-General

António Guterres' drive to serve those less fortunate saw him rise from a volunteer in the slums of Lisbon to the highest spheres of politics, eventually taking on the world's most important diplomatic role. Now in his final months in office, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations shares what keeps him awake at night. "First of all, [it's] the enormous suffering because of all the conflicts and injustices that we have. Second, thinking about the future, the two existential threats that we are facing. One is climate change, and the other is artificial intelligence running away…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S13 · E13 · 8 Sep 2026 · 35 min
Planting hope in remote communities, with Alvaro Lario - President of the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Growing up in rural Spain, Alvaro Lario's parents managed a small fruit farm that sold melons in local villages. Now he is President of the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and is helping small scale farmers to thrive all around the world. "All of these people are extremely entrepreneurial. They're extremely creative. They have a lot of willingness and energy. Many times it's just the lack of opportunity or the lack of means, and I think that's what makes this job or this role very rewarding." The UN supports rural communities around the world as they gain economic…
S13 · E12 · 1 Sep 2026 · 48 min
There's no problem that can't be solved, with Garry Conille - UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya
Garry Conille knows that resilience, hope and determination can be powerful foundations for change. Now UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, he hopes to contribute his wide-ranging experience to help accelerate the country's development. Meanwhile, he hasn't let go of his brimming optimism towards his troubled home of Haiti, where he served as prime minister. "It's been years of challenges and stress and distress, yet when you walk in the streets of Haiti, you will see these young children with their hair just tightly done, and these uniforms tightly pressed, walking for hours to go to school.…
S13 · E11 · 25 Aug 2026 · 40 min
'The UN is my life, my family,' with Corinne Momal-Vanian - Outgoing Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation
Outgoing Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation Corinne Momal-Vanian previously spent three decades serving with the United Nations. For her, the UN's founding values have always been a north star, not just for her career, but also for her family and her whole life. "It's really putting the human dignity at the center. That every human being deserves to live a fulfilling life and life in dignity, that's also at the heart of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and those are truly universal aspirations." From working against apartheid to stabilising post-genocide Cambodia,…
S13 · E10 · 18 Aug 2026 · 39 min
Devising an end to hunger, with Máximo Torero Cullen - Chief Economist at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Máximo Torero Cullen is one of the world's leading voices on global hunger and food security. Currently serving as Chief Economist at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), he uses his economic expertise to work towards the goal of a world where nobody goes to bed hungry. "I have been through many problems in life, which I have learned a lot as an economist. I was in the hyperinflation in Peru. I was in wars in Peru and terrorism... I have been in massive earthquake situations. So I have seen a lot, but I never expected how complex this sector would become." FAO partners with…
S13 · E9 · 11 Aug 2026 · 41 min
Surviving war to fight for peace, with Ozonnia Ojielo - United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia
As a child, Ozonnia Ojielo survived a brutal civil war in his native Nigeria in which starvation was used as a weapon. After training as a lawyer, an encounter with fellow survivors gave him new purpose and propelled him to his current role as the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia. "She started crying. All the other guests started crying. I started crying as well. There I was, a very successful lawyer making a lot of money. But I said to myself, this is much more valuable. Trying to change people's lives, or at least be there as a voice for them." From Rwanda…
S13 · E8 · 4 Aug 2026 · 36 min
Open the strait, with Arsenio Dominguez - Secretary-General of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Oil price surges have put international shipping in the spotlight in recent months. But what about the people behind the headlines? What happens to them when the news cycle moves on? "[Seafarers] feel forgotten because when they turn on the media, all the headlines are about how petrol is going up, how this is affecting the global economy, how things goes three, four times the price that normally they will pay for it, and nobody talks about the seafarer. We need more countries to recognize them as key workers." With up to 90 percent of all goods globally transported by sea, the United…
S13 · E7 · 28 Jul 2026 · 47 min
Use AI responsibly for a better world, with Tshilidzi Marwala - Rector, United Nations University (UNU)
Growing up in rural South Africa, Tshilidzi Marwala first learned about engineering from his grandmother's handmade clay pots. Now rector of the United Nations University, the Under-Secretary-General is a vocal advocate of using artificial intelligence (AI) for good. "I would not trust AI. You are not supposed to trust AI. You are supposed to use it, always doubt it, always verify what it tells you, cross validate, so that you can be able to use it responsibly." Education has been a driving force throughout Tshilidzi Marwala's life, alongside the seismic transitions he has witnessed in his…
S13 · E6 · 21 Jul 2026 · 40 min
Why I'm still an obstinate optimist, with Allegra Baiocchi - UN Resident Coordinator in Mexico
Born to Italian parents in Venezuela, Allegra Baiocchi has been on the move ever since and has lived in more than 25 countries around the world. Now UN Resident Coordinator in Mexico, she believes in the power of the United Nations to improve the well-being of all people, wherever they are. " I am truly an optimist. I do think we can turn this around, but it does need a lot of people taking action, and so I stay awake at night trying to figure out how to get people to act." Formerly the UN's chief humanitarian coordinator for western and central Africa, Allegra Baiocchi faced down…
S13 · E5 · 14 Jul 2026 · 48 min
Launching a new life from a refugee camp, with Mary Maker - UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
War is Mary Maker's earliest memory. Born in South Sudan and named Nyiriak — meaning "war" — she spent her youth living and working in one of the world's largest refugee camps. Now a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, she is raising her voice on behalf of those she left behind, helping refugee students land scholarships to top universities. "I want to be seen. I want to be heard. I want to be acknowledged. I want to be at the table, making decisions and feeling like a part of something. Are you able to see us? Are you? Are you able to go beyond the news and really…
S13 · E4 · 7 Jul 2026 · 39 min
Building the Foundations for Human Dignity, with Jorge Moreira da Silva - Executive Director of UNOPS, the United Nations Office for Project Services
Fighting for and believing in change is in Jorge Moreira da Silva's blood. Now executive director of UNOPS, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the former Portuguese minister is helping to improve lives. From restoring roads and repairing power plants to running health centres and constructing renewable energy mini-grids, UNOPS implements projects in more than 130 countries – often in fragile and conflict-affected settings. "It's about providing social basic human needs. We have found a way to provide livelihoods to 15 million people in Afghanistan...rehabilitating roads,…
S13 · E3 · 30 Jun 2026 · 40 min
Overcoming trauma in the service of peace, with Elpida Rouka - Senior political affairs officer, Office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria
Elpida Rouka's first name means hope in Greek, a feeling that can sometimes be elusive when serving in the most troubled places on earth. Currently a senior political affairs officer in Geneva, she is a survivor of the 2003 Baghdad Canal Hotel bombing, the deadliest attack in UN history. "First you feel the shake, and the light, and then the blast, the sound comes. I blacked out between exiting the building, but when I was out, there was just a scene of a massacre. The only thing I recall after that was being thrown a phone and told: 'Call your parents, now.'" Humanitarian workers are…
S13 · E2 · 23 Jun 2026 · 47 min
Lighting Libya's long path to peace, with Hanna Tetteh - Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and UNSMIL Head
Former Ghanian Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh knows first hand the responsibility that comes from being an elected politician. Now head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, she draws on that experience as she works to get the nation onto a peaceful and democratic footing. "I have to be optimistic. Otherwise I'll stop. And I think that when you're doing this kind of job, you have to keep yourself optimistic. You always have to find openings and entry points and try to see what you can work with and where you can create some opportunity to have a conversation that results in some…
S13 · E1 · 16 Jun 2026 · 40 min
The force of good is much stronger than the force of evil, with Kelly Clements - UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner
From Bangladesh to Kosovo, Syria to Sudan, Kelly Clements has spent more than 30 years helping to save lives during some of the biggest refugee and humanitarian crises in recent times. Now the outgoing Deputy High Commissioner at the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, she's making an impassioned case for a more humane world. "How can we convince those that continue to wage wars that continue to treat people badly? How can we show what's possible with a little hope, compassion, and more peace? The force of good is much stronger than the force of evil." Global refugee needs are surging as wealthy…
S12 · E8 · 3 Feb 2026 · 46 min
Why peace begins with people, not power, with Bintou Keita - Former UN Secretary-General's Special Representative DRC
Bintou Keita knows instinctively that some moments call for a more human response than words alone can offer. Once, at a ceremony to mark the end of the devastating Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, she found herself hesitating to deliver her pre-prepared statement to a grief-stricken crowd. "I have my statement, but I can't deliver [it] because there's something else I have to do before. And in that moment, what came to me was humming, so I did it. And at that moment, the tears - my own, the tears in the audience - came out. These people were grieving, were still mourning." Bintou Keita has…
S12 · E7 · 27 Jan 2026 · 39 min
Youth, power and possibility, with Felipe Paullier - UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs
A medical doctor by training, Dr. Felipe Paullier is a passionate advocate for young people. Two years ago, aged just 32, his life took a new turn when he became the first-ever Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, the youngest senior appointment in the history of the United Nations. " Leaving young people at the sidelines of how we find solutions is not the way. It's really bringing them [in], because on many of the things, the solutions will come from them." The UN Youth Office believes that positive change is rooted in empowering young people to meaningfully participate in…
S12 · E6 · 20 Jan 2026 · 36 min
How to lead forces for peace, with Cheryl Pearce - The UN's Acting Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations
After enlisting at 18, Cheryl Pearce battled rigid gender barriers to rise through the military ranks. Now the UN's Acting Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations, the Australian-born Lieutenant General is the highest ranking woman in uniform within the United Nations. "Peace for me, is seeing communities having food security, having water security, education, knowing, you know, as a mum myself, knowing that my children can grow up to feel like that. They can have a life and a future and fulfill their dreams and goals." Lieutenant General Pearce knows what it takes to serve in some of…
S12 · E5 · 13 Jan 2026 · 38 min
Fighting hunger in a world of plenty, with Jean-Martin Bauer - Director, Food Security and Nutrition Analysis, World Food Programme (WFP)
Jean-Martin Bauer was just a teenager when a visit to his uncle's Haitian rice farm planted the seed of his life-long passion for food security. Now Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis at the World Food Programme (WFP) he works to feed hungry people worldwide. " Even now, even during these dark times … there are opportunities to sow seeds for a better future." The world faces a global hunger crisis, with a record 319 million people currently not getting enough to eat. The author of a recent book on hunger in the Twenty-First Century, Jean-Martin Bauer reflects in this episode on…
S12 · E4 · 6 Jan 2026 · 38 min
Serving the UN is the honor of a lifetime, with Annalena Baerbock, President UN General Assembly 80th Session
Former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock is a new face at the United Nations. Sworn in as President of the General Assembly in September, she brings experience and energy at a time of challenges and new beginnings – including the selection of the next Secretary-General. "We need this place where countries, big and small, rich and poor, are coming together and have an equal say and an equal vote." Shaped by her nation's turbulent past and successful reunification Annalena Baerbock entered politics at a young age. In this episode, she reflects on the importance of female pioneers, the…
S12 · E3 · 19 Dec 2025 · 45 min
A lifetime championing refugees, with Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Filippo Grandi has devoted more than three decades to easing the suffering of refugees: "My pride after all these years is that the center of this effort of my lifetime has been on people, and especially on the people that suffer most in the world, including refugees." Now, shortly before his term comes to an end, and as more than 117 million people worldwide remain forcibly displaced, the long-serving UN High Commissioner for Refugees is welcoming a rare moment of hope for one of the world's largest refugee populations. "Home means your house, your family, your friends, your work, your…
S12 · E2 · 12 Dec 2025 · 42 min
A trapeze without a net: the life of the UN Spokesperson, with Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General
Every day at noon, Stéphane Dujarric steps on stage to field questions about the United Nations from international journalists. As spokesman for the Secretary-General, he must be ready to talk on all aspects of the organization's work at a time of unprecedented financial and political strain. "There is no way we can move forward in this world without multilateralism, without an organization like this one. It's like a plant, right? It needs to be watered. We can't let it wither away." An alumnus of the United Nations International School, Stéphane Dujarric was immersed in the world of…
S12 · E1 · 5 Dec 2025 · 44 min
Ukraine: 'Heaven and Hell', with Matthias Schmale - UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine
A life-long humanitarian, Matthias Schmale has borne witness to a number of seismic moments in world history. Currently United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, he is overseeing efforts to help Ukrainians prepare for a fourth winter at war. "The longer this lasts, the more the resilience will go down, the more the psychological damage will take hold [...] There are nights where I lie in bed thinking, why can't this nightmare for civilians end?" Ukrainians have endured four years of hellish conflict that continues to devastate civilian lives and infrastructure, leaving…
S11 · E8 · 18 Sep 2025 · 41 min
On life's journey, make each step count, with Amina J. Mohammed - UN Deputy Secretary-General
How does one out of five sisters from rural Nigeria grow up to be UN Deputy Secretary-General? Blessed with tenacity, determination and grit, Amina Mohammed has always been driven to improve the lives of her fellow human beings and our planet. Rising to the top of the United Nations, her vision has helped shape the world's blueprint for a brighter future. "One step at a time, this whole life is about a journey. Make each step count. It is about taking people with you. Don't do this alone. It's too heavy. You need people to cry with you, laugh with you." Amina Mohammed is known for making the…
S11 · E7 · 11 Sep 2025 · 35 min
A ray of hope for cancer patients, with Dr. May Abdel-Wahab - Director of the Division of Human Health at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Whenever a new cancer patient entered her office in the U.S., Dr. May Abdel-Wahab knew she could help by palliating their pain and working towards a cure. Now, as Director of the Division of Human Health at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), she delivers hope to patients in places where treatment has until now been unavailable. "So much can be done to treat cancer, but too many people in the developing world have no access to care. It's unthinkable. It's unfair." With global cancer cases expected to mount in the next two decades, the IAEA is equipping low- and middle income…
S11 · E6 · 5 Sep 2025 · 40 min
Nothing keeps me awake, everything keeps me going, with Peter Hawkins - UNICEF Representative in Yemen
Every day, Peter Hawkins wakes up filled with determination to make a difference. As the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Yemen, he puts that boundless energy into helping young people survive one of the world's most intractable humanitarian crises. "Despite serving in some of the most challenging and difficult places, I've been lucky," he says. "I've loved my life. I have no regrets. Every day I wake up, I feel there's something I can do. There's things I enjoy. So nothing keeps me awake, everything keeps me going during the day." After a decade of conflict and…
S11 · E5 · 29 Aug 2025 · 43 min
Working for peace in the DR Congo, with Vivian van de Perre - Deputy head of peacekeeping in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Vivian van de Perre's calling is to help nations transition from conflict to peace. Now the deputy head of peacekeeping in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), she leads a life-saving operation in the rebel-held city of Goma. "It's tragic and it's unimaginable, but at the same time, people live their lives and they do the best they can, and they remain generous and warm, despite the circumstances that they live in. You go to these places and you see the worst and you see the best, and it's all in one package, and it is just something that really, really touches you. It's not like a…
S11 · E4 · 21 Aug 2025 · 39 min
When war comes home, with Yacoub El Hillo - Regional Director for Africa at the UN Development Coordination Office
Yacoub El Hillo spent more than thirty years serving refugees and displaced people in some of the world's worst conflict zones. But when cataclysmic war erupted in his hometown of Khartoum, Sudan, the Regional Director for Africa at the United Nations Development Coordination Office (DCO) had to help his own family flee the violence. "I don't think there's any home in Khartoum that was spared … the assumption is that everything is gone." Having served in more than 16 duty stations, from Liberia to Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan, Yacoub El Hillo has rarely seen any conflict as devastating as…
S11 · E3 · 15 Aug 2025 · 32 min
Why I'll always champion Afghan women, with Georgette Gagnon - the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan
With her background in human rights law, Georgette Gagnon was once said to represent the conscience of war. Currently serving as the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, she has been devastated by the sweeping loss of rights for women and girls there. "You used to see across the country hundreds of girls going to school... Now, of course, you don't see that, and it's heartbreaking. It's such a huge loss for the entire society," she says. Afghanistan has one of the highest numbers of people in need of humanitarian support, and drastic cuts to humanitarian…
S11 · E2 · 8 Aug 2025 · 34 min
Do not take Democracy for granted, with Nicholas Haysom - Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of UNMISS
As a young white activist in South Africa, Nicholas Haysom risked detention to oppose the apartheid regime, later working alongside Nelson Mandela. Now Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission there, he is still striving tirelessly in pursuit of peace and human rights. "The lesson of [Nelson] Mandela is not just being a nice person, it's perseverance in your ideals. It'll change the world." After a long and varied career, Nicholas (Fink) Haysom is supporting recovery and resilience in South Sudan, the UN's newest member state. In…
S11 · E1 · 1 Aug 2025 · 37 min
What next for Syria's refugees, with Gonzalo Vargas Llosa - UNHCR Representative to Syria
Rather than follow in the footsteps of his late father, a Nobel-prize winning writer, Gonzalo Vargas Llosa opted instead to serve humanity. Now the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' Representative to Syria, he just witnessed a historic end to 14 years of conflict and crisis. "There were these long, long lines of cars of Syrian refugees coming back from Lebanon. So many of them stopped the car the moment that they entered Syria, they got out of the car, they kissed the ground … saying we are so happy to be back in this new Syria." The fall of the Assad regime has brought fresh hope for…

About Awake At Night

Awake At Night is a English news podcast from United Nations, Melissa Fleming. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: United Nations, Melissa Fleming
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 40 min
Latest episode: 15 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1429922419
Rights: United Nations

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