This episode was created by Gheed El Bizri, Taban Malihi, and Kanika Verma.Audio credits: Diplomacy by Balqees Fathi

We're here to kick off a new season of the FPYC Podcast with an interview of Valeriia Ivanova, the Co-Director of Marketing and a proud Ukrainian who shares her insights on the country's history, politics, and the ongoing war.Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy!Episode contributors:Gheed El Bizri, Taban Malihi, Eli Crowley y Contreras, Chidalu Emy-Munonye, and interviewee Valeriia Ivanova

This week, Gheed leads a special episode on human rights on Time out! Let's Talk Policy.  First, she tells the story of Simone De Beauvoir, French existentialist philosopher, writer, and feminist activist who laid the foundation for the modern feminist movement. She is mostly known for her book The Second Sex that changed the conversation about feminism. Then, she interviews guest Vivien Jung from Germany to discuss the work of De Beauvoir as well as women’s liberation as a modern movement. We hope you enjoy!

We'll be diving right back into posting our regular content! For our first episode, CEOs Sydni and Graham discussed the US removal of troops in Afghanistan. Listen to our podcast to hear youth perspectives on the ethics of the removal, the rebuilding of the nation, and the political benefits/repercussions of the decision. *episode was recorded prior to the takeover by the Taliban

This week, Gheed, an international FPYC member from Lebanon, led a special episode on human rights on Time out! Let's Talk Policy.  First, she told the story of Viktor Emil Frankl, Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, founder of logotherapy, Holocaustsurvivor, and best selling author of Man’s Search for Meaning, is a man who has inspired manypeople all around the world. Then, she interviewed guest Riwa Hassan from Lebanon to shed light on the human rights situation within the country.  We hope you enjoy!

This week on Time out! Let’s Talk Policy, we explored social unrest focusing specifically on the Indian farmers’ protests and the anti-abortion bill in Poland. We started by listening to Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise and how it is still relevant today. After, we played a game to test contestants' knowledge of key figures in the recent protest movements. Then, we had a discussion surrounding the question “What are your thoughts on the recent farmer protests that have been occurring all across India?” Finally, Preeti read her op-ed entitled Mother Earth's Victory: How the Kisan Movement in Punjab and Haryana Has Taken India by Storm.

This week on Time Out! Let’s Talk Policy, we explored the global economy, specifically its role in a country’s development and the distribution of economic power and resources. We started by interviewing Riley about the January 28th GameStop incident and the similarities between the US economy and economies of other countries. After, we played a game to test contestants' knowledge on the GameStop situation and the stock market as a whole. Then, we had have a discussion surrounding the question “how do different countries’ stock markets interact with one another and affect the global economy?” Finally, Sidra read her op-ed entitled “The profits of the pandemic: human life as a global currency.”

This week on Time Out! Let’s Talk Policy, we explored the pressing matter of climate change in collaboration with Climate Cardinals: an international youth-led nonprofit that works to make environmental research more accessible to non-English speakers. We started by interviewing Sophie from Climate Cardinals to learn how her organization Climate Cardinals is helping to prevent climate change. Then, we played a game to test contestants' knowledge on climate change. After, we interviewed Travis from Climate Cardinals about governmental climate policies and what we can do to help stop global warming. Finally, Madison read her op-ed about environmental racism.

This week on Time out! Let’s Talk Policy, we examined education systems around the world. We started by discussing the HB1218 Bill. Then, we played a game to test contestants’ knowledge of education inequality. After, we discussed the question “What differentiates the education systems of developing countries from those of first world countries and how does this affect their standing?” Finally, Sanjana read her op-ed about the French education system.

This week on Time out! Let’s Talk Policy, we examined what the world is thinking about the US following the attack on the capitol and the second impeachment of Donald Trump. We started by interviewing Mae from Malaysia. Then, we played a game to test contestants knowledge of riots and raiding capitals throughout history. After, we interviewed Lotte from the Netherlands and Finally, Galen read his op-ed about election violence in Uganda and the US.

With the first semester of school coming to an end and the holiday season around the corner, FPYC wanted to take this time to reflect on how Covid-19 is impacting the lives of high school students around the United States. It often seems like governors and representatives are talking on behalf of students everywhere when deciding their school plans instead of listening to them and how they feel. So this week we wanted to do things a little differently. We wanted to give high school students a place where they could feel heard when expressing their struggles with distance or hybrid learning. The podcast team, along with special guest Zoya, spent this week compelling anecdotes from high school students around the country.

This week on Time out! Let’s Talk Policy, we examined how democracy in India compares to democracy in other Western nations. We started by analyzing the main differences between the Indian and American governments and the effect of globalization on both. Then, we played a game and tested how much contestants know about the Indian political system. We had a discussion surrounding the question “How does Indian democracy compare to Western democracies?” Finally, an op-ed was read about the India-China border dispute.

This week on Time out! Let’s Talk policy, we examined propaganda and the use of hard and soft power around the world. We started by analyzing the effectiveness of hard  and soft power around the world. Then, we played a quick game in regards to propaganda.  Then, we had a discussion surrounding the question “How prevalent is the use of propaganda in European nations and how does soft vs. hard power play a role in this” Finally, Sidra read her article bias analysis of a Fox news article entitled “Adams Accuses Mainstream Media of Pushing 'Literal Chinese Communist Propaganda' Amid Pandemic”

This week on Time out! Let’s Talk Policy, we examined the War on Drugs in the United States and around the world. We started by analyzing a written article that discussed the War on Drugs. Then, we played a game where contestants had to correctly match a country to its War on Drugs policy. Afterwards, we had a discussion surrounding the question “how effective has the US’ war on drugs really been?” Finally, Sidra read her op-ed about the War on Drugs as a tool of oppression.

This week on Time out! Let’s Talk Policy, we examined the relationship between the Eastern and western world and the power of Asian countries on the world stage. We started with a discussion on how economic globalization has affected trade. Then, we played a game where contestants guessed Asian contributions to economies around the world. After, we had a discussion surrounding the question “What Asian countries are most influential in global politics today and how do they compare to powerful western nations?” Finally, Dennis read his op-ed about the belt road initiative in China and its impact on developing countries.

This week, FPYC examined the highly contested race for the US presidency and compared it with elections around the world! We started with a quick discussion surrounding the electoral systems in the US and around the world. Then, we played a quick game where contestants match the electoral system to the country and we were honored to have special guest Professor Bastiaan van Apeldoorn, a professor of global political economy and geopolitics help us analyze the impact of the US election on the rest of the world Finally, Lucas’s op-ed was read about election fraud in the US. Get involved in the conversation every Monday for new episodes or check us out at fpyouthcollab.org!

This week, FPYC examined the role of US intervention in Latin America. We looked at an overview of US intervention in the region beginning in 1848. Then, we had a discussion surrounding the question “How has United States interference in Latin America impacted the outcome of Communism in its nations?” Finally, Mateo read his op-ed about the political pendulum in Latin America giving us a first person perspective as he is from Ecuador! Get involved in the conversation every Monday for new episodes or check us out at fpyouthcollab.org!

This week, FPYC examined authoritarian regimes around the world and the rise of the far right! We explored an article from VOX news called “Social media is rotting democracy from within” which discusses how social media played a major role in the election of the Brazilian Authoritarian president, Bolsonaro. Then, we played a game called “Match the Party” where contestants were given a far right party and had to guess which country it was from. Then, we discussed the question “Are there any circumstances in which an authoritarian government would be the best option for a nation?” Finally, Emma read her Op-Ed about the reemergence of the far right in Germany. Get involved in the conversation every Monday for new episodes or check us out at fpyouthcollab.org!

This week, FPYC examined different tax systems around the world in light of the recent New York Times report that revealed President Trump’s tax returns. We explored the allocation of taxpayer money in the US, and played a game called “Match the system”, where contestants will try to correctly match the country to the tax system.  Then, we discussed the question “What makes up a good tax system in a country?” Finally, Sydni read her Op-Ed about the failure of the Euro in Greece. Get involved in the conversation every Monday for new episodes or check us out at fpyouthcollab.org!

This week, FPYC examined the United States Supreme Court in honor of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who served 27 years on the bench. We explored some key judicial questions and issues throughout the decades and played “Case Connect,” where contestants are tasked to connect key facts to iconic SCOTUS decisions in US history. Then, we discussed the question “Do you believe, under current circumstances, that the president should appoint a new judge now or wait until after the election?” Finally, content team member Bryn read her Op-Ed about what the country might look like with a 6-3 Conservative majority on the Supreme Court.   Get involved in the conversation every Monday for new episodes or check us out at fpyouthcollab.org!