Release Peace: THe Magazine
Spanning the Atlantic
Gifted to the U.S. by France on 4 July 1884, the Statue of Liberty represents not only dear values, but is also a physical manifestation of the bonds between North America and Europe.
Spanning the Atlantic: Our Stories from Europe & North America
Few will have heard of the Polish and Lithuanian ethnic minorities in Belarus. Their language, culture, and religion has been at risk for years. With EU and NATO member states Poland and Lithuania on one side of the divide and Russia-aligned Belarus on the other, the stakes are high.
While France and Germany have long advocated for greater European autonomy from the United States, Poland and the Baltic states have always viewed Europe's relations with the US as nothing short of existential. Not least the war in Ukraine might proof that they were right all along.
Marginalised and abused for centuries, the daily life of persons with disabilities has changed to the better in recent decades. Unbeknown to many, over 185 countries are parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD) Was it a game changer or a paper tiger?
'The Swedish Model' is often used as a case study for democracies due to its relatively peaceful early transition. Unlike many violent transitions to democracy, as seen in, for example, French history, Sweden never experienced a revolutionary break. Instead, it underwent a long-term structural change. Once Sweden had become a democracy, it did not break down, even under the pressure of the interwar period during which other democracies collapsed. But surprisingly, Sweden didn't always have the ideal conditions for democracy to emerge.
Often below the radar of global media coverage, many attempts have been made to reunite, confederate, or otherwise bring a lasting solution to the island of Cyprus. They have not come far.
Like no other nation in the world, Estonia has moved all civil service processes online over the past two decades. This culminated in a majority of Estonians now voting in national elections entirely online, rather than going to polling stations. How does it work and what are the risks?
Need a new passport? Return home and get arrested. Some might have heard of this the new reality for Belarusian in exile. What is lesser known is the harassment their families face at home, seizures of properties, and other measures of the state.
It was mid-October 2021 when Sonia Sotomayor, an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, entered the doors of the New York University School of Law. She was about to announce a ground-breaking administrative rule change in the Courts’ structure of oral arguments that would enter the history books as a crucial step towards gender equality
A country where only 4% of schools teach in its national language, where the national flag and coat of arms were removed, and where books from a poet that lived over 100 years were banned in August 2023.
From comedian to state hero, Volodymyr Zelensky has become a unique example of 21st century political communication and leadership in the face of geopolitical ruptures caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine. This article will explain his communication style.
Anne Hidalgo, serving as the Mayor of Paris since 2014, has placed green policies at the top of her agenda to transform the city of light. The goal is to reshape Paris into a “15-minute city” despite its population of 2 million. Most daily necessities should therefore be accomplished within a 15-minute cycle or walk from home. This mainly entails building the city with an inclusive view of its people.
“Our current resistance has a particularly female face” was the way Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, acknowledged and praised the role of women in defending their country. From frontline combat roles to humanitarian support, women play a pivotal role in Ukraine. And the world should take note.
Whether you like maple syrup or not, you will probably instantly associate it with Canada, and at best on second thoughts with Québec. By contrast, you will probably associate the French language in Canada simply with Québec, not with the country as a whole. The story of both languages in Canada is much more intriguing, though. And it might hold interesting lessons for all of us to learn.
The Arctic Council is a truly unique institutions. While it counts 8 members that are UN member states, indigenous communities are involved via six organisations that have Permanent Participant Status in the Council. No other transnational body in the world includes indigenous representations at that level.
The Baltic states have recently shown that small countries can yield big influence. Another small EU & NATO member, Denmark has been pivotal in advancing their causes in decades prior. This is the story of small states and their often overlooked influence, if deployed smartly.
Descendant of Indian royalty and goddaughter of Queen Victoria, Duleep Singh was focal to the British suffragette movement – a turning point in the emancipation of women. Born in 1876, Sophia Duleep Singh was the daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh and Maharani Bamba. Her father was the last Maharaja (Indian prince) of Punjab before it was annexed by Britain in 1849.
Estonia, a small country at the eastern edge of the EU and NATO, has gained a reputation for being one of the most advanced digital societies in the world. A closer look at the history of Estonia suggests that this is far from a coincidence. Delve into the fascinating story of Estonia's e-society.
In the EU, some member states are pushing for Russia to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism due to its actions against civilians in Ukraine. This could have grave implications for Russia.
It was 1988 when a fifth of the entire population of modern-day Estonia came together to sing Eestimaa Laul. It was the song of independence and the first time that the restoration of independence was demanded publicly in this Baltic state. Soon after, the Baltic Way, a human chain stretching an almost unimaginable 600km and spanning three countries and capital cities showed to the world that freedom was a powerful force.
“An EU with 27, 30, 36 states, with then more than 500 million free and equal citizens, can bring its weight to bear even more strongly in the world.” – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. You might have missed this statement, given at a conference of centre-left parties in Europe. Let us bring the full story to you.
How did Sweden turn from trying to develop nuclear weapons itself as a method of self-protection to the becoming the White Knight of nuclear disarmament it so prominently is today? Sweden has continually promoted disarmament policies and spoken out against nuclear testing which has resulted in the Scandinavian nation gaining the nickname the ‘White Knight’ by academics and international institutions alike.
The world’s largest island is one covered by glaciers, surrounded by icebergs, and blanketed by snow. It is sparsely populated by just 56,000 inhabitants spanning over 2 million km2. Since the first human settlements were established on the island over 800 years ago, Greenland has been controlled by many outside powers.
The whole world held its breath when a full-scale war broke out on February 24, giving Ukraine only days to resist. It has pushed the Ukrainian government and its innovative citizenry to develop apps, track Russian troops in real time, and pool donations online. Ukraine was already used to digital doctor's appointments, app-based communication with governments officials, and much more. But in the midst of war, the astonishing ingenuity of Ukrainians seems to have reached new heights.
In the midst of the ongoing war, Ukraine is not standing still on other important issues. While the world receives updates about the frontlines in the Donbas every day, we have a look at the latest developments on gender equality in the country.
France has historically taken the lead in promoting a sovereign and strategically autonomous Europe. Rooted in the French strategic culture, this ambition has been reaffirmed over the past four years in light of the deterioration of the European security environment and the political evolutions in the United States and China.
Will Reconciliation be Given a Chance in Bosnia & Herzegovina? The Case Study of Prijedor
How can reconciliation be a success when the former killers resist it to this day? In a nation from which 2 million people have fled, can the diaspora play a pivotal role? Approaching the answers can be as difficult as anything else in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Many Norwegians take pride in being perceived as a peaceful country. Their advocacy for open international political dialogues and Norway's involvement as a peace mediator has given the country a domestic and international reputation for being a “peace nation”. What are the different historical, social and geopolitical aspects that shaped Norway’s stance in the international arena and made them a “peace nation”?
The EU has long focused on its soft power, being a driving force for democracy and economic growth in its near abroad. More recently, Brussels and the bloc's 27 member states are being challenged by other geopolitical actors. And the EU's enlargement in the Western Balkans is not going well. A geopolitical reckoning...
In October 2021, Najla Bouden took office as Prime Minister of Tunisia, and she became the very first female prime minister of the Arab world. From Singapore to Slovakia, Tanzania to Kosovo, a growing number of women are taking office as Head of their State. Women used to take on historically "masculine" attributes to ascend to leadership positions. Has our notion of "power" already changed?
The ongoing war in Ukraine is the latest event the world had to cope with over the past 10 years leading to an exodus of a country. So-called community sponsorship programmes are refugee resettlement programmes that allow local volunteer groups, such as charities, local faith groups, to sponsor refugee families.
