After nearly a decade as PRIO Director, Henrik Urdal has wrapped up his tenure. Taking over is Nina Græger, who returns to PRIO after leading the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen.

In this special episode of PRIO’s Peace in a Pod, host Arnaud Siad sits down with both leaders for a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to steer a peace research institute in a time of global turbulence.

Henrik reflects on his years at the helm - the challenges, guiding values, and what makes PRIO unique. Nina shares her vision for the institute and the role of peace research in an era marked by resurging conflict, rising defense budgets, and shifting geopolitical alliances.

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2024 marked one of the most violent years since the end of the Cold War, with 61 armed conflicts recorded across 36 countries. This sobering tally comes from PRIO’s latest Conflict Trends: A Global Overview report, drawing on data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program.

But behind the numbers lies a deeper human toll. From Gaza to Sudan, children are among the most vulnerable in today’s wars - facing displacement, trauma, and the collapse of education and health systems.

In this episode, we speak to Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children, about what it means to protect childhood in the midst of war. And to Siri Aas Rustad, Research Director at PRIO and lead author of the report, who walks us through the data and its implications.

PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad.

Photo: Getty Images.

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The European Commission has unveiled a bold 800 billion euro plan to ramp up defense spending - marking what many are calling a historic shift in Europe’s security architecture.

With the United States signaling a more distant role under the Trump administration, Europe is under growing pressure to stand on its own.

Is this a turning point for NATO? Can Europe match the military and strategic weight of other global powers? And what might this shift mean for the values that have long underpinned the Western alliance?

In this episode, host Arnaud Siad is joined by Kori Schake, Director of Foreign and Defense Policy at the American Enterprise Institute and former foreign policy adviser to President George W. Bush, and Bruno Oliveira Martins, Senior Researcher at PRIO, to unpack the changing transatlantic relationship and what lies ahead for Europe’s security future.

Photo: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

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