A RE:Generation Collective Podcast episode with Rukmini Iyer (hosted by Silke von Brockhausen)
As the UN approaches its 80th year and the campaign for the next Secretary-General gets underway, the RE:Generation Collective Podcast invites practical visions for how the UN can lead by example—helping people, institutions, and the more-than-human world move toward conditions where life can thrive.
In this episode, Rukmini Iyer—leadership developer, peacebuilder, dialogue facilitator, and Work That Reconnects practitioner—explores how inner development underpins lasting peace and how organisations can translate regenerative thinking into policy, culture, and operations. The conversation is hosted by Silke von Brockhausen, a UN insider with 18 years’ experience across more than a dozen missions and founder of the Regeneration Collective.
What we mean by “regeneration”
In plain terms: regeneration is about restoring relationships and capabilities—so that, over time, communities, institutions, and ecosystems are better off. It’s not only “doing less harm”; it’s repairing what’s broken and improving conditions year by year.
Ten actions the UN can take—starting now
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Place ecology at the heart of peace and development: Reflect the interdependence of people and planet across strategies, budgeting, risk management, and results frameworks—so every portfolio strengthens the life-support systems we all rely on.
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Invest in inner development to unlock outer change: Build staff capacity for presence, empathy, and courage through reflective practice, coaching, and somatic tools. Inner coherence helps teams navigate ambiguity and act with integrity.
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Broaden who shapes policy and programmes: Resource co-creation with communities: paid participation, multilingual access, and invitations to Indigenous knowledge-holders, youth, and women’s groups—so decisions reflect diverse realities.
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Evolve how we measure progress: Pair standard indicators with story-based outcomes, relationship and trust metrics, and longer-term horizons. Ask not only “what was delivered,” but “what was strengthened?”
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Strengthen relational infrastructure inside the system: Protect time for relationship-building and learning; improve field–HQ reciprocity; establish safe feedback loops. Trusted relationships make better mandates possible.
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Embed decolonising practices in everyday operations: Use benefit-sharing and consent for knowledge use; recognise local intellectual property; ensure equitable pay and procurement—so partnerships are fair, reciprocal, and respectful.
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Shift financing toward regenerative local economies: Open funding windows for community-led restoration, trauma recovery, circular and place-based livelihoods; phase out financing models that unintentionally erode local capacity.
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Adopt practical facilitation tools: The Work That Reconnects to align purpose and care for the living world. Power Mapping for Trust to see where relationships need attention before multi-stakeholder work. Conflict Compass to depolarise tensions and design minimum viable agreements that allow action with integrity.
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Model the culture of humility, accountability, courage: Reward learning and responsible risk-taking; make it safe to run small experiments and to learn from them.
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Lock in governance and accountability: Include trust, inclusion, and ecological limits in leadership compacts; commission periodic reviews of decolonising practice; publish progress to invite shared stewardship.
Why this matters
Institutions are powerful conveners. When the UN strengthens inner capacity, widens participation, and designs for relationships—policy gets smarter, programmes last longer, and communities are better served. This is not a critique from the sidelines; it’s a pathway for the UN to be a trailblazer in the transition to life-centered practice.
Listen to the episode with Rukmini Iyer to dive deeper into these tools and approaches.Host: Silke von Brockhausen — UN insider, founder of the Regeneration Collective.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TNTXb8kSnxJoCylp6BrbQ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/regenerative-leadership-decolonizing-mindsets-peacebuilding/id1841851629?i=1000728207040
Youtube:
Connect with Rukmini: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rukminiiyer/
Learn about her work: https://rukminiiyer.medium.com/