The Peace Corner Podcast

A wave of disappointment struck the peacebuilding community after the long-awaited Trump-Kim Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. Without a peace agreement, what are we left with? Or was this Summit still a small step towards peace on the Korean Peninsula? To find out, Ben sat down with returning guest Meri Joyce from Peaceboat. What were her expectations for the Summit and what are her hopes now? Tune in to the first episode of our second season now! ‘Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For this New Year’s special, Jo talked with Darynell Rodriguez Torres, the Executive Director of GPPAC. Growing up in war-torn Colombia, Darynell wondered: ‘what is it that unites us and why do we tend to focus on divisions?’ Driven by his experiences, he became an actor of peace, driven to build bridges and prevent violence globally. This conversation reminds us that peace is so much more than just the signing of an agreement. ‘Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For our final episode of the series, Charlotte gathered three fascinating peacebuilders round the table to discuss how they navigate polarising discourse, such as common ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ divisions. Marc Batac offers insight into dialogue processes in the Philippines; Meri Joyce takes us inside the discreet dialogue initiatives on the Korean Peninsula; and Darynell Rodriguez Torres adds an extremely experienced voice from Colombia. ‘Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For our fifth episode, Raphael sat down with Meri Joyce from Peaceboat who has a very unique portfolio: enabling dialogue for peace in Korea while also helping manage a cruise boat that spreads the message of peace beyond every border. This conversation reminds us that the most innovative solutions to peace are often the ones that can go further and that no one is too far away to be engaged in dialogue. ‘Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For our fourth episode, our gender intern, Maria, decided to chat to a long-time feminist activist working in the field of Women, Peace and Security, Sharon Bhagwan Rolls. From military coups in Fiji, Sharon talks about her long career striving for more inclusive and peaceful societies; especially urging against the ghettoisation of women in peacebuilding! ‘Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For our third episode, our curious intern, Raphael, decided to chat to a veteran in grassroots peacebuilding, Jon Rudy. After decades in the field, Jon offers an insightful and philosophical overview of the precarious environments within which civil society often operates, and the powerful individuals driving these operations. This conversation reminds us of the urgency of our collective humanity. ‘Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For our second episode, two impassioned Nicaraguans - our intern, Jo, and activist, Chale - sat down to discuss the dire yet under-reported crisis in Nicaragua. In exile, Chale concentrates most of his time on solidarity networks like #SOSNicaragua. The continuous protests and harsh government crackdown in Nicaragua is why Chale travelled to The Hague to unite civil society groups to advocate for his country. 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For our very first podcast, we sat down with longtime peacebuilding pioneer, Lucy Nusseibeh, who has been living and working in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since 1978. We discussed the power of non-violent activism, the significance of youth and women empowerment, and Palestinian symbol of resilience and resistance, Ahed Tamimi. Looking forward in one of the most protracted conflicts in the world, Lucy concludes with, ‘If there were justice, there would be peace’! Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.