It’s been eight years since fighting began in Syria. Out of 18 million people living in the country, 13.1 million of them require humanitarian aid. One in 2 Syrians have been displaced by the conflict, either abroad or within the country. 1.3 million were newly displaced in last year alone. Years of fierce fighting have left some of the country’s vital services extremely fragile. 50% of health facilities are out of service or partially functioning. 2 million children are unable to go to school, casting a further shadow on the country’s future. These are bleak and tragic numbers. But many times statistics are hard to visual, inefficient in telling the brutal impact of conflict. To really give a sense of the view from the ground, in this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we start with an audio diary from our communications delegate Sara Al-Zawqari who recently traveled to Al Hol in the northeast of Syria. Then, we talk more about about the situation in Al Hol with Adnan Hezam, ICRC’s media delegate based in Damascus. Hosted by Niki Clark.

The sound of gunfire approaches. You don’t know if your family should run or hide. Making the right choice can mean life or death. A new immersive virtual reality movie called The Right Choice puts users next to a Syrian family trapped in urban warfare. The film, a collaboration between ICRC, Google’s Daydream Impact Project and the creative agency Don’t Panic London, uses a simulated experience to help people understand urban warfare and its impact on real lives. In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we speak with ICRC's Audiovisual Producer and project manager of The Right Choice Christopher Nicholas about how virtual reality is helping tell the story of urban warfare.

In this episode of Intercross the podcast, we sit down with Trevor Keck, the deputy director of policy at the ICRC Washington Delegation, who recently returned from Nigeria. Intensifying attacks in NE Nigeria have caused around 30,000 people to flee across the border and within the country over the last weeks. The crisis, now nearly in its 10th year, has resulted in widespread displacement, violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, protection risks and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Just recently, presidential elections were held in the country. We discuss the overall state of affairs, what he saw on the ground, as well as potential election impacts, challenges and most needed humanitarian interventions. Hosted by Niki Clark.