
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


From the frontlines of one of the world's most enduring humanitarian crises comes a story of extraordinary dedication. Dr Lex Takkenberg takes us through his extraordinary four-decade journey working with refugees and displaced persons, including thirty years with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
What begins as an academic interest in international law at the University of Amsterdam transforms into a lifelong commitment when Lex joins UNRWA during the first Intifada. Through his eyes, we witness the evolution of conflict in the region - from the relatively contained stone-throwing confrontations of the late 1980s to the increasingly lethal violence that followed the second Intifada and beyond.
Lex offers rare insights into UNRWA's precarious position between competing stakeholders. Initially established to provide relief while deflecting attention from refugees' right of return, the agency evolved into an essential provider of education, healthcare, and social services while constantly navigating accusations of bias from all sides. His account of developing "robust neutrality frameworks" reveals the extraordinary scrutiny UNRWA faces compared to other UN agencies.
Send us a text
Support the show
You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.
That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.
If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
By stephen barden2.1
1111 ratings
From the frontlines of one of the world's most enduring humanitarian crises comes a story of extraordinary dedication. Dr Lex Takkenberg takes us through his extraordinary four-decade journey working with refugees and displaced persons, including thirty years with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
What begins as an academic interest in international law at the University of Amsterdam transforms into a lifelong commitment when Lex joins UNRWA during the first Intifada. Through his eyes, we witness the evolution of conflict in the region - from the relatively contained stone-throwing confrontations of the late 1980s to the increasingly lethal violence that followed the second Intifada and beyond.
Lex offers rare insights into UNRWA's precarious position between competing stakeholders. Initially established to provide relief while deflecting attention from refugees' right of return, the agency evolved into an essential provider of education, healthcare, and social services while constantly navigating accusations of bias from all sides. His account of developing "robust neutrality frameworks" reveals the extraordinary scrutiny UNRWA faces compared to other UN agencies.
Send us a text
Support the show
You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.
That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.
If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

91,138 Listeners

21,967 Listeners

43,944 Listeners

38,477 Listeners

6,786 Listeners

43,711 Listeners

27,214 Listeners

2,856 Listeners

112,880 Listeners

2,339 Listeners

612 Listeners

16,246 Listeners

14,370 Listeners

16,089 Listeners

1,599 Listeners