Perspective

A leading Israeli peace activist has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how people need to pick a side in the Middle East conflict. But he says those sides are the right-wing Israeli government and Hamas, as opposed to the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, both of whom want peace. Itamar Avneri is a founding member of the Israeli grassroots movement Standing Together. He spoke to us before attending a conference for peace at Paris's City Hall. Organised with the NGO Les Guerrières de la Paix, the event is bringing together Israeli and Palestinian peace activists in a bid to find concrete solutions. He joined us on Perspective.

A world-renowned filmmaker whose films are linked and mirror the events of the Lebanese civil war that broke out exactly 50 years ago has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how the conflict is still having a huge effect on the country. Ziad Doueiri said that even though the war ended 35 years ago, it continues to impact Lebanon, with more recent events like the Beirut port explosion and the collapse of the country's financial system. He also told us of his ongoing shock at the current conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza, but how he tries to keep an optimistic outlook. He spoke to us in Perspective.

A Paris-based fashion designer has spoken of her desire to create top fashion, but in a responsible way. Christine Phung trained here in Paris and has worked for top brands like Lacoste, Rossignol and Vanessa Bruno, but she is now branching out with her own fashion brand. Her aim is to bring strength and joy to those who wear her sustainable creations. She spoke to us in Perspective.

One of the world's leaders in human rights has spoken to FRANCE 24 about her passion for the subject, her deep desire to help people in need, and her love for the world's institutions, such as the UN, that are designed to help combat human rights abuses. Agnès Callamard is currently secretary general of Amnesty International, and was until 2021 the UN's special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions. She worked, among many others, on the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Her new book is entitled "Une enquêtrice à l'ONU", or "An investigator at the UN". She spoke to us in Perspective.

The US Democratic Party here in Paris is defending its record amid the barrage of news coming from the White House. With the daily announcements from US President Donald Trump flooding the media, many have been asking "Where are the Democrats?". This past weekend, though, "Hands Off!" protests were held across the United States, in the largest nationwide show of opposition since Trump returned to office in January. In Perspective, we spoke to Fred Hoffman, spokesperson and secretary for Democrats Abroad in France.

"If you put a positive message to a beat, everybody will listen to it." That's of the mottos of influential bassist Reggie Washington, who has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his love for music, and his wish to pass its delights on to the rest of the planet. Washington, who is in the middle of a tour of European countries, says that he plays music "from the heart" and that it's medicine to the world. He played a key role in the modern jazz revolution of the 1980s and 1990s, touring and recording with the best. He is also co-founder of the organisation Black Lives. He spoke to us in Perspective.

An author described by the Los Angeles Times as a writer of unique genius has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his new novel "Wild Houses". Colin Barrett, who grew up in the northwest of Ireland, bases his books around a series of characters from the region. "Wild Houses" tells the story of a small-town revenge kidnapping that goes very wrong. He says that as a writer you don't choose the subjects and locations yourself, but they choose you. He spoke to us in Perspective.

The director of a highly controversial film that's accused of criticising the regime in Russia has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the incredible success of the film and the threats he has faced because of it. "The Master and Margarita" was filmed before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but once released after the invasion it took on a new meaning. It has now become one of the highest grossing films ever in Russia. Its director Mikhaïl Lockshin, who is also highly critical of the war in Ukraine, spoke to us in Perspective. 

The UN agency for children UNICEF is warning that the world is facing one of the greatest food and nutrition crises of our time. That as 45 million children around the world suffer from wasting, 150 million children have stunted growth, and every single year maternal malnutrition contributes to 800,000 newborn deaths. Those figures are released as the Nutrition for Growth summit, which is held every four years, is taking place here in Paris. The summit is designed to discuss the major issues and for global leaders to deliver bold political and financial commitments to accelerate progress on nutrition. In Perspective, we spoke to UNICEF’s Executive Director Catherine Russell. "If you invest in children, it's something that pays off forever down the road," she told us.

The world's glaciers are losing an average of 273 billion tonnes of ice per year – that's equivalent to around three Olympic-sized swimming pools per second. They have been doing so since the year 2000, and the problem is accelerating. Those are just some of the findings of a huge international study involving 35 research teams. In Perspective, we spoke to Michael Zemp, director of the World Glacier Monitoring Service.