In this inaugural episode, Eva Dalak and producer J’aime Rothbard mark the rebirthing of Peace is Possible, ushering in the Peace Activation Podcast on the sacred anniversary of Eva’s father’s birth.  Weaving together stories of grief, dissolving of identity and judgment, and experiences that deepened her embodiment of peace, Eva affirms that “We are light that came here to experience the darkness.”

Eva shares how her father’s passing initiated a profound descent that reshaped her life, how meeting her husband at Burning Man reflected soul recognition and releasing the familiar. She shares how losing her eyesight for two years left her to see her own shadows clearly, restored her inner vision and reframed how she conceived of peacework.

Drawing from decades of peacework in conflict zones, Eva's appraoch to conflict transformation integrates trauma-informed leadership, spiritual psychology, embodied feminine wisdom, and somatic activation to create the pillars of her Peace Activation methodology.

Peace activation goes beyond war zones. Eva reminds us that restoring peace is an inside job: we cannot wait to be saved any more than we can wait for our world leaders to create peace outside of us. Listen in to connect with this approach to reclaiming inner responsibility, and activating peace from the inside out by unifying the fragmented parts within, in this present moment.

Resources:

Learn more about Peace Activation

Peace Activation YouTube

Eva Dalak

Eva's book, Dancing in the Dark

Events:

Peace Activation Immersion Retreat in Greece at Zen Rocks, May 22-28 2026

Peace Activation 7-week training begins April 2, RSVP to [email protected]

Newsletter

Stay tuned, this podcast is changing its name next week! In this final episode of the Peace is Possible podcast, Eva sits down with the person who inspired her to begin her solo pursuit of podcasting. This week, she’s talking to anthropologist, writer, and activist Elana Maryles Sztokman. For 3 seasons, Eva and Elena co-hosted Women Ending War. Today, they discuss their shared experiences working in peace organizations where women are frequently at the helm. Elana shares insights into her transformative journey from a rigid upbringing that dehumanized the Palestinian existence, to becoming a peace activist and space holder to witness Palestinian pain. They reflect on their past collaborations, exploring the psychological roots of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the current resistances to confronting the ongoing suffering of Palestinians, and the importance of internal work that arrives at the ultimate reckoning: that peace begins within. Through heartfelt dialogue, they address the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the role of education and awareness to counter unconscious and conscious dehumanization, and the necessity of individual and collective agency in creating lasting peace. Click here for Elena’s books and essays. 

”Both journalists and theater practitioners and artists and musicians –  have been some of the most powerful people that have taught me these lessons. And we often can find ourselves denigrating or dismissing creativity and imagination. We are often rewarded for a more analytical fact-based view of things, and yet that often holds us back from seeing where our lines of perception can meet.”

Host Eva Dalak interviews Lena Slachmuijlder, whose ongoing journey spans from South Africa's anti-apartheid activism to pioneering efforts in media and technology-based peacebuilding. After living and working in Africa for 21 years, with many of those years in active war zones for peaceful coexistence Lena shares her experiences in fostering social justice, working with Search for Common Ground, and her current focus on the intersection of peace building and technology. 

Their discussion illuminates key steps about how we can reframe the impacts of tech and AI : why activating peace from within is a key step in de-polarizing social media, and why pro-social tech design can cultivate social cohesion. Lena's stories from conflict zones around the world highlight the importance of trust, dialogue, and the human capacity to change. For nearly 3 decades, Lena has been offering her unique blueprint of having worked for peace and social change, as a journalist, writer, producer, performing artist, trainer, and project director. 

In this episode of the Peace Is Possible podcast, host Eva engages in a profound conversation with Sulaiman, a Palestinian activist and co-founder of Combatants for Peace. Sulaiman shares his journey from a young boy involved in armed resistance to a proponent of non-violence and reconciliation. He reflects on his experiences in prison, where he discovered the power of non-violent struggle and the importance of humanizing narratives in conflict resolution. The discussion emphasizes the need for inner transformation and the role of cultural practices, such as Sulha, in fostering peace and healing within communities. Sulaiman's insights highlight the interconnectedness of struggles for freedom and the potential for collaboration across divides, urging listeners to recognize the power of choice in the pursuit of peace.

What if peace was as profitable as war?

In this episode of Peace Is Possible, Eva speaks with Ashley Bell, a justice-minded leader shaped by the Deep South and the legacy of the civil rights movement. Ashley shares his path from public defense work to building systems that expand access, dignity, and opportunity — and why dehumanization is the first step toward violence.

Together they explore worthiness, financial access, systemic design, and “Peace Activation” — peace from the inside out.

What happens when an Israeli combat soldier suddenly sees himself in the eyes of the “enemy”?

In this episode, Eva sits down with Rani Oren — educator, founder of Youth of Light, and initiator of the We Are One movement and political party in Israel. Rani shares the moment in the West Bank that shattered his conditioning, opened his heart, and set him on a decades-long path of inner work, meditation, and service.

Rani tells the story of Youth of Light, where at-risk youth transform discarded wax from restaurant candles into new lights — a powerful metaphor for how love, warmth, and environment can melt trauma and reveal the light within. Rani also shares his bold next step: creating We Are One as a social movement, economic initiative, and political party rooted in oneness, education, and shared humanity across Israelis and Palestinians.

This conversation is for anyone who senses that real change demands both inner transformation and structural courage — and is curious what it looks like to bring spirituality, education, and politics back into one field of action.

In this powerful conversation, South African human rights lawyer and activist Pooven Moodley joins Eva to reflect on life after apartheid and what true justice and liberation mean today. Drawing from decades of grassroots organizing—from the anti-apartheid struggle to global climate and land rights movements, Pooven shares hard-won insights on power, solidarity, and the unfinished work of freedom.

Together, they explore how systems of oppression evolve, what it takes to dismantle them, and why courage, compassion, and community remain the foundations of peace.

✨ Listen to learn how the spirit of resistance can transform into a practice of healing, justice, and lasting change

Follow Along: https://www.peaceactivation.org/

Song Eclipse by Onycs - Evrard Victor

Follow his incredible work: https://soundcloud.com/onycsmusic/eclipse

When your home becomes a war zone, what does peace really mean?
In this powerful episode, Eva Dalak speaks with Amira Musallam, Head of Mission for Unarmed Civilian Protection in Palestine (UCPiP). From surviving the bombing of her childhood home to leading civilian protection teams across the West Bank, Amira shares her journey of transforming pain into purpose.

Together, Eva and Amira explore what it means to protect life, dignity, and humanity amid occupation — and why real peace must be rooted in justice, courage, and truth.

🌿 Learn more and support UCPiP: https://linktr.ee/ucpinpalestine
🎧 Follow Peace Is Possible for honest, heart-centered conversations about peace, healing, and human resilience.

#PeaceIsPossible #EvaDalak #AmiraMusallam #UCPiP #Palestine #PeaceActivation #UnarmedProtection

Sharon Gaya Dolev lays out a pragmatic path to peace: build tangible regional projects, use strategic power analysis, and create economic incentives for peace. She shares her experience drafting treaty models for a weapons-free region and explains why city-led collaboration and targeted campaigns can produce immediate wins and lasting change. Sharon is the founder and Executive Director of the Middle East Treaty Organization and the founder of the Israeli Disarmament Movement.

In this episode of the Peace is Possible podcast, Eva sits down with activist and peace builder Aida al Shibli, whose work is deeply rooted in her Palestinian heritage. Together they explore the meaning of peace in times of grief and upheaval, and why true peace cannot exist without justice and accountability.

Aida speaks of love as the heart of activism, the necessity of collective responsibility, and the power of re-indigenizing as a political act that reconnects us to our roots. The conversation also touches on land back movements and the call to collective healing.

This dialogue is an invitation to remember that peace is not silence, it is activism, it is love, and it is the courage to carry our shared humanity forward.

✨ Listen now to the full conversation.

Learn more at peaceactivaiton.org