The Peace Corner Podcast

At the end of the Cold War, the neorealist paradigm focus on states, military security and the so-called ‘mutually assured destruction’ was challenged by the birth of a new concept, namely human security. This new concept emerged to articulate the need to focus on threats to individuals and communities and to go beyond states. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan wrote that “we will not enjoy development without security, we will not enjoy security without development and we will not enjoy either without respect for human rights.” But what does human security mean? And how can we make it more relevant?

To learn more about human security, what must be done to achieve it and what role civil society organisations must play, we spoke to Jon Rudy. Jon is the senior advisor on human security at the Alliance for Peacebuilding and is a long-time peacebuilder with over three decades of experience in peace and conflict.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

Let’s take you back to September 25th, 2015. A day where all the world leaders gathered at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in New York. It was here where they would draw up a blueprint of great importance for the upcoming 15 years. A blueprint of global action, a blueprint for peace and prosperity. And so.. the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were born.

Now, almost four years later, we are still faced with mass poverty, refugee flows and the collapse of icebergs. So, what has happened so far and what should still be done? How can we make sure that all 17 Sustainable Development Goals are actually achieved in the next 10 years? And why should the peacebuilding community care about the SDGs? To find out, we sat down with Deborah Seward, the Director of the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC). In this pod, she will share her perspective on the impact of the global SDG framework, the role of states around the world to implement this agenda, and the link between the 17 goals and local activities.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

Worldwide, people are separated in the name of ‘national security’. Thousands of miles of walls and barbed wire, all with the sole purpose to keep out ‘the other’, the unknown. But all this comes at a cost: not only the trillions of dollars invested in steel, stone and weapons, but also at the cost of our shared humanity.

But now, a new era of peacebuilding is on the horizon. Inspired by those who refuse to identify particular groups or demographics as threats to others. A group of nonconformists with one goal: to redefine security in an inclusive and egalitarian way.

To find out more, we spoke to one of those peacebuilders, seeking ways to reframe our security as a shared responsibility. Kerri Kennedy is the Associate General Secretary for International Programs at AFSC. We asked her: What makes us secure? And how can we reshape our security in a way that it is inclusive and shared?

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

Nowadays, almost half of the world’s population is under the age of 24. Yet policy-making and the field of peacebuilding is still dominated by older men in suits. Why is that and how can we change it? How can we break the status quo and create space for youth at the peace table? To find out we sat down with Gizem Kilinç, the leading coordinator of the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY).

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

The struggle for identity and self-determination fuel conflict in many regions of the world. In Southeast Asia particularly these struggles have become crises in Mindanao and Myanmar.

Against this backdrop, there are those that struggle tirelessly for a change. Makers and builders of peace who believe that solidarity between peoples is the way to advocate for peace. To understand how this solidarity grows and has the power to break the status quo, we sat down with Filipino peace guru Gus Miclat, co-founder of Initiatives for International Dialogue (or IID), to ask: How can solidarity be a tool for peace in Southeast Asia?

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

For decades, Mexico has been embroiled in a deadly war on drugs. While the lens of the media remains focused on the government and infamous drug cartels, those striving for a better society remain invisible. It is time to change that. So, we sat down with the President of SERAPAZ, Miguel Álvarez Gándara, a Mexican peacebuilder in heart and word. For over 40 years, he has been using mediation as his weapon of choice. So, how can dialogue serve as the antidote to the violence? How can we shift away from a culture of violence to one of peace?

Listen now to find out and don’t forget to hit subscribe for more stories on peace and conflict!

‘Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

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.