Podcasts about international rescue committee irc

In this episode, Clancy interviewed Eugenia Gusev, a senior food systems professional specializing in Agriculture, Food Security, and Nutrition for refugee and immigrant populations at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). They talked about the food systems from a global perspective, the role of refugees and immigrants in the US food system, and challenges in combating food insecurity.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its humanitarian efforts, aiming to reach half of the world's displaced population within three years through AI chatbots and partnerships with tech giants like Open AI. This initiative, which includes the development of educational chatbots and multilingual crisis response tools, underscores the potential and ethical challenges of using AI in humanitarian contexts, emphasizing the need for transparency, data privacy, and collaboration with local communities.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is leveraging AI to enhance humanitarian efforts, aiming to reach half of the world's displaced population within three years through AI chatbots and partnerships with tech giants like Open AI. Tech companies are increasingly developing AI models that prioritize local data storage and processing to comply with data sovereignty regulations, driven by Europe's stringent privacy laws and the need for technological resilience. Shengshu Technology's upgraded Vidu tool now allows users to generate cohesive videos from multiple images, positioning it as a leading AI video generation tool with significant commercial potential, while also addressing privacy and ethical concerns. AI-generated travel influencers are revolutionizing the tourism industry by offering brands cost-effective, scalable marketing solutions, but they also raise significant ethical concerns about authenticity, transparency, and the potential displacement of human influencers. The venture capital industry is experiencing a liquidity squeeze due to a significant reduction in blockbuster IPOs and M&A activity, despite high-profile AI startups attracting substantial funding. The Biden administration has introduced comprehensive AI guidelines for critical infrastructure sectors, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and robust risk management. Samsung's entry into the smart ring market with the Galaxy Ring has validated the potential of the category, positively impacting pioneer Oura, which continues to innovate and expand globally.

Hello! In today's episode, Hawa shares an intense, gut-wrenching dream about a red notebook. Join her as she talks about c-dramas with horrible plot but amazing acting and opening up about her grieving process. If you want your dream to be analyzed or just want to say hi, you can send a voice message at anchor.fm/itsjustadream/ Please list the following information: your name, your preferred pronouns, and what country you're from! As for your dreams, please let us know your sun, moon, and rising sign as well as when you had the dream. These can be in separate messages! If you can, please check out the links below on the ways you help queer refugees in Kenya. Even a dollar can go a long way! ⁠⁠⁠Fundraiser by Philip Ross : Help Our Friend Mose in Kenyan Refugee Camp (gofundme.com)⁠⁠⁠ If you can, please educate yourself on what's currently happening in Ukraine. Below are links where you can learn and help! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://support.savethechildren.org/site/Donation2?df_id=5746&mfc_pref=T&5746.donation=form1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://crisisrelief.un.org/t/ukraine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EECANTTJNHN7Y&source=url⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you can, please educate yourself about the crisis in Gaza! Below are links where you can learn and help! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠What's the Israel-Palestinian conflict about and how did it start? | Reuters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Help save lives in Gaza, Afghanistan, Sudan, and in 70+ countries | Doctors Without Borders⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠10 Ways You Can Support Palestine and Gaza | Muslim Hands UK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠6 reliable charities for those looking to help civilians affected by the Israel-Hamas war | Fortune Well⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arab.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ceasefiretoday.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you can, please educate yourself on the genocide happening in Sudan!! Below are links where you can learn and help!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUDAN WAR UPDATE: KEEP EYES ON SUDAN. WE HAVE NO ONE FIGHTING FOR THE ... | sudan | TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠URGENT: Sudan Emergency Women for Women International⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sudan crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help | World Vision⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Crisis in Sudan: What is happening and how to help | International Rescue Committee (IRC)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you can, please educate yourself about the silent genocide happening in the Republic of Congo! Below are links where you can learn and help! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠7 Million People in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Are Now Displaced | Democracy Now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Civilians massacred in DR Congo as clashes spread (france24.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Save Millions of Lives: How to Help People in Congo (borgenproject.org)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Democratic Republic of Congo | International Rescue Committee (IRC)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/cgZsda96Y4w?si=uemRwv99EtQ41-Dl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  If you can, please educate yourself as much as you can about the things going on around the world. There is always a way to help! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dotherightthing.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://muslimlivesmatter.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blmsites.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/colombia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://nepal.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://free-palestine.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fight-antisemitism.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://endsars.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://yemencrisis.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://worldcrisis.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://crisisaroundtheworld.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://helparmenians.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thanks for joining us and remember: It's Just a Dream!

On this episode, we're joined by André Heller, Director of the Signpost Project at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Andre shares insights on how IRC leverages technology and innovative strategies to enhance humanitarian aid efforts globally.We discuss:(07:52) How collaboration with Zendesk revolutionized IRC's Signpost project.(09:01) Using a customer service platform for social work at IRC.(11:00) The importance of empowerment through information.(13:24) Increasing efficiency by integrating social media channels with Zendesk.(14:44) The critical role of efficiency in life-saving humanitarian work.(16:43) Addressing digital accessibility challenges in humanitarian contexts.(19:25) Developing AI agents for humanitarian use.(21:33) Creating a digital workforce for future aid response.(22:41) Building trust by being responsive to community needs.(24:06) Implementing dynamic processes for internal and external communications.(25:00) Celebrating great customer service experiences.(25:46) The positive impact of trust in customer service interactions.Resources Mentioned:André Heller - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-heller-perache/International Rescue Committee - https://www.zendesk.com/customer/international-rescue-committee/Zendesk Tech for Good - https://techforgood.zendesk.com/hc/en-usSign up for a free trial at Zendesk.com#CX #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

In our latest episode, Joe McCarthy is in conversation at Islandbridge's office in London with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Named in Fortune's list of the World's Greatest Leaders, and Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy, David's career is nothing short of extraordinary. From serving as the youngest Foreign Secretary in the United Kingdom since 1935, to leading one of the world's most influential humanitarian organizations, he has invaluable insights into global leadership and humanitarian efforts. Today, we delve into the complexities of global politics and humanitarian aid. Join us for a compelling conversation that explores the intersection of strategic philanthropy, politics and global crisis. What we discuss:· Philanthropy's role in addressing the refugee crisis.· Impact evaluation - how to effectively allocate resources.· The role of philanthropy where governments retreat.· Climate change and vulnerable populations.· How politics can learn from the humanitarian sector. Stay in the loop by following us:YouTube: @HighNetPurposeInstagram: @highnetpurposeTwitter: @HighNetPurposeLinkedIn: high-net-purpose Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most challenging things for people to wrap their heads around when learning to create No-BS OKRs is the power of progress key results, otherwise known as leading indicators. But leading indicators serve as critical data that may give you objective data on which to assess your progress, and, to inform decisionmaking. Today's guest is Elena Chopyak, a self-professed "data nerd," who I met through our mutual friend Rachel. When Rachel introduced Elena to me as an expert in leading indicators, I couldn't schedule a coffee talk fast enough. That coffee talk turned into an invitation back for this podcast episode. Aside from Elena's wiring for data and analysis, her career history also follows the Thinkydoer pattern: a winding, multidisciplinary path included interest in working outside the U.S., and curiosity in the emergency humanitarian space, which ultimately lead her to working with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Iraq for two years. She was brought on in a monitoring and evaluation role in child protection and education, where she became responsible for instrumenting, monitoring, and reporting on important indicators to assess impact; and then moved into a role in IRC's emergency response team that was focused both on monitoring and informing decisions about natural disaster and armed conflict responses (as well as deploying, herself).  In this episode, you'll hear about Elena's experiences and learnings working with leading indicators in high-stakes settings, tips for creating leading indicators that are useful and actionable, and, more about her self-described "squiggly" career. Also: the No-BS OKRs Workbook is live; we're getting ready to launch our No-BS OKRs Self-Assessment Tool; and the best way to keep track of what's happening with Thinkydoers and No-BS OKRs is to join our mailing list! Key Points From This Episode: How Elena ended up in the nonprofit space working on leading indicators. What drew her to the data and analytics side of nonprofit work. The purpose that leading indicators serve in resource-constrained companies. Challenges of creating leading indicators that provide actionable data. Two ways to determine whether or not an indicator is useful. Why there is no such thing as a perfect decision, even in high-stakes settings. Working back from your ‘why' and other pro tips for creating leading indicators. Reasons that intentionality and testing are so important. Setbacks that ended up propelling Elena's career forward. The value of having thought partners and focusing on tangible change. How continuous learning and mentorship can benefit your career.   Quotes: “It's important not to wait until something is a full-blown emergency and has made it to the news – One of our responsibilities is to be prepared – That's why [leading indicators are] so important.” — Elena Chopyak [11:25] “We don't create leading indicators so that we have pretty numbers on a dashboard in any setting. We create leading indicators because we're going to use them to inform a decision.” — @saralobkovich [15:50] “It comes back to thinking about the why. Why are you going to collect this [data]? Who is going to look at it? Who is using it? – Who is actually going to make any actionable change based on the data you're collecting?” — Elena Chopyak [20:33] “If you have a squiggly career, just know there are people who appreciate that. There are people who themselves have linear careers and don't understand you. That's fine, but there are those people out there who will appreciate your varied background.” — Elena Chopyak [27:22]

On today's Redefiners episode, Simon and Hoda sit down with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). David oversees the agency's humanitarian relief operations in more than 50 war-affected countries and its refugee resettlement and assistance programs in 28 United States cities. David shares the journey of how the IRC was founded by Albert Einstein and has since grown to help 33 million people in countries affected by crisis in 2023 alone. He talks about how the IRC prioritizes its limited resources to help those in need and how he manages through the complexities of not only providing aid to clients living in war-torn areas, but also of working with a host of partners often with competing agendas. He also digs into the importance of trust and what leaders can do to build or rebuild trust with their organizations, partners, and clients/customers. We'll also hear from Dee Symons, a Managing Director in our London office, who will highlight why trust is such a critical component of an effective team, and how leaders can best foster a culture of trust. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes: Leadership Lounge | Advice on when—and how—to weigh in on social issues Doing Well by Doing Good: Feike Sijbesma, CEO Emeritus of Royal DSM, on the Power of Bold Change Thriving Through Adversity: How WTO's Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is Solving Global Problems

We begin this hour with the very latest on the Moscow terror attack, and the Princess of Wales' cancer diagnosis, from CNN's Fredrika Whitfield. Then, the pursuit of health and happiness, in an emotional conversation with America's highest-ranking doctor, Vivek Murthy. The US Surgeon General, who wears his heart on his sleeve talking about his own struggles with loneliness, was in London for the World Happiness Summit this week. He says unchecked social media is like driving without speed limits - and he's worried young people are losing the muscle memory to make meaningful human connections in the real world. Meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's pressing ahead with plans to evacuate more than a million civilians from Gaza's southern city of Rafah, before ramping up his offensive on Hamas. Critics say it will only make the humanitarian catastrophe worse. This week the International Rescue Committee (IRC) called the imminent famine in Gaza "a profound failure of humanity," and "entirely preventable." IRC chief and former UK foreign secretary, David Miliband, joins the show. From the Amanpour Archive this week, the last Soviet leader's lost legacy, and Russia's path to dictatorship. We revisit Christiane's 2012 conversation with Mikhail Gorbachev, and the legacy Putin has spent decades dismantling. And finally, the poison pen letter scandal that rocked Britain. Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman and director Thea Sharrock discuss their new movie Wicked Little Letters, and the satisfaction that get from swearing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As of February 2024, Ukraine solemnly marks two years of a full-scale invasion, which has a devastating impact on children and their families. HarperCollins Children's Books and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) are joining forces with Endless OS Foundation and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to translate and bring many celebrated and New York Times bestselling children's books, in both e-book and hardcover format, to children and their families displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.A selection of HarperCollins children's books is available in the Ukrainian language and will be distributed to children ages 5–18+ who have been displaced by the war in Ukraine. E-books will be available on online retail and library channels worldwide, as well as through Endless Key, an online and downloadable app designed to help offline communities access educational resources without an internet connection. Hundreds of hardcover books will be distributed through the International Rescue Committee, a global nonprofit that helps people affected by humanitarian crises, and its local partners in the United Kingdom, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Moldova, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

As of February 2024, Ukraine solemnly marks two years of a full-scale invasion, which has a devastating impact on children and their families. HarperCollins Children's Books and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) are joining forces with Endless OS Foundation and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to translate and bring many celebrated and New York Times bestselling children's books, in both e-book and hardcover format, to children and their families displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.A selection of HarperCollins children's books is available in the Ukrainian language and will be distributed to children ages 5–18+ who have been displaced by the war in Ukraine. E-books will be available on online retail and library channels worldwide, as well as through Endless Key, an online and downloadable app designed to help offline communities access educational resources without an internet connection. Hundreds of hardcover books will be distributed through the International Rescue Committee, a global nonprofit that helps people affected by humanitarian crises, and its local partners in the United Kingdom, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Moldova, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

ABOUT PRISON BREAKING Watch along with Sarah Wayne Callies & Paul Adelstein as they revisit every episode of Prison Break and deliver their raw, unedited, unfiltered and in real-time commentary on every moment and detail. Come and join The Watch Party! Episodes here:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-prison-breaking-with-sarah-146517712/ SARAH WAYNE CALLIES BIO Sarah Wayne Callies is an actor, writer, and director and a dual citizen of the US and Canada. As an actor, Sarah's best known for starring in hit television series including "The Walking Dead" (Lori Grimes), "Prison Break" (Sara Tancredi), and "Colony" (Katie Bowman). Last season, Sarah starred in the ABC series "The Company You Keep" alongside Milo Ventimiglia. Prior to that, Sarah led the NBC series "Council of Dads" and before that the NatGeo limited series "The Long Road Home" as well as SundanceTV/CBC's "Unspeakable."On the directing side, Sarah has helmed multiple episodes of "The Good Doctor," "Firefly Lane," and "Fire Country," as well as episodes of "Family Law," "Colony," and "Unspeakable." This season, she is set to direct her first episode of NBC's "The Irrational" and return to "Fire Country."As a writer, Sarah has several screenplays in development with various TV and motion picture entities. She also co-created and wrote all 20 episodes of the iHeart radio hit audio drama "Aftershock" starring David Harbour and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.As a film actor, Sarah has starred in Giancarlo Esposito's "The Show," Warner Brothers' geo-thriller, "Into the Storm," "Pay the Ghost" opposite Nicolas Cage, "Black November'', and 20th Century Fox's "The Other Side of the Door." Additionally, Sarah is passionate about humanitarian efforts and was the first-ever ambassador for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) with whom she has worked in half a dozen countries worldwide for over a decade. PAUL ADELSTEIN BIO PAUL ADELSTEIN is an actor, writer, and director. His acting career includes television shows Prison Break, Private Practice, Chance, True Story, and Cruel Summer. Feature films include movies with The Coen Brothers and Harold Ramis and last year's THE MENU. Adelstein wrote and produced for Girlfriend's Guide To Divorce, the break-up drama created by Marti Noxon on which he also starred. He co-created Imposters and served as showrunner for both ten-episode seasons. The dark comedy about con-artists, love, and identity is still trending on Netflix.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.

In this Better Satellite World podcast, SSPI's Lou Zacharilla speaks with representatives of the three 2023 recipients of Better Satellite World Awards. Libby Barr, Chief Operating Officer of Avanti Communications, Fernando Carballal, Associate Director of Product Development and Operational Partnerships for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Stephen Wood, Senior Director of the Maxar News Bureau join Lou to discuss their projects, goals and making a better world for all. Libby Barr is the Chief Operating Officer at Avanti Communications (“Avanti”) and a member of its Executive Committee. Joining in January 2019, Libby is responsible for the development and growth of the Carrier, Mobility and Enterprise customers along with overseeing the end-to-end customer experience across Avanti's Sales and Marketing departments. Libby is passionate about connecting some of the hardest-to-reach communities in the world. Key milestones include the connectivity of over 1,000 villages in Africa, to which Avanti has made significant investments to provide satellite infrastructure and digital connectivity in rural and ultra-rural areas. Along with her team, Libby's focus will be on connecting a further 10,000 villages and schools over the next five years. Prior to Avanti, Libby was at BT for nine years. As Managing Director of Customer Care, she was a key member of the BT Consumer Leadership Team who grew the company's revenue by more than £1.2bn in five years. Libby was also responsible for the strategic vision, leadership and transformation of a 10,000 strong Customer Care organisation across more than 30 sites worldwide. Libby began her career at Vodafone. At the company for 22 years, she held positions in both the global and UK organisations, leading the Enterprise Sales and Service organisations. In addition, Libby was a Trustee of the Vodafone Foundation. Avanti Communications' rural solution is a groundbreaking satellite service designed to bridge the digital divide by connecting ultra-rural villages in Nigeria for the first time. This innovative solution has proven key to the Nigerian Communications Commission's (NCC) National Broadband Plan of 2020, which sets out two national goals: to achieve 90% population coverage and a penetration rate of 70% by 2025. Avanti Rural solution uses advanced satellite technology to extend mobile network coverage to the hardest-to-reach areas of Nigeria, that would be impossible to reach using traditional terrestrial infrastructure. This off-grid service is a game-changer in the telecommunications industry, providing cellular services to the most remote communities, and in turn, promoting digital inclusion and socio-economic development. As of 2023, Avanti has deployed over 500 ultra-rural sites in 21 Nigerian states, providing 2G and 3G connectivity to 2.5 million Nigerians. All these areas previously had no connectivity, with residents forced to travel on foot or by local bus to the nearest towns with coverage just to use their mobile phones. Fernando Carballal is Associate Director of Product Development and Operational Partnerships for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an organization that helps people affected by humanitarian crises—including the climate crisis—to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. He is also Co-Founder and Innovation Consultant of Impactspace, which works with businesses, NGOs, government and academia internationally to explore and commercialize new impactful ideas. Before joining IRC and co-founding Impactspace, Fernando served as Head of Design and User Engagement for Sen and as a Designer for a variety of companies, including Satellite Applications Catapult, Thingmaker and Cyclehoop Ltd. He is a graduate of London Metropolitan University with a Masters in Product Design and the University of East London with a Bachelors of Science in Architecture. The Mapping Invisible Populations project is an innovative initiative by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), created in collaboration with Flowminder and Humanitarian Open Street Map. The project was developed in 2023 with the central aim of providing support services to hard-to-reach populations. This initiative primarily targets fragile and conflict-affected areas which may receive less medical and other humanitarian support. Using satellite imagery mapping techniques and GIS methodologies provided by its partners, the Mapping Invisible Populations project gathers satellite and spatial data and combines it with population estimates analyzed by its partners to determine the location of these underserved populations. Subsequently, these estimates are verified by community informants for further corroboration. The objective is to identify populations living in areas that are large enough to justify IRC investing resources, time, and risk to provide medical and humanitarian assistance. Stephen Wood is the Senior Director of the Maxar News Bureau. He has more than 30 years of experience analyzing satellite imagery and performing all-source analysis for government, commercial and media customers. Mr. Wood joined DigitalGlobe (which became Maxar Intelligence) in 2000, after 14 years in the U.S. government, where he held a range of senior imagery intelligence-associated positions. He was the co-founder of AllSource Analysis, an imagery analytic company based in Colorado. He has an in-depth record of creating geospatial and all-source material and has briefed audiences extensively throughout his career, including high-ranking government officials, CEOs and the media on geospatial information and high current interest issues. The Maxar News Bureau is a unique partnership program that collaborates with renowned media organizations worldwide, focusing on using technology for social good and global transparency. The program is operated by Maxar Intelligence, a leading provider of secure, precise geospatial intelligence. The Bureau leverages the business' satellite imagery, analytics and expertise to complement quality journalism and provide irrefutable evidence in an era where credibility is critical. The Maxar News Bureau has provided high-resolution satellite imagery and analysis for notable reports like The New York Times' 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning report on Russia's use of shadow warfare and the 2019 Emmy-winning “One Building, One Bomb” story, which reconstructed a chemical attack in Syria. The Bureau's satellite imagery allowed the Times reporters to enhance their storytelling and lend credibility to their reports. In the realm of current events, information is traditionally released by the media, governments or organizations directly involved in the event. The Maxar News Bureau serves as an auxiliary source, providing supporting evidence or context to unfolding situations.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a humanitarian nonprofit organization supporting individuals impacted by conflict and displacement. The IRC operates in 52 countries internationally and 30 offices in the United States. Sarah Terlouw, IRC's Executive Director in Iowa, will speak about her 15-year career supporting refugees and other conflict-affected populations. She will share her experiences overseas and the transition to working domestically, focusing on the opening of the IRC in Iowa in 2022 and the organization's expansion into Iowa City in October 2023. Aimerance Makunda, originally from the DRC and an Iowa City resident since 2012, also speaks.For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org.

Armed conflict, increases in public debt and the climate crisis are just a few factors that will accelerate humanitarian crises globally in 2024, according to the International Rescue Committee. Meanwhile, there's a number of practical issues that have been raised by the high pace of migrants presenting at borders and applying for asylum around the world. Our guest this week points out the importance of creating “legal routes to hope” amid increased global migration. David Miliband is President & CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where he oversees the agency's humanitarian relief operations in more than 40 war-affected countries and its refugee resettlement and assistance programs in the U.S. Before that, he served as a Foreign Secretary of the U.K. He joins to discuss the IRC's 2024 Emergency Watchlist, myths about the global humanitarian crisis that have become a part of media discourse, actionable solutions and more.

On this episode, Dr. Michael Dennis, a leading expert on the Chechen Republic, tells the multifaceted story of the Chechen fight for independence, including the consequences of the Chechen Wars, the rise of the Kadyrov family, lessons learned by the Russian Army, impacts on the Putin regime's decision-making in crises, and Chechnya's role in Ukraine. Dr. Dennis also talks about the future of the North Caucasus and the different actors' stakes in this fraught region. Thanks for listening! This event was part of the #Connexions Experts speaker series which is dedicated to spreading nuanced knowledge about conflict areas in the greater Eurasian region. The Experts series is in lead up to the #Connexions 2024 conference which will take place from March 18-20 at The University of Texas at Austin. Watch the event here: https://www.youtube.com/live/w6Fh76DnmdI?si=MC6lu6CRY-15RWTk ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Michael Dennis is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and a leading expert on Chechnya, the North Caucasus insurgency, and the Russo-Chechen Wars. In addition to over twenty years of research in the region, Dr. Dennis spent over five years living with Chechen rebels and refugees in the Pankisi Gorge along the Chechen border with the Republic of Georgia, and displaced Chechen communities in Azerbaijan, Belgium, Poland, and Turkey, exploring the conditions under which displaced populations attitudinally support political violence. His post-doctoral research focused on Chechen attitudes towards foreign fighters in Ukraine and Syria. During the Second Russo-Chechen War (1999 to 2009), he served as a volunteer aid-worker the International Rescue Committee (IRC) tasked with leading a team to help re-build water, sanitation, and education infrastructure in war-torn Chechnya and provide subsistence support to tens of thousands of Chechen refugees living in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia. From 2004 to 2011, he co-directed the Chechnya Advocacy Network, an international humanitarian non-government organization created to improve human rights and security in Chechnya, provide legal and asylum procedure assistance for Chechen refugees, conduct research on issues related to the Russo-Chechen Wars, and raise awareness and funds to improve infrastructure, physical and psychological rehabilitation, and education in the Republic of Chechnya. Dr. Dennis's research has been published in Security Studies and referenced in Foreign Affairs, and he recently completed an academic book manuscript based on his decades-long work with Chechen refugees. He holds a Ph.D. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio), and studied at Novgorod State University in Russia, and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and speaks Chechen and Russian. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 3, 2023 at The University of Texas at Austin. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by AKMV, Ketsa, Mindseye, Shaolin Dub) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Michael Dennis.

In our fourth episode Dalia Al-Awqati, head of humanitarian affairs for Save the Children Canada and Lauren Ravon, executive director of Oxfam Canada discuss the humanitarian crisis taking place in the Gaza Strip.  How do we understand the devastating toll of death, displacement and destruction upon the largely civilian Palestinian population, almost half of them children? What of the impossible choices facing aid workers and colleagues on the ground as they are caught within the turmoil of Gaza? Why are humanitarian pauses not enough? And why is a ceasefire the only answer? Describing the crisis facing the children of Gaza, Al-Awqati says:  “In the first three weeks of the conflict, more children were killed than the annual total of children killed in conflict zones across the world since 2019. That alone gives you a scale of how horrific this has been, and particularly for children. We see and we hear from our staff, and we see through the news, through social media as well, the impact that this is having, in terms of mental health, but also in terms of people's ability to access their basic needs. We know that children are not able to access clean drinking water. This is a population, 80 per cent of which already depended on humanitarian aid prior to this latest escalation. There's 1,350 children that are missing in Gaza. Many of them feared to be under the rubble.” According to Ravon, the only answer is a ceasefire:  “Oxfam and Save the Children and many other organizations around the world are calling for a ceasefire rather than a humanitarian pause or humanitarian corridors because the reality is that in these circumstances, in the way this attack is being carried out, there is no way to keep civilians safe. No corridor, no pause will guarantee safety, because people are deprived of resources. So even if you had a pause where you're safe from immediate bombing, that doesn't answer all the other immediate needs that people are facing … Depriving civilians of the means for survival is a violation of human rights; and a ceasefire is the only way to ensure that the physical violence stops and that humanitarian aid can enter in.”  About today's guests: Dalia Al-Awqati, head of humanitarian affairs for Save the Children Canada. Al-Awqati is the head of Humanitarian Affairs for Save the Children Canada. She has over twenty years of experience in the non-profit sector, with a specialization in emergency response and management in complex crises. Prior to joining Save the Children Canada, Al-Awqati has worked with various international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) including the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Mercy Corps, and Danish Refugee Council (DRC). As an emergency responder, Dalia has responded to crises in Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, and Syria, amongst others. Al-Awqati grew up in the Middle East. She is a native Arabic speaker of Iraqi and Palestinian origins.  Lauren Ravon, executive director of Oxfam Canada, is a committed feminist and social justice advocate with more than 15 years of international development experience. Ravon has been with Oxfam Canada since 2011, holding a number of roles – including director of Policy and Campaigns – and working tirelessly to put women's rights at the heart of the global Oxfam confederation. Before joining Oxfam, Ravon worked at the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development (Rights & Democracy), where she was program manager for the Americas and oversaw the Centre's office and human rights programming in Haiti. She has also worked on programs to tackle gender-based violence and promote sexual and reproductive rights with Planned Parenthood Global and the International Rescue Committee. Lauren sits on the board of directors of the Humanitarian Coalition. You can donate to the Humanitarian Coalition by visiting their Donation page. Transcript of this episode can be accessed at georgebrown.ca/TommyDouglasInstitute.   Images: Dalia Al-Awqati, Lauren Ravon / Used with permission. Music: Ang Kahora. Lynne, Bjorn. Rights Purchased.  Intro Voices: Ashley Booth (Podcast Announcer); Bob Luker (Tommy); Grace Taruc-Almeda, Karin Maier and Jim Cheung (Street Voices)   Courage My Friends podcast organizing committee: Chandra Budhu, Ashley Booth, Resh Budhu.  Produced by: Resh Budhu, Tommy Douglas Institute and Breanne Doyle, rabble.ca.  Host: Resh Budhu. 

Our inaugural podcast interviews! Meg Galas and Mauricio Rodriguez both leaders at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) join us to provide valuable insights from their work in El Salvador, Venezuela, and Columbia. The IRC responds to the biggest humanitarian crises on earth. Meg and Maurice share their learnings in crisis management and remind us that "we accompany each other in success" and how important it is to be "boots on the ground" to understand true employee perspectives.

This episode of Mathematica's On the Evidence podcast focuses on how research informs funding strategies to tackle an urgent social challenge. A couple of years ago, Mathematica reviewed evidence from across the world on whether education programs can prevent or mitigate violence and crime. USAID commissioned the report to help develop effective strategies for leveraging the education sector to address violence and crime in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although Mathematica's researchers identified almost two dozen promising programs in the review, they also noted the need for further research. For example, few of the studies show causal impacts or provide evidence from an effective program in Latin America or the Caribbean. To build on findings from Mathematica's evidence review, USAID and the International Rescue Committee(IRC) partnered to launch an initiative called USAID Research in Education for Transformative Opportunities (RETO), which provides tailored evidence to decision makers in governmental and non-governmental institutions, such as local ministries of education. The initiative seeks to help those education leaders implement effective programs and policies in Northern Central America that will reduce local violence and crime. The guests for this episode are Juan Carlos Rodríguez, Katie Appel, Melissa Chiappetta, and Emilie Bagby. Rodríguez and Appel are the director and deputy director, respectively, for USAID's RETO activity implemented by the IRC and its 12 national partners. Chiappetta is a senior education advisor with the Office of Regional Sustainable Development within USAID's Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean. Bagby is a director at Mathematica, where she oversees our international education research. Find the full transcript here: mathematica.org/blogs/developing-education-programs-to-prevent-violence-and-crime-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean Read the evidence review by Mathematica for USAID on the effect of education programs on violence, crime, and related outcomes: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00XGXT.pdf Learn more about RETO: https://www.youthpower.org/usaid-research-education-transformative-opportunities-reto Learn more about IRC's Airbel Impact Lab: https://airbel.rescue.org/?_ga=2.189623531.1744177215.1687884026-800337516.1664199528 Learn more about Mathematica's evaluations for USAID's Latin America and the Caribbean Reads (LAC Reads) initiative, which included the evidence review on education programs to prevent or mitigate violence and crime: https://staginginter.mathematica.net/projects/latin-america-and-the-caribbean-reading-evaluation

In this episode, Mariana speaks with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and former U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Julio Rank Wright, Regional VP for Latin America at IRC. They discuss why the images of chaos and desperation seen at the US-Mexico border are just the tip of an international trend as millions of people—from around the world—are on the move due to civil wars, climate disasters, or some type persecution. They explain the difference between a refugee, an asylum seeker, and an economic migrant and clarify the necessary criteria to grant asylum or not. They also speak about the new asylum policies of the Biden Administration and what is needed to avoid people from falling into the hands of smugglers and traffickers. 

Laura Kyrke-Smith, UK Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Abdul Amin, PhD student and a refugee client of the IRC join Professor Anand Menon to discuss the work of the IRC, issues around humanitarian assistance and the effects of the Illegal Migration Bill. --- Laura Kyrke-Smith was appointed executive director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the UK in 2020. As executive director, Kyrke-Smith is responsible for delivering policy and practice change and increasing funding. She has been with IRC since 2015, when she joined as director of communications in Europe – her previous experience at Portland Communications working with philanthropic clients having bolstered her skills and connections in this area. Kryke-Smith has also worked in government and foreign affairs; she started her career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a policy analyst and speechwriter. --- Abdul Amin is a former UN Staff Member, with UNDP being his most recent employer. He is also a Chevening and a Warm Welcome Scholar. Since arriving in the UK in August 2021 with his family, Amin has undertaken an MA degree in Conflict, Security and Development at the University of Sussex last year, and is now pursuing a PhD in Politics at the University of Exeter. Amin was a refugee client of the International Rescue Committee.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Neelam Bhardwaj, a healthcare professional with decades of international experience. They discuss Neelam's research interests, the projects she has led around the world, and what she has learned from her extensive career.You'll LearnHow Neelam found her way into public health through her medical and clinical trainingNeelam's research interest and her work in women and children's health Neelam's experiences working with international organizations such as UNICEF and the United NationsThe various projects and initiatives Neelam has led around the worldWhat she has learned working with different cultures in the worldWhere to start if you are thinking of working at the international levelHow to focus and work towards your passionWhat Helplife Global is and what inspired Neelam to create it Today's GuestDr. Neelam Bhardwaj has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. A highly skilled doctor, she currently works as a social obstetrician, wellness practitioner, and a global public health expert in the area of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH). She is driven by a passion to empower young girls and women from the underprivileged communities. Neelam has 20 years of her career working for international health, of which 15 years she spent as a technical expert for maternal and child health with UNICEF in number of Countries in remote and fragile settings, e.g., Indonesia, Sudan, Uganda, Malawi and India. She contributed to improving reproductive health of girls and women while at UNFPA, HQ NY. She worked with International Rescue Committee (IRC), in Sierra Leone, and PATH India in setting up the innovative approaches in remote areas of countries, and supported cultural practices, to save the lives of women and their newborn babies. She has been recipient of several national and international awards, and has many publications to her credit.Neelam earned postdoctoral degrees in medicine and healthcare management from universities in India, and received a diploma in Reproductive Health in Developing Countries from the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. She is an active member of the Compassionate Birthing Network, & research that will preserve good cultural practices. She is known for her transformative leadership. She spent 15 years in researching disabilities in young women and girls, developed an innovative model of sustainability and development for the most vulnerable sections of the society.She is a motivational speaker for the most vulnerable who have lost all hopes of living a life of dignity and self-esteem. She is a great storyteller for women living in adversity. Her innovative business model for making young women and girls financially independent, and living a life of respectful citizen is attracting many other partners. She saved many young women and girls to be further pushed into poverty during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Her workshops, “innovating minds” are becoming very popular for motivating young people especially with disabilities. ResourcesFollow Neelam on LinkedIn Learn more about Neelam's research Learn more about Helplife Global Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This is the first episode in a three-part series, on organizations, services and products that have aided Missoula in becoming a more diverse community. Udo talks to several leaders in our community that have done exactly that. In this first episode of 2023, his guest is Eamon Fahey, Deputy Director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Missoula branch. He talks with Udo about the 90-year history of the IRC, the over 40 IRC program locations around the world and the 28 US cities that are involved in refugee resettlement, the IRC programming, services and how the community can get engaged.  We hope you join us again next month, with Udo's guest Susan Hay Patrick, Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Missoula County.All International Voices podcast episodes in 2023 are exclusively sponsored by Orr McDonnell Law in Missoula, your advocates for all personal injury, family law and landlord tenant matters.

Mackenzie Martínez is a proud "Jexican" (Jewish-Mexican) and alumna of Elon University in North Carolina. While at Elon, Mackenzie's wrote her undergraduate thesis “Rituals of Womanhood,” and explored the connections, differences, and cultural implications of Bat Mitzvahs and Quinceañeras. After graduating with her degree in Anthropology and Spanish, Mackenzie moved to San Diego to serve as a fellow for Avodah the Jewish Service Corps. While at Avodah, she began working with Al Otro Lado, an organization that provides holistic legal and humanitarian support to refugees, deportees, and other migrants at the US Mexico border, through a multidisciplinary, client-centered, harm reduction-based practice. Through this experience, Mackenzie, realized her passion for supporting immigrants. Today, she works with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to support asylees and survivors of trafficking.Join us for a special conversation that explores coming of age rituals, finding (parts of) yourself in college and using your privilege to serve others.Also mentioned in this podcast:Women Who Run with the Wolves by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola EstésEl Centro at Elon UniversityAvodah, the Jewish Service CorpsAl Otro Lado

Krisen waren in diesem Jahr wahrlich keine Mangelware, aber auch das nächste Jahr wird kein einfaches werden, analysiert das International Rescue Committee IRC. Albert Einstein rief im Jahr 1933 zur Gründung der Organisation auf. Seitdem leistet das IRC Hilfe für Menschen, die vor Krieg, Verfolgung oder Naturkatastrophen fliehen müssen. Immer Ende Jahr veröffentlicht das IRC ... >

This is the 3rd and final episode of a series focusing on “Managing Cultural Adjustment and Culture Shock”. In this last episode of 2022, Udo visits with Paul Mwingwa, a resettled refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who wears many different hats, in addition to being the Refugee Congress Delegate for Montana. Paul is also a Caseworker Assistant at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Missoula, a member of the Refugees Advisory Council (RAC) for the IRC, a Swahili language instructor and he works as a private contractor at the Lifelong Learning Center in Missoula. Please join Udo for this interesting conversation about resettlement as an invaluable protection tool, that the support for refugees in their resettling process is critical and the importance of making refugees feel that they are part of a new community . Successfully resettled refugees help enrich their local communities, creating a cultural diversity within the local population and helping nurture understanding and appreciation for social diversity. If your interests are in global and intercultural education, programming, cultural and global competence, and international affairs, we hope you join the International Voices podcast series after a short winter break. There will be no podcast in January, please reconnect in February 2023, for a new episode of International Voices.

While the spotlight is on Ukraine, the UN says humanitarian needs in Syria are greater than ever. Podcast host Imogen Foulkes is joined in this episode by humanitarian experts.“The World Food Programme had to reduce by 13% their food rations because of funding,” says Sanjana Quazi, head of office at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Turkey.The UN budget for Syria is underfunded and further devalued by rising food and fuel prices.“What we're seeing is a trend towards negative coping mechanisms. Early marriage, child labour, and what's really alarming is increased attempted suicide rates,” says Tanya Evans, country director at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Syria.Has the world forgotten about Syria?“If I read the English newspapers, it's all about Ukraine. How can we put what's happening in Syria back on the radar?” asks analyst Daniel Warner.

This Jobs with Jodi Podcast episode explores the commitment to service that has propelled many RPCVs to dedicate their lives and careers to making a difference and doing good in the world. Career Services Specialist Jodi Hammer chats with RPCVs Thomas Hill (Russia 2000–02) and Cara George (Guatemala 2009–11), who share their ongoing journey of working to better the world in everything they do. They offer tips and advice as well as speak to areas most in need of assistance at this time. FEATURED GUESTS: Thomas Hill is a proud RPCV and senior non-profit and NGO professional with 21 years' experience, including 14 years at the senior level, in international development and humanitarian assistance. He has worked at agencies including the American & International Red Cross, Mercy Corps, and International Rescue Committee (IRC).Cara George is an RPCV and a dedicated foreign affairs and development professional with more than 15 years of foreign policy, program operations, and management experience, including overseeing a $740M U.S. Government (USG)-funded portfolio. She has extensive overseas experience, with more than two years working in Guatemala and short-term assignments for USAID, the MCC, and the State Department across East Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia.  PODCAST HOST: Jodi Hammer is an RPCV (Ecuador, 1994–97), Job Coach, and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide.

David Miliband quit British politics to escape ‘the soap opera' and now leads the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in New York. Founded by Albert Einstein in the 1930's, the IRC is an international charity that responds to humanitarian crises, helping people displaced by conflict and disaster. In this episode of the Accomplishment podcast, he tells Sir Michael Barber about his strategy for growing the IRC, what he learnt from his time in politics and why he believes we are living in an 'age of impunity' in politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sesame Street has been entertaining children around the world for generations. First launched in 1969, the show was an experiment to see if television – then just an emerging technology – could be used to educate young children. Today, this unique style of education and social messaging continues to be delivered by a diverse cast of muppets – and humans – to children and caregivers across seven continents in more than a dozen different languages.In this episode of The Impact Room, we take a detailed look at Ahlan Simsim, a new Arabic language version of the show, which has been designed specifically to target Middle Eastern children affected by war and displacement, and its sister programme supporting Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Ahlan Simim uses music and humour to tackle emotional issues and provide youngsters (and their caregivers) tools for dealing with feelings of fear and anxiety. It mixes media outputs, training sessions, and school materials to also deliver basic literacy and numeracy learning for children who may be locked out of formal education.Sesame Workshop received more than $100m of grant funding from the MacArthur Foundation for the project it is doing in partnership with International Rescue Committee (IRC). A year later, The Lego Foundation gave Sesame Workshop another $100m to support its work with BRAC and their programming for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Together, these two grants are the largest ever philanthropic intervention into early years education in a humanitarian setting.To discuss Ahlan Simsim, our host Maysa Jalbout, is joined by Shari Rosenfeld, senior vice president of International Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, and Marianne Stone, Ahlan Simim regional project director for IRC.She also speaks to Professor Hiro Yoshikawa, a community and development psychologist specialising in early childhood and the co-founder of Global TIES, a research centre at New York University, which is carrying out an Impact evaluation of Ahlan Simsim.“The vision here is to really to develop a new set of models in this somewhat brand-new field of early childhood development in the humanitarian sector, which has been largely overlooked for a very long time," he explains.Many of the topics explored as well as materials used in Ahlan Simsim are applicable to other conflict and displacement settings. Indeed, some of the content is already being adapted for other countries.In Iraq, for example, the US government's overseas development agency, USAID, has provided additional funding to create some Iraq-specific Ahlan Simsim materials. And, just as we were putting this podcast episode together, Sesame workshop confirmed that work was also underway to create a new suite of resources in Dari, Pashto, Spanish, Ukrainian, and English - with additional languages to follow - to support young children and caregivers affected by crisis.For more about Ahlan Simsim and the work of Sesame Workshop in the Middle East visit their website or the IRC website.The Impact Room is brought to you by Philanthropy Age and Maysa Jalbout. This episode was produced and edited by Louise Redvers.

IRC, The International Rescue Committee, is made up of a global team with more than 17,000 staff who have helped people upended by conflict and crisis to survive, recover, and regain control of their lives. Today, IRC works in more than 40 countries and over 20 U.S. and European cities, from conflict-affected countries in Yemen to resettlement communities in Boise, Idaho. Join us today, as we talk to Raymundo Tamayo, the Country Director for Mexico, about how the IRC continues to stand in the face of such an overwhelming need around the globe.

In this episode, I interview Kim Behrman, an advisor, writer and employment officer at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). She talks to us about her experiences working with refugees in Africa, as well as the current Ukrainian refugee crisis. She shares both lessons learned, and thoughts about the future. I hope you learn as much as I did from this episode! Here is a link to the IRC where you can donate to Ukrainian Refugees: DONATE!

Ready to hear from Salesforce's first developer? Tune in to our interview with Lou Fox, a technologist and innovator who has seen the evolution of Salesforce from its earliest days into a global powerhouse.During our conversation, Lou shares his origin story and unconventional path into the world of Salesforce and cloud technology. He reveals a game-changing moment in Salesforce development as well as how his approach (and priorities) in management and innovation have evolved to focus on people, storytelling, and communication first.Lou's Customer Obsessed Picks:Bleeding Pinstripes: A Season with the Bleacher Creatures at Yankee StadiumThe Best American Short StoriesAs we mentioned during the episode, here are resources and ways to help Ukrainians affected by the war with Russia. (Source: Global Citizen)1. People in Need is providing humanitarian aid to over 200,000 people on the ground. For those most in need, they provide food packages, emergency shelter, safe access to drinking water, hygiene items, and coal for heating. Donate here.2. The Ukrainian Red Cross does loads of humanitarian work, from aiding refugees to training doctors. Donate here.3. The International Medical Corps is on the front lines and prepared to help citizens with emergency health care services, as well as mental health and psychosocial support. The agency is also keeping the pandemic top of mind throughout the crisis by prioritizing COVID-19 awareness and prevention services, to help keep displaced citizens safe from the pandemic. Donate here.4. CARE is responding to the crisis by providing Ukrainians in need with food, hygiene kits, psychosocial support services, access to water, and access to cash. Donate here. 5. Nova Ukraine is a nonprofit that delivers aid packages to Ukraine with everything from baby food and hygiene products, to clothes and household supplies. Donate here.6. UNICEF is repairing schools damaged by the bombings and providing an emergency response to children affected by the conflict. Donate here.7. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has stepped up its operations and is working with governments in neighboring countries "calling on them to keep borders open to those seeking safety and protection.” You can help support the UNHCR's work supporting refugees by donating here and take action here to send a tweet urging governments and businesses to support the United Nations' urgent appeal for $1.7 billion to deliver life-saving humanitarian support.8. OutRight Action International is helping to support LGBTQ+ groups and organizations on the ground, setting up shelters, and providing safety for citizens. All donations made to OutRight will go directly to the cause. You can donate here. 9. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is deploying emergency operations in Ukraine and surrounding countries to provide food assistance to those fleeing the conflict. Donate here.10. Save the Children is working with partners to respond to meet the urgent needs of affected children and their families. It's ready to provide life-saving assistance, such as food, water, cash transfers, and safe places for children as people flee amid freezing temperatures and brutal conditions, and to scale up options to ensure children impacted by the crisis have the support they need. Find out more and donate here. 11. SOS Children's Villages has worked in Ukraine since 2003 and is coordinating an emergency response to support families who are living in the conflict areas and those who have been internally displaced. Find out more and donate here. 12. Mercy Corps is mobilizing a team to the region to assess where help is most needed and is anticipating providing emergency cash assistance, as well as supporting local organizations that know their community needs best. Between 2015 and 2017, Mercy Corps provided humanitarian assistance in eastern Ukraine, reaching more than 200,000 people with emergency cash, food, water, and sanitation supplies, small business development grants, restoring war-damaged homes, and more. Find out more and donate here.13. Medical Teams International is fundraising to send medical supplies to the region, with all proceeds going towards sending medicines and/or medical supplies. Learn more and donate here. 14. The World Health Organization Foundation is raising funds for WHO's Health Emergency Appeal for Ukraine. An estimated $57.5 million must be raised to deliver urgent physical and mental health care to the 18 million people in Ukraine needing urgent humanitarian assistance, and more than 4 million refugees who'll need protection and assistance in the coming months. You can donate here, and share the WHO Foundation's call for donations on your own social media, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. 15. Alight is a humanitarian nonprofit that has sent teams of emergency response workers to Poland to assist with the burgeoning refugee population by helping to meet all of their material and psychosocial needs. You can donate here. 16. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is on the front lines of the world's conflicts, natural disasters, and other crises, helping people recover from extreme hardship and put their lives back together. The IRC currently has a team dispatched to Poland that's helping to provide food, medical care, and emergency support services to families who fled Ukraine amid the violence. You can donate here.17. Team Rubicon mobilizes their highly skilled volunteers to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises. As a World Health Organization Emergency Medical Team mobile unit, Team Rubicon has sent a small team to Poland, including physicians with expertise in pediatrics and maternal and reproductive health care. Donate here to help Team Rubicon rapidly respond to meet humanitarian needs. 18. Direct Relief is working directly with Ukraine's Ministry of Health and other on-the-ground partners to provide urgently needed medical aid, including emergency response packs intended for first responders, oxygen concentrators, critical care medicines, and much more. Donate here. 19. GlobalGiving has its Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, with all donations to the fund going to support humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions. GlobalGiving's network of over 30 grassroots NGOs are bringing relief to terrified and displaced communities, and they need resources to continue their life-saving work. Donate here. 

Since our last episode was published, things in Europe have changed drastically. With the ongoing war crisis in Ukraine, we've experienced a monumental and historical shift in how Europeans see themselves in relation to one another. In this episode, Zach provides a solo update on some personal projects and announcements set to air in the next month or so, how we are doing safety-wise, what it's like to be in Europe right now, and how powerful solidarity is in supporting the Ukrainian people during this horrific  crisis.    Keeping ourselves up-to-date on what's going on in Ukraine and in Europe is important for our safety and we recommend Radio Free Europe as a great way to get ongoing news and updates.    Additionally, it's important that we support the Ukrainian people, many of whom are now refugees in other countries. One organization which seeks to assist refugees in crisis is The International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC assists refugees from Ukraine and other countries' citizens who are fleeing war and violence.    This isn't a typical episode but we wanted to make sure we provide an update on our well being and reiterate how important it is to stand together as human beings during this difficult time. Thank you so much for your ongoing support, and thanks for vibing with us.

This week, Undercurrents is joined by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to explore a new report on the humanitarian crises that require global attention in 2022. A record number of people across the world are in need of humanitarian assistance. 20 countries which are home to 10% of the global population account for 89% of global humanitarian need, driven by a wide range of factors including conflict, natural disasters, economic collapse and health crises. These situations are worsened by systemic failures at the state, diplomatic, legal and operational levels. The IRC's 2022 Emergency Watchlist assesses the severity of the crises in these countries, and provides recommendations for how international humanitarian actors can respond.   In this episode, Ben discusses the findings of the Emergency Watchlist with George Readings (lead author of the report), and hears about the specific struggles facing the citizens of Afghanistan from Vicki Aken (IRC's Country Director for Afghanistan). Read the IRC report: Emergency watchlist 2022: System failure Watch the Chatham House event: 10 conflicts to watch in 2022 Credits: Speakers: Vicki Aken, George Readings Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.

This week, Undercurrents is joined by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to explore a new report on the humanitarian crises that require global attention in 2022. A record number of people across the world are in need of humanitarian assistance. 20 countries which are home to 10% of the global population account for 89% of global humanitarian need, driven by a wide range of factors including conflict, natural disasters, economic collapse and health crises. These situations are worsened by systemic failures at the state, diplomatic, legal and operational levels. The IRC's 2022 Emergency Watchlist assesses the severity of the crises in these countries, and provides recommendations for how international humanitarian actors can respond.   In this episode, Ben discusses the findings of the Emergency Watchlist with George Readings (lead author of the report), and hears about the specific struggles facing the citizens of Afghanistan from Vicki Aken (IRC's Country Director for Afghanistan). Read the IRC report: Emergency watchlist 2022: System failure Watch the Chatham House event: 10 conflicts to watch in 2022 Credits: Speakers: Vicki Aken, George Readings Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.

Millions of Afghans have not been paid for months as foreign aid – which used to fund 75% of Afghanistan's public spending – was frozen following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021.Podcast host Imogen Foulkes is joined in this episode by humanitarian aid workers.“You see girls being essentially sold, girls as young as six, seven, eight. You see children being sold into labour. Already, I've seen more malnourished children in the past three, four months than I've ever seen in Afghanistan,” says Vicki Aken, Afghanistan country director at the International Rescue Committee (IRC).“Can the international community hold 39 million people hostage to the fact that they do not want to recognise the authorities that are now in place in Kabul and in Afghanistan,” asks Dominik Stillhart, director of operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).With the United Nations warning of famine, the ICRC has started paying healthcare workers directly. But can humanitarian aid alone support an entire country?“No matter how much aid we deliver, we cannot have a country entirely dependent on the goods we bring into the country. It's just impossible to deliver at that scale,” says Aken. “If we want to save Afghanistan and the Afghan population, it is not just by giving money to humanitarian organisations,” adds Stillhart.

International Rescue Committee (IRC) president and CEO David Miliband joins the podcast to discuss the IRC's Annual Emergency Watchlist report. According to the new report, the IRC finds global “system failure” driving record levels of humanitarian need and that Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Yemen top the list of countries most at risk of deteriorating humanitarian crises in 2022.

Lucian is a Malaysian who is currently living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. He serves as a Cost Analysis Advisor at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO), that provides emergency aid and long-term assistance to refugees and those displaced by war or natural disaster. Lucian studied material engineering at the National University of Singapore, and worked in the private sector for a few years before deciding to switch his career path to international development. He then went to New York City to attend the School of Internation and Public Affairs (SIPA) graduate program at Columbia University. He's not only a multilingual but also multi-instrumentalist. And, he enjoys walking his dog and playing ukulele in his spare time.

We are excited to release the second episode of GISF's new Inclusive Security Podcast Series. This episode focuses on a operationalising inclusivity featuring guest speaker Araba Cole from the International Rescue Committee (IRC). This series explores inclusivity through the lens of security risk management (SRM). It can be said that inclusivity is at the heart of successful SRM. Organisations have a responsibility to provide a duty of care to all staff. They must take all reasonable measures to protect their staff from foreseeable risks, including those that emerge due to an aid worker's personal characteristics such as, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disabilities, sexual orientation etc. Security professionals need to have a comprehensive understanding of how personal identities and characteristics can impact personal security. This knowledge should be integrated into security polices and approaches so that they are inclusive and effective for all. While it is important to design and create inclusive security policies and practices, operationalising inclusivity can come with challenges. What do security mangers need to know? How can they stay up to date and ultimately keep producing and designing inclusive security procedures? This podcast series explores the elements of inclusive security, what it is and what it looks like in the humanitarian context. These conversations are enriched by expert guests spanning security professionals, humanitarians, and more.

An event titled, The Bunchful Awards, which is designed to celebrate and promote charitable giving and philanthropy as a way of life, has announced that it has selected the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as its charitable beneficiary partner. Go to https://bebunchful.com (https://bebunchful.com) for more information.

Join Lori and Helen Krug von Nidda as they discuss about receiving support and paying it forward to the community. Helen does a lot of work around career transitioning for women. She shares the impact of providing support to women who don't have access to the tools and resources for their education. Stay tuned!   Here are the things to expect in this episode: What inspired Helen to focus on causes related to women and education? Having peer-to-peer coaching groups for the women she works with. What impact does it have on them? The value of collaborating and building connections with various communities. And much more!   About Helen:   A contagiously optimistic coach, trainer, and speaker, I have advanced countless career paths for individuals at the United Nations, as well as in the nonprofit and private sectors. I was the HR Strategic Partner at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and formerly Director of Talent Management at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). I have also worked for UNICEF, the United Nations, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and, in the private sector, for Reuters and Sotheby's.   I have lived and travelled internationally — from London to Lome, Oslo to Ouagadougou, Niamey to New York.   Fluent in French, I am a graduate of Smith College, hold a Masters in Human Resources Management, and am currently pursuing a Doctorate in Adult Learning at Columbia University.   I am an accredited and certified Coach, and a licensed Career Counsellor. Most importantly, when I am not immersed in coaching and training, you might find me engaged in either of my two favourite pastimes: running along the Hudson River or indulging in a hot chocolate.   Connect with Helen! Website: https://www.with-helen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/with_helen_nyc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkrugvonnidda/   Connect with Lori Kranczer! Website: https://www.everydayplannedgiving.com/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/positiveimpactphilanthropy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorikranczer/

David Miliband, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the international community can hold accountable governments and terrorist groups that kill or brutalize civilians. Miliband's recent Foreign Affairs article, “The Age of Impunity: And How to Fight It,” is available on foreignaffairs.com.  

Julio Rank Wright, Deputy Regional Director for Latin America at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), joins us to discuss the growing humanitarian crisis in northern Central America (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala) that continues to force thousands of people to flee for safety in neighboring countries and the United States, and durable policy solutions to address the crisis. See the show notes with links mentioned in this episode at https://j.mu/news/civic/2021/06-22-democracy-matters-episode-63.shtml

Rosa Akbari is a humanitarian technologist. She deploys digital technologies for crisis response, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. Most recently she was a Senior Advisor in Technology for Development at Mercy Corps, and before that has worked with organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Dimagi, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). Our conversation with Rosa is also a case study on the use of digital identities, cash programming, and the interplay of machine interoperability with human trust, in times of crisis. Rosa shares the story of how her family left the Middle East, and how she couldn't resist going back. We talk about setting up Wi-Fi hotspots in Haiti, digital identities in Iraq, and digital vouchers in the Central African Republic (CAR). We explore the design challenges of working with both low literacy and low numeracy populations. Through this journey, we hear some familiar themes re-emerge, such as the importance of watching, listening, and learning from the local context. And how crucial it is to respect local knowledge and institutions, in order to make change that lasts. To find out more, access the show notes at https://AidEvolved.com  Let us know what you think of this episode on Twitter (@AidEvolved) or by email (hello@AidEvolved.com)

  David served as the youngest UK Foreign Secretary in three decades, driving advancements in human rights and representing the UK throughout the world. His accomplishments have earned him a reputation, in former President Bill Clinton's words, as "one of the ablest, most creative public servants of our time.” David talks candidly about the invaluable work of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the plight of refugees and displaced persons, and sheds light on the differences between being the foreign minister of a permanent member of the UN Security Council and leading one of the worlds most impactful NGOs. The IRC was founded by Albert Einstein, who was in Princeton, in the USA, when Hitler came to power. And he founded the International Rescue Committee, the Emergency Rescue Committee at the time, in the 1930s, and he founded the organisation out of a burning sense that while he was safe, so many others were not safe from the Nazis.  The IRC is an organisation whose purpose is to help people whose lives are shattered by conflict, persecution and disaster. They work in 40 countries, in what David calls the ‘arc of crisis’, from the war zone in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, through to the internally displaced, the homeless in their own country, who have had to flee to the houses of cousins or strangers in refugee hosting states.  The IRC is an $825 million a year organisation, with 13,000 employees. David sheds light on his journey, from UK politics to the NGO world; he delves into the differences between the two and the benefit of having experienced both.  He describes the IRC as an organisation that is about solutions rather than suffering. For a full transcript of this conversation, visit The Do One Better! Podcast website at Lidji.org Please click the ‘subscribe’ button on your favourite podcast app and please share widely with others — thank you!   

Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual violence and self-harm.Soleha, who lives in a crowded refugee camp on Lesbos, often has trouble sleeping. It’s crowded, she said, and there’s no privacy, nowhere to go to clear her mind. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep back suicidal thoughts.The woman, now 21, requested to go by a pseudonym because she was sharing personal details about her experience.Related: ‘This island is a prison’: Migrants say plan for a refugee camp on Lesbos is too isolatingLess than two months after she arrived at the Moria refugee camp from Afghanistan in 2019, she said, she was raped.“I didn’t have anyone to help me and I broke like a glass ... I didn’t want to be alive anymore.”Soleha, migrant“I didn’t have anyone to help me and I broke like a glass ... I didn’t want to be alive anymore,” she said.Sadly, stories like hers are all too common on Lesbos — and health workers there say they’re dealing with a mental health crisis on the island that’s only getting worse. Tyra Eklund, mental health coordinator for Mental Volunteers International on Lesbos, Greece, enters MVI’s clinic. MVI’s programs, which are at capacity, support approximately 100 refugee children and adults, in groups and one-on-one.   Credit: Lydia Emmanouilidou/The World  Reports of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts within the refugee population are up, as are other symptoms related to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, virtually all mental services on the island are at capacity.Medical Volunteers International (MVI) runs mental health programs for refugees on Lesbos, including for children.They work in a gated complex on top of a hill that overlooks the Mavrovouni refugee camp where 7,000 people live.Related: Activists protest migrant facility plan in Greece: ‘Greek islands will not be turned to prisons’ Carlotta Passerini, a psychologist and coordinator of the Kids Support Program, works with approximately 50 children in groups and one-on-one.“The majority of the kids who are coming to us are deeply traumatized, depressed. They feel anxiety, a lot of anger, nightmares and similar symptoms.”Carlotta Passerini, Medical Volunteers International“The majority of the kids who are coming to us are deeply traumatized, depressed. They feel anxiety, a lot of anger, nightmares and similar symptoms.”Some children harm themselves, are unable to sleep, or have sudden violent outbursts.Many children on Lesbos have experienced violence and war in their home countries and lived through dangerous journeys to get to the island. And now, they’re stuck in a refugee camp, without school, and in conditions that many describe as inhumane. “The camp situation is not suitable for these kids and for their mental health,” Passerini said. “Their mental health conditions are worsening every day … Some of them attempted suicide, and they’re very, very young.”Passerini and her colleagues do activities with the kids to help them process their feelings and cope.Some of these activities take place inside the garden house, a small but bright shed full of arts and crafts supplies.On this day, they’re expecting three children but only one comes because of the bad weather.Related: Greek police roll out new ‘smart’ devices that recognize faces and fingerprintsHe sits down with one of Passerini’s colleagues and starts drawing. There are snacks and soft music in the background.People who work here say this alone can help children because it gives them an escape — a sense of normalcy away from the camp. Angeliki Stroumbou is an art therapist with Medical Volunteers International on the Greek island of Lesbos. Credit: Lydia Emmanouilidou/The World  Art therapist Angeliki Stroumbou looks through some of the kids’ projects. She said her job is to analyze their drawings “and try to understand the things they cannot express with words.”She talks about one drawing depicting a child standing on top of a tilted rectangle.“We have a figure with no hands and a child with no balance so [there are] difficult things going on here,” Stroumbou explained. MVI also offers support for childrens’ parents, and for adults who experience many of the same symptoms.“It’s a very abnormal situation that they’re in but the reactions they have are completely normal.”Tyra Eklund, Medical Volunteers International“It’s a very abnormal situation that they’re in but the reactions they have are completely normal,” said Tyra Eklund, mental health coordinator for MVI’s adult psychoeducation program.Many are also concerned about plans to create another, permanent, closed migrant facility on a remote part of the island.“I believe that a closed camp would be really bad for the people living inside it,” Passerini said, because the feeling of isolation and confinement can further traumatize people, and because the remote location could make mental health services harder to reach.Related: Greece ‘finally’ has its #MeToo moment Olga Moutesidou, a psychologist with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), agrees. Asylum-seekers she works with are also expressing concern about the new camp.“They think: If they’re going to lock me in a new camp … It’s better to die than live. I’ve heard this many times: ‘If they lock me up, I will kill myself,’” Moutesidou said.Concerns are coming at a time when the mental health of refugees on the island has been deteriorating, according to Moutesidou and other mental health workers who spoke with The World.“Unfortunately … things have been escalating to the worse,” Moutesidou said.One of Moutesidou’s patients, a 24-year-old man from Burkina Faso, recently started reporting suicidal thoughts.“This happened here. More than a year and eight months on this island, he thinks about hurting himself,” Moutesidou said.The man, who didn’t want us to use his name, fled Burkina Faso because of violence from terrorist groups. He said his entire family was murdered and that he was abducted and tortured. The conditions at the camp and uncertainty surrounding his asylum application had taken a toll on the man, Moutesidou explained.“A lot of the people that come here for help know that they risk being deported back … to their country of origin, which for many of them would be a death sentence.”Grigoris Kavarnos, Doctors Without Borders on Lesbos“A lot of the people that come here for help know that they risk being deported back … to their country of origin, which for many of them would be a death sentence,” said Grigoris Kavarnos, a psychologist who oversees mental health programs for Doctors Without Borders on Lesbos.“You can imagine the levels of anxiety that these people have about the asylum procedures.” Grigoris Kavarnos oversees mental health programs for Doctors Without Borders on Lesbos, Greece. Credit: Lydia Emmanouilidou/The World  “If you take somebody that’s a victim of torture, somebody that’s been jailed … and then, you put them in what is essentially a jail, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what that's going to do to their mental health,” Kavarnos said.At Doctors Without Borders, programs are also completely full and there are waitlists.Kavarnos said it’s crucial that asylum-seekers and refugees get the attention they need.“Mental health services are not a luxury for people that have these sorts of experiences. These people are going to end up living in our communities. They’re going to end up living next door to you.”Right now, on Lesbos alone, there are 2,000 recognized refugees who are waiting to get their papers and leave the camp. Some might stay on the island, others will go to Athens or elsewhere in Europe.“If you don’t deal with the mental health problems, you’re never going to be able to integrate these people into the community,” he said.If you are thinking about suicide, or know someone who is, please, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. That’s 1-800-273-TALK. It’s available 24/7 and they can help.

A conversation with President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), David Miliband, and Founding Patron of the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy, Badr Jafar, on the rise of fast-growing economies and its impact on our ability to fund humanitarian relief operations, including how we can create coordinated local solutions to complex local challenges.Also available on YouTube. Follow the below link:https://youtu.be/3CM4UitTvTc

On this episode, we speak with the Deputy Director for Florida at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), David Oliver, who shares with our listeners about the comprehensive services for survivors of human trafficking that have been provided to our community since 2003. Learn more about the services provided by the IRC and how the IRC has continued to provide trauma-informed survivor lead services during this pandemic. 

My guest today is David Miliband. David is CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development NGO, founded in 1931 by Albert Einstein. Before joining the IRC, David held several cabinet positions in various Labour governments, including that of British Foreign Secretary. In 2017 he published the TED book “Rescue: Refugees and the Political Crisis of Our Time” and in 2019 he gave a Fulbright Lecture entitled “The New Arrogance of Power: Global Politics in the Age of Impunity”. If you want to know more about the IRC, you can go to their website at www.rescue.org. You can follow David Miliband on Twitter at @DMiliband.David and I talk about the Third Way, the future of social democracy, the plight of refugees, and the "age of impunity" and how to overcome it.

Episode Introduction In this episode, Barri Shorey from International Rescue Committee, discusses not only the current challenges refugees face around the world, but the often overlooked long-term economic impacts of how the COVID-19 pandemic affects refugees differently with IKEA Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Per Heggenes. The question we will discuss will be: What's life like for a refugee caught in the global COVID pandemic – now, and in the future?  Guests Bio  Barri Shorey is the Senior Director of the Economic Recovery and Development Unit of the International Rescue Committee, which works to ensure that people whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict or disaster have their most basic survival needs met and have the assets and income to prosper. She manages a team of 30 people supporting quality implementation, research and evidence building, and strategy development of the IRC's global cash and livelihoods programming. Twitter handle: @BarriShorey  Mentioned in this episode To get questions that have been asked during this session https://ikeafoundation.org/ask-an-expert-with-barri-shorey/ To know more about International Rescue Committee (IRC) partnership with IKEA Foundation:  https://ikeafoundation.org/story/world-refugee-day-2020/ To know more about International Rescue Committee (IRC) call to action:  https://www.rescue.org/article/refugees-and-their-new-communities-thriving-together Show credits Host: Altaf Makhiawala Executive Producer: Truus Huisman Researcher: Blanche van de Stolpe An Andy Clark Media Production for the IKEA Foundation Want to contact the show? Reach out at wehearyou@ikeafoundation.org FACEBOOK | TWITTER | LINKEDIN | INSTAGRAM Learn more about IKEA Foundation: www.ikeafoundation.org  Programming Note:  This conversation was recorded as part of the Ask An Expert series livestreamed online on June 11, 2020. This is an edited and produced version of the conversation for this podcast.  YouTube link to the original video conversation.     

Join Jodi and featured RPCV panelists from one of the leaders in the field, International Rescue Committee (IRC). Is Refugee and Asylum work of interest to you? If so, listen to our RPCV's talk about their own experiences working in various areas of the organization, ranging from field programming to fundraising to leadership in HQ.

Do you feel like you want to make a change in your life, but you don’t know what you want instead? Or maybe you know the sort of change you want but you have no idea how to get there? It is so easy to let uncertainty and even fear to hold us back from getting to the career or life that we really want. This can be even more challenging if you have spent years supporting your family as you move around the world! "Surround yourself with people who hand you back your dreams with encouragement"In this week’s episode, coach and trainer Helen Krug von Nidda is sharing the five steps you need to take to get from knowing you want to change to actually making that change a reality. These steps will help you figure out what you do want, how to get there and prepare you for the transformation! We’re also talking about overcoming fear, the importance of patience and why you need a positive mindset more than ever! Helen Krug von Nidda is a Coach and trainer with over 20 years of global experience in human resources. She focused her career on people development in the international human rights sector. Helen has extensive coaching, training and facilitation experience in both French and English on four continents. She is the founder of Rise Collective, a boutique coaching and training practice for women. She was the HR Strategic Partner at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly Director of Talent Management at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). She also worked for UNICEF, the United Nations, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and, in the private sector, for Reuters and Sotheby’s. She is a graduate of Smith College and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Adult Learning at Columbia University. A British/Swiss national, she resides in New York with her husband. Two of her favorite pastimes include eating dark chocolate and running along the Hudson River within approved social distance parameters https://tandem-nomads.ck.page/eb1f0c01dc () What You Will LearnWhat the signs are that it is time for you to change How to know what you really want and find purpose How to get over your fear and find the courage to take the leap Resources and inspiration:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CZCW3ZA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 (Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team) https://www.viacharacter.org/ (The Via Strengths test) https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/ (The 4 tendencies quiz) https://www.tonyrobbins.com/disc/ (DISC behavior assessment by Tony Robbins) https://worldofwork.io/2019/04/intentional-change-theory/#:~:text=4%20min%20read,and%20organizations%20reach%20their%20goals. (Dr Boyatzis’ 5 steps to change) Find Helen Onlinehttp://www.with-helen.com/ (Website) https://www.instagram.com/with_helen_nyc/ (Instagram) Share Your Love! Do you enjoy listening to this podcast show? Leave on your review on your favorite app – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tandem-nomads-empowering-expat-partners-tips-inspiration/id1056812170?mt=2 (iTunes), http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/tandem-nomads (Stitcher), https://open.spotify.com/show/4mWuNrYGnmK6yuVHt1CEwx?si=QqgfqVkESK2IEnnlzwA9hg (Spotify), https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly90YW5kZW1ub21hZHMuY29tL2ZlZWQvcG9kY2FzdA%3D%3D (Google Play)   Share Your Thoughts! Connect with the Tandem Nomads community and share your comments! https://www.facebook.com/groups/tandemnomads/ (CLICK HERE)

In this episode the podcast, Sam Harris speaks with David Miliband about his work with the International Rescue Committee. They discuss the crisis of internally displaced peoples and refugees, the problem with open borders, the vetting of refugees, the limits of nation-building and diplomacy, the realities of globalization, global risks, defending human rights, a “post-values and post-competence” America, the breakdown of trust in institutions, the prospects of a second Trump term, and other topics. David Miliband is President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where he oversees the agency’s humanitarian relief operations in more than 40 war-affected countries and its refugee resettlement and assistance programs in over 20 United States cities. Under Miliband’s leadership, the IRC has expanded its ability to rapidly respond to humanitarian crises and meet the needs of an unprecedented number of people uprooted by conflict, war and disaster. The organization is implementing an ambitious global strategy to bring clear outcomes, strong evidence and systematic research to the humanitarian programs through collaborative partnerships with the public and private sectors. From 2007 to 2010, Miliband was the 74th Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, driving advancements in human rights and representing the U.K. throughout the world. In 2006, as Secretary of State for the Environment, he pioneered the world’s first legally binding emissions reduction requirements. He was Member of Parliament for South Shields from 2001 to 2013. Miliband graduated from Oxford University in 1987 and received a master’s degree in political science in 1989 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which he attended as a Kennedy Scholar. Miliband’s first book, Rescue: Refugees and the Political Crisis of our Time, was published by TED Books in November 2017. Website: Rescue.org Twitter: @DMiliband @RESCUEorg

Change-making looks different for every person. It takes the work of an entire community to welcome our refugee friends; from the people donating furniture and setting up apartments to those who meet them at the airport and those walk alongside the refugees helping them adapt to their new environment during those crucial first few months. Alex, and all those working at Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, remind us that the refugees they serve are people who just want a fresh start in life. They want the chance to watch their children grow up in safety. They desire to work and provide for their families. They have dreams and goals just as we do. However, we haven't been forced to flee for our lives as they have. I'm so thankful LFSRM exists to give these refugees a welcoming smile, cultural guidance, and a safe home to start their lives over in. Alex's quote:    "The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people, but it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of every kind." by David W. OrReferences:LFSRM - https://www.lfsrm.org/programs-and-services/refugees/greeleyfort-morgan/LIRS - https://www.lirs.org/UNHCR Figures at a glance - https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.htmlWorld Refugee Day - https://www.un.org/en/observances/refugee-dayVetting Process - https://www.rescue.org/article/how-us-refugee-vetting-and-resettlement-process-really-worksThe nine volags are:1. Church World Service (CWS) (religious)2. Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) (religious)3. Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC)4. Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) (religious)5. International Rescue Committee (IRC)6. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) (religious)7. U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)8. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) (religious)9. World Relief Corporation (WR) (religious)

The coronavirus pandemic has overwhelmed even countries with advanced health care systems, stable politics and resilient economies. For countries affected by conflict and crisis, the potential impact of the disease is truly terrifying.New analysis by the IRC shows that South Sudan has just four ventilators for a population of 10.9 million people. In Moria refugee camp in Greece, the population density is 8.5x higher than on the stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship. In Yemen, the world's largest humanitarian crisis, 18 million people do not have access to proper hygiene, water and sanitation, and a ceasefire was violated just two days after it was signed. Half of Venezuela's doctors have left the country since the beginning of the economic crisis, and 90% of hospitals face shortages of medicine and critical supplies.These societies face a double emergency as COVID-19's health effects are coupled with escalations in conflict and political and economic instability provoked by the outbreak. IRC's analysis shows that immediate action to prevent the spread of the disease is imperative.Join us for a conversation with President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on what the international community can do to mitigate the impact of coronavirus in fragile countries and refugee camps."Should we fail," Miliband says, "not only will the most vulnerable pay the price today for the inaction of the international community, the consequences will be felt across the globe for years, if not decades, to come."

This week we welcome non-governmental organization leader and former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Cassy L. Cox. Cassy transitioned from active service to a role in the private sector as a corporate recruiter, first with a small start-up headhunting firm and then with a large accounting firm. Feeling a bit unfulfilled, she decided to take an 80% pay cut to join an American international non-profit, called the International Rescue Committee (IRC), whose work began with and remains focused on refugees and displaced persons. Between 2009 and 2015, Cassy worked for the IRC on refugee and IDP programming in the United States, Liberia, Kenya and South Sudan. Cassy then transitioned to be the Programmes Director in Somalia for Concern Worldwide, an Irish international non-profit organization that works to reach the most vulnerable populations across the globe. In this role, Cassy covered all humanitarian sectors including education, cash assistance, women's empowerment, and internally displaced persons. Cassy is currently the Strategy Lead for DataKind, a non-profit organization based in New York City, that harnesses the power of the world's most talented volunteer data scientists to solve some of the world's largest problems.  In this episode, Lindsey and Cassy discuss finding meaning and purpose in one's career, the non-governmental organization industry as a career option, and some of the challenges Cassy faced as a transitioning female veteran. ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, FourBlock founder, director of the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, and author of two military transition books. He'll be representing the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey will be representing the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Over 77% of FourBlock alumni stay at their first jobs over 12 months. Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter

A note from Talking Taiwan host Felicia Lin:   What does a robot, Jedi and Wi-Fi have to do with the Ebola crisis? In 2015 I spoke with Wilson Wang a medical doctor by training, who was a Senior Clinical director at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) at the time. We spoke about his work with IRC on the 2014 Ebola outbreak and his career in medicine and public health.     As we deal with the coronavirus here in New York City, I thought with this would be a good time to share this episode. Stay tuned for the next episode of Talking Taiwan. I’ll be bringing back Dr. Wang to speak about how his Ebola work led him to establish Waking Doctors and his current work on COVID-19, the coronavirus in New York City.     Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   The origin, mission and work of International Rescue Committee Wilson’s career in medicine and public health leading up to his work with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) How Wilson balances the practice of medicine with health management How IRC was asked to create an Ebola treatment unit (i.e. a hospital) for Ebola patients How more people died in the 2014 Ebola epidemic than in all of the Ebola epidemics of the past 35 years How for nearly 40 years there hadn’t been reliable medical record keeping about the treatment of Ebola patients What the JEDI app acronym stands for The robot created by Vecna to be used in Liberia U.S. reaction to the Ebola outbreak What’s guided Dr. Wang in his particular career path   Related Links:   Dr. Wilson Wang’s website where he writes about his work: http://wilson-wang.squarespace.com/   Articles about Dr. Wang’s work with IRC on the Ebola epidemic:   http://time.com/3615990/ebola-electronic-health-records/   ihttp://www.fastcolabs.com/3039512/fighting-ebola-with-a-robot-and-an-app-called-jedi   Partners in Health: https://www.pih.org/   Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder: https://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Beyond-Tracy-Kidder/dp/0812973011   An article about the controversy over Dr. Craig Spencer, a volunteer Doctors Without Borders physician who returned to New York with Ebola: https://time.com/3535902/craig-spencer-ebowla-jokes-lack-empathy/

CEO of LEGO Foundation, John Goodwin, joins Alberto Lidji to talk about $100m grants in support of young children in refugee settings; the value of learning through play; and achieving systemic change.   A fascinating episode taking listeners from the LEGO Foundation’s origins in the 1980s to the present day.  We hear how the LEGO Group supports the Foundation and how the Foundation is focused on redefining play and re-imagining learning.   Learning through play is increasingly gaining traction. It is important that the activity in learning through play is meaningful for the child, that it is iterative, that it actively engages the child, and that it is socially interactive and joyful.     The LEGO Foundation's grants are impressive. Over the past two years, the LEGO Foundation has made two grants of $100 million, each in support of early childhood in refugee settings.   In late 2018, the LEGO Foundation made a $100 million grant to Sesame Workshop to bring the power of learning through play to children affected by the Rohingya and Syrian refugee crises.   And, in late 2019, it made another grant to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to bring learning through play to children impacted by crises in Ethiopia and Uganda. The CEO of the IRC is David Miliband and close collaboration with the relevant governments is important.   We also hear how much of the thinking at the LEGO Foundation was triggered by an earlier $100 million grant made by the MacArthur Foundation and how insight from this helped shape their approach.   Is this $100 million grant-making which happened in late 2018 and late 2019, due to become an annual tradition?  John provides the answer and interesting context.   Throughout the conversation, John also sheds light on the LEGO Foundation’s work in Bangladesh, collaborating with BRAC, and its engagement with implementation partners such as Plan International, War Child, Ubongo, BIT (Behavioural Insights Group) and IPA (Innovation for Poverty Action), to name a few.   John's personal narrative is equally fascinating. He provides insight into his career trajectory, from engineering and accounting, to two decades at P&G and, subsequently, to the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation. An interesting journey that will inspire others who seek purpose in their lives.   There are two key takeaways John would like to share with listeners:   (1) No individual chooses to be displaced; they don’t choose to be a refugee. Yet, much of the narrative, unfortunately, that surrounds refugees and displaced individuals is one of negativity towards the individuals that are displaced. All of us that work in the aid sector need to ensure that we are – alongside the terrible plight that these individuals often find themselves in – also presenting to the wider society that there is hope and there can be positivity out of this, if society is more receptive to their fellow human beings. So, trying to talk about this situation in a positive light and change the narrative slightly to incorporate the opportunities that are possible if we all look more with a lens of embrace.   (2) There’s a wonderful richness that can come if we are able to break down our silos and embrace the opportunities that present themselves to bring our expertise and knowledge in a collective way, such that we can draw on the strengths of the private sector, we can draw on the strengths of the aid sector, we can draw on the strengths of the philanthropic sector, and we can draw on the strengths of academia. None of us believes that any one silo has the best solution, but that by coming together we can optimise and create something new that will have that systemic impact that ultimately we seek.  John encourages everyone to collaborate in a non-silo way and come at it with the open, curious mind that we advocate and espouse our children to have through learning through play.   Visit Lidji.org for guest bios, episode notes and useful links.  Please subscribe and share if you enjoy this podcast -- thank you!  

On this episode of Stay Tuned, "Guns, Brexit, and Refugees," host Preet Bharara answers your questions about: -- What laws can be passed to help end America’s gun violence problem -- The Supreme Court’s seminal Second Amendment decision in District of Columbia v. Heller -- Whether proof of an underlying crime is needed to bring an obstruction of justice case -- Foreign policy considerations in prosecutions of foreigners in the U.S. David Miliband, the former British Secretary of State and the president of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), joins Preet for a wide-ranging conversation about the Boris Johnson's election as the U.K.’s Prime Minister, Brexit, and the IRC’s work on behalf of refugees and displaced persons. [Interview begins 11 minutes into the episode] Bonus clips from the interview are available for members of the CAFE Insider community. Sign up to receive free references and supplemental materials for Stay Tuned episodes, a weekly newsletter, and updates from Preet.  As always, tweet your questions to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 669-247-7338 and leave a voicemail. 

In January 2017, Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping entry to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries and dramatically cutting the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the United States each year. The American people spoke up, with protests, marches, donations, and lawsuits that quickly overturned the order. But the refugee caps remained.  The Displaced features essays from seventeen prominent refugee writers from around the world to explore and illuminate their experiences. A timely and poignant collection, the book is also an indictment of the international community closing its doors to refugees and a powerful look at what it means to be forced to leave home and find a place of asylum.  Abrams will donate 10 percent of the cover price of
 this book, a minimum of $25,000, to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a not-for- profit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid, relief, and resettlement to refugees and other victims of oppression or violent conflict. For more information on the IRC, visit  http://www.rescue.org/. In January 2017, Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping entry to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries and dramatically cutting the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the United States each year. The American people spoke up, with protests, marches, donations, and lawsuits that quickly overturned the order. But the refugee caps remained.  The Displaced features essays from seventeen prominent refugee writers from around the world to explore and illuminate their experiences. A timely and poignant collection, the book is also an indictment of the international community closing its doors to refugees and a powerful look at what it means to be forced to leave home and find a place of asylum.  Abrams will donate 10 percent of the cover price of
 this book, a minimum of $25,000, to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a not-for- profit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid, relief, and resettlement to refugees and other victims of oppression or violent conflict. For more information on the IRC, visit  http://www.rescue.org/. Viet Thanh Nguyen (The Sympathizer, The Refugees) is in conversation with fellow contributor Meron Hadero (published in Best American Short Stories, Selected Shorts) and editor Jamison Stoltz.

Sheree Bennet, Technical Advisor at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) talks about the challenges of providing social protection for women and girls in fragile contexts.

LinkedIn for Good hosted David Miliband, CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, to discuss how individuals and organizations can work to alleviate the global refugee crisis. As the son of refugees, David has brought a personal commitment to the IRC’s work. Under his leadership, IRC has launched a global strategy focused on collaborating with the private sector to further its mission to help people whose lives have been shattered by conflict and disaster to regain control of their future. At LinkedIn, this is also an issue we’re actively engaged with: through our Welcome Talent initiative, LIFG partners with nonprofits, governments, and the private sector to provide refugees the training, resources, and networks they need to become a new member of their local workforce. If you’re interested in learning more about the current refugee crisis and how you can help, join us for this important conversation!

Yemen’s unprecedented humanitarian crisis cannot be understood in isolation from the country’s complex political and economic dynamics, International Rescue Committee (IRC) president and CEO David Miliband and other experts agreed at an event on “The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen” on April 5, 2018 hosted by the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda in partnership with the CSIS Middle East Program. Yemen’s humanitarian emergency is both a product and a potential driver of political instability, Miliband argued. Political and diplomatic actors share an urgent responsibility to address the drivers of that instability.  A subsequent panel discussion analyzed the context for Yemen’s humanitarian emergency and the consequences of its persistence. The participants were Barbara Bodine, director of Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and former U.S. ambassador to Yemen, Peter Salisbury, senior consulting fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program, and Abdulrahman al-Eryani, a Yemeni international economist and development specialist.  The speakers agreed that Yemen is a relatively low priority for global powers but argued it should not remain so. Should Yemen’s humanitarian crisis be left to deteriorate, they warned, the consequences will be far-reaching and long-lasting. Charting a constructive path forward requires sustained diplomatic engagement to facilitate aid provision and conflict resolution and to draw a broad base of Yemenis into a process to forge a framework for the future.   In its complexity, its protracted nature, and its devastating toll on civilians, the conflict plaguing Yemen since 2015 embodies what Miliband called some of the most perilous patterns in modern wars. As al-Eryani noted, Yemen’s preexisting fragility was a factor in lowering Yemen’s resilience to the impacts of conflict. Yet, a convergence of factors have made the conflict more harmful to civilians and more complex to resolve. Miliband argued, “This is a manmade conflict with very deep roots and very, very acute consequences.” One factor, the speakers held, is the failure of warring parties to uphold rules of war that protect civilians. Miliband cited information collected by the Yemen Data Project that since the start of Yemen’s conflict, essential infrastructure has been hit by at least 4,500 air strikes, while 342 strikes have hit educational buildings and 68 have hit hospitals and health clinics. Miliband also framed the blocking of aid delivery as not merely a logistical issue, but also a political one. “The problem is strangulation, not access,” he argued. He further asserted that a stable humanitarian supply chain rests on the “permanent” opening of ports to humanitarian and commercial shipments including food, fuel, and medicine. Second, the complex and fragmented nature of Yemen’s conflict has complicated its resolution. It is a gross oversimplification, the speakers agreed, to characterize the war as merely a two-sided contest between the government of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Houthi rebels, nor is it principally a proxy war between a Saudi-led coalition that supports Hadi and Iran, which supports the Houthis. In reality, sub-conflicts are playing out along local, national, regional, and increasingly global axes, and parties often switch sides opportunistically.  Even actors ostensibly allied with each other possess a wide range of agendas and priorities and sometimes come into direct competition with one another, explained Salisbury. He described tensions within the Saudi-led coalition between a “tribal military faction” in the North that has aligned with Islah, Yemen’s leading Islamist party, and a subset of forces backed by the United Arab Emirates in the South that is broadly hostile to Islah. The Houthis are also far from a monolith, Salisbury argued. The political wing leading the negotiations has waning...

Yemen’s unprecedented humanitarian crisis cannot be understood in isolation from the country’s complex political and economic dynamics, International Rescue Committee (IRC) president and CEO David Miliband and other experts agreed at an event on “The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen” on April 5, 2018 hosted by the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda in partnership with the CSIS Middle East Program. Yemen’s humanitarian emergency is both a product and a potential driver of political instability, Miliband argued. Political and diplomatic actors share an urgent responsibility to address the drivers of that instability.  A subsequent panel discussion analyzed the context for Yemen’s humanitarian emergency and the consequences of its persistence. The participants were Barbara Bodine, director of Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and former U.S. ambassador to Yemen, Peter Salisbury, senior consulting fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program, and Abdulrahman al-Eryani, a Yemeni international economist and development specialist.  The speakers agreed that Yemen is a relatively low priority for global powers but argued it should not remain so. Should Yemen’s humanitarian crisis be left to deteriorate, they warned, the consequences will be far-reaching and long-lasting. Charting a constructive path forward requires sustained diplomatic engagement to facilitate aid provision and conflict resolution and to draw a broad base of Yemenis into a process to forge a framework for the future.   In its complexity, its protracted nature, and its devastating toll on civilians, the conflict plaguing Yemen since 2015 embodies what Miliband called some of the most perilous patterns in modern wars. As al-Eryani noted, Yemen’s preexisting fragility was a factor in lowering Yemen’s resilience to the impacts of conflict. Yet, a convergence of factors have made the conflict more harmful to civilians and more complex to resolve. Miliband argued, “This is a manmade conflict with very deep roots and very, very acute consequences.” One factor, the speakers held, is the failure of warring parties to uphold rules of war that protect civilians. Miliband cited information collected by the Yemen Data Project that since the start of Yemen’s conflict, essential infrastructure has been hit by at least 4,500 air strikes, while 342 strikes have hit educational buildings and 68 have hit hospitals and health clinics. Miliband also framed the blocking of aid delivery as not merely a logistical issue, but also a political one. “The problem is strangulation, not access,” he argued. He further asserted that a stable humanitarian supply chain rests on the “permanent” opening of ports to humanitarian and commercial shipments including food, fuel, and medicine. Second, the complex and fragmented nature of Yemen’s conflict has complicated its resolution. It is a gross oversimplification, the speakers agreed, to characterize the war as merely a two-sided contest between the government of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Houthi rebels, nor is it principally a proxy war between a Saudi-led coalition that supports Hadi and Iran, which supports the Houthis. In reality, sub-conflicts are playing out along local, national, regional, and increasingly global axes, and parties often switch sides opportunistically.  Even actors ostensibly allied with each other possess a wide range of agendas and priorities and sometimes come into direct competition with one another, explained Salisbury. He described tensions within the Saudi-led coalition between a “tribal military faction” in the North that has aligned with Islah, Yemen’s leading Islamist party, and a subset of forces backed by the United Arab Emirates in the South that is broadly hostile to Islah. The Houthis are also far from a monolith, Salisbury argued. The political wing leading the negotiations has waning...

This week we talk to former Foreign Secretary David Miliband about his new book Rescue: Refugees and the Political Crisis of our Time. He explains what the refugee crisis tells us about the state of world politics and why it is both so essential and so hard to tackle it. We also talk about climate change, Brexit, the failures of the Blair government and the fate of social democracy in the new 'age of extremes'. David Miliband is currently Chair and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode aired on August 1st 2017, Tahmina talks immigration with Nikki Smith, Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Listen to her insightful thoughts on the invaluable contributions refugees bring to community. Here is the video of our interview: https://www.facebook.com/TahminaTalksImmigration/videos/356926084738326/

Tommy talks with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and former UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, about the famine in four countries that has put 20 million people at risk of starvation. He also offers concrete ways that all of us can help. You can learn more or donate at: https://www.rescue.org/. 

TRUST IN MEDIA LOW... CNN Uses Sesame Street's Elmo to Attack Trump Travel Ban... War with president gets personal... MEDIA/POLITICAL ANALYST: Bryan Crabtree, is the Publisher of Talk40.com, as well as a contributor to Townhall.com, ClashDaily.com and DailyCaller.com. "CNN ran a story on Monday describing the â??wonderfulâ?? visit of Sesame Street character Elmo to a refugee camp in Syria, where he concludes that â??refugee kids are just like us.â?? â??They like to play and learn just like Elmo and all his friends at Sesame Street,â?? Elmo said during an interview broadcast on CNN via Facebook Live. â??Elmo thinks itâ??s important to know that everybody is the same deep down and thatâ??s very important.â?? â??It was really sad because Elmoâ??s new friends told Elmo that they had to leave their homes because it wasnâ??t safe for them to stay,â?? he continued. â??And that made Elmo really sad and sometimes a bit scared.â?? The Elmo puppet was taken to a refugee camp in Jordan â??as part of a pilot program with Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee [IRC],â?? which aims to provide education to children living in the camps. Elmo sat on the panel with IRC Chairman David Miliband and Sesame Workshopâ??s Executive Vice President of Global Impact Sherrie Westin. â??Sesame has had a long history at looking at issues from a childâ??s perspective and given the staggering number of children who are displaced today, we knew this was an area where we really had to try to do something to help and we knew we couldnâ??t do it alone,â?? Westin told the panel. The bizarre story comes amidst a rising problem of credibility at the network. On Monday, three CNN employees resigned over a fake news scandal in which they were forced to retract a hit piece pertaining to Donald Trump and his associates. Meanwhile, footage obtained by investigative journalist James Oâ??Keefeâ??s Project Veritas showed a senior CNN producer admitting that the networkâ??s relentless bashing of President Donald Trump over his alleged links to Russia was â??mostly bullsh*t.â?? READ: www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/06/27/cnn-interviews-sesame-street-elmo-about-wonderful-trip-to-refugee-camp/

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon talks with members of The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce about their business- and community-building partnership. It utilizes community gardens around the Bronx while enabling new refugees to help revitalize urban spaces. Daniel Fitzgerald is Vice President of operations at The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce. Julia Fitzgerald is Vice President of sales at The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce Sheryll Durrant is a Managing Gardener at Kelly Street Gardens. She is also The Farm Coordinator at New Roots Community Farms, part of International Rescue Committee (IRC)  

Immigration and The Executive Order Travel Ban Rachel Adams recently worked alongside Syrian refugees in Greece; Harriet Kuhr, Director, International Rescue Committee (IRC); Elizabeth Valtierra, Chicana teen activist; Richard Schragger, University of Virginia, law professor, expert on the constitution, and city law… Read More

Katie Maeve Murphy, Early Childhood Development Technical Advisor to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), joins host, Angelica Ponguta, Associate Research Scientist at Yale University. Mrs. Murphy discusses IRCs emphasis on family and parenting programs to foster early childhood development in crisis conditions to promote peacebuilding. For more information, visit https://ecdpeace.org/parenting-times-war

Virginia Heffernan talks to David Miliband, the President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), about the effects of President Trump's executive order on refugees worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Virginia Heffernan talks to David Miliband, the President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), about the effects of President Trump's executive order on refugees worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), David Miliband oversees the agency's humanitarian relief operations in more than 40 war-affected countries and its refugee resettlement and assistance programs in 26 United States cities. Under Miliband's leadership, the IRC has expanded its ability to rapidly respond to humanitarian crises and meet the needs of an unprecedented number of people uprooted by conflict, war and disaster. The organization is implementing an ambitious global strategy to bring clear outcomes, strong evidence and systematic research to the humanitarian programs through collaborative partnerships with the public and private sectors. From 2007 to 2010, Miliband was the 74th Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, driving advancements in human rights and representing the U.K. throughout the world. In 2006, as Secretary of State for the Environment, he pioneered the world's first legally binding emissions reduction requirements. He was Member of Parliament for South Shields from 2001 to 2013. Miliband graduated from Oxford University in 1987 with a first class honors degree in philosophy, politics and economics, and received a master's degree in political science in 1989 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which he attended as a Kennedy Scholar. His accomplishments have earned him a reputation, in former President Bill Clinton's words, as "one of the ablest, most creative public servants of our time," and as an effective and passionate advocate for the world's uprooted and poor people. Miliband's parents fled to Britain from continental Europe during World War II and its aftermath. As the son of refugees, he brings a personal commitment to the IRC's work. He lives in New York City with his wife, violinist Louise Shackelton, and their two sons. David Miliband is just one of the extraordinary guests featured on The One Way Ticket Show. In the podcast, Host Steven Shalowitz explores with his guests where they'd go if given a one way ticket, no coming back! Destinations may be in the past, present, future, real, imaginary or a state of mind. Steven's guests have included: Legendary Talk Show Host, Dick Cavett; Law Professor, Alan Dershowitz; CNN's Richard Quest & Bill Weir; Journalist-Humorist-Actor Mo Rocca; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.; Abercrombie & Kent Founder, Geoffrey Kent, as well as leading photographers, artists, writers and more.

Edition #972 Today we look at the racist and xenophobic response to muslims trying to escape their war-torn countries in the wake of the recent Paris attacks   Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill 00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1:  PT 2 Glenn Greenwald on "Submissive" Media's Drumbeat for War and Anti-Muslim Scapegoating - @democracynow - Air Date 11-19-15 Ch. 3: Song 1: Tusk - Errors 00:05:53 Ch. 4: Act 2: How The US Screens Refugees - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-18-15 Ch. 5: Song 2: Clodomir - Imagho 00:10:25 Ch. 6: Act 3: In Spite of Attacks, France Will Welcome Even More Refugees - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 11-19-15 Ch. 7: Song 3: Slipping Away - Michael Andrews 00:14:17 Ch. 8: Act 4: First Muslim Member of U.S. Congress: Restrictions on Syrian Refugees Driven by Fear, Xenophobia - @democracynow - Air Date: 11-26-15 Ch. 9: Song 4: Democracy - Leonard Cohen 00:18:42 Ch. 10: Act 5: Spiritual reflections in an age of terrorism: Refugees - Progressive Faith Sermon w Dr. Rodger Ray - Air Date 11-15-15 Ch. 11: Song 5: Not in our name - DJ Spooky & Saul Williams 00:23:26 Ch. 12: Act 6: Fear-mongering: "CNN Has Led the Way in This" Claims Glenn Greenwald, on CNN - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date: 11-24-15 Ch. 13: Song 6: Good people - Jack Johnson 00:29:28 Ch. 14: Act 7: "Nativist Hysteria" Against Syrian Refugees Echoes U.S. Rejection of Jewish Refugees in 1930s - @democracynow - Air Date 11-24-15 Ch. 15: Song 7: Hipozebra - Selva de Mar 00:37:05 Ch. 16: Act 8: Over Twenty Governors Reject Syrian Refugees Fleeing ISIS - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-17-15 Ch. 17: Song 8: American Land - Bruce Springsteen 00:44:13 Ch. 18: Act 9: Is it actually un-American to fear immigrants and refugees? - About Race - Air Date 11-25-15 Ch. 19: Song 9: Hide Your Tears - Daniel Licht 00:47:55 Ch. 20: Act 10: Tell your Senators to Make #RefugeesWelcome via @theIRC - Best of the Left Activism Ch. 21: Song 10: This fickle world - Theo Bard 00:50:31 Ch. 22: Act 11: Trump Wants Mandatory Badges On Muslim Americans - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-20-15 Voicemails 01:05:02 Ch. 23: White men with guns are not the answer - William J. Jackson Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics 01:06:56 Ch. 24: Final comments on what white supremacy is all about Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone Activism: Tell your Senator to Make #RefugeesWelcome via @theIRC — Best of the Left Activism Take Action: SIGN: "Tell your Senator to Make #RefugeesWelcome: Ask Congress to Support Syrian and Iraqi Refugee Resettlement & Stand for Welcome” DONATE: Make a lifesaving gift that supports refugee families caught in the world’s most urgent humanitarian crisis. GIVE A GIFT: RESCUE GIFTS: Symbolic Gifts. Real Rescue. Additional Activism/Resources: LIKE & FOLLOW: the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on Facebook and on Twitter RETWEET: "FACT. Entering the US as a refugee is by far the most difficult and complex of all routes in. #RefugeesWelcome” from IRC: International Rescue Committee Related Best of the Left Action (11-23-2015): "Oppose the American SAFE Act of 2015 via @TheNation” Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

"Eating Justice: Food justice, food security and community based agriculture" Ellee Igoe, Community Food Security Coordinator for the San Diego chapter of the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Maureen White ’76, cochair of the board of overseers for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), spoke on "Iraqi Refugees: A Hidden Crisis" Thursday, April 16. Her lecture was presented by the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives. In addition to her work with the IRC, White has served on the boards of Human Rights Watch, the International Rescue Committee, Refugees International, and the Chatham House Foundation. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the North American Advisory Board for the London School of Economics. She was the United States government representative to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) from 1997 until 2001, and she served as the national finance chair of the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign and, from 2001 to 2006, for the Democratic National Committee.

AEO's Kevin Kelly sat down with Larry Laverentz, General Dynamics Information Technology Contractor for the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), and Kasra Movahedi, ORR grantee and Community and Economic Development Manager at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in San Diego, CA. Mr. Laverentz discusses ORR's Refugee Rural Initiative, which aims to open up opportunities for refugees, often from agrarian backgrounds, to achieve self-sufficiency through agriculture. Mr. Movahedi shares about IRC's work with ORR as a grantee and about IRC's holistic approach to working with microenterprise and refugees by tying together projects such as urban farm initiatives, nutrition and cooking classes and farm to school programs, where school food will be purchased from local farms.To learn more about AEO's policy priorities, go to http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/index.asp?bid=59To learn more about ORR, go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/To learn more about the International Rescue Committee, go to http://www.theirc.org/To listen to this podcast, click here.