In Conversation: The Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress

In Conversation: Mary Lawlor, Human Rights Defender

On today's show, presenter Mary Moynihan is sharing news about the first-ever Kerry Arts and Human Rights Festival taking place on the 18 and 19 July 2026 in Cahersiveen and Valentia Island, county Kerry, along with details of two open calls for this year's annual International Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival taking place from the 9 to 18 October 2026. For details go to smashingtimes.ie [http://smashingtimes.ie].   The feature guest interview is with award-winning human rights defender Mary Lawlor who has dedicated her career to defending the rights of people around the world. Mary formerly served as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and is an Adjunct Professor of Business and Human Rights in the School of Business at Trinity College Dublin. She is a former Director and Chair of Amnesty International Ireland and is the founder, former Director, and former board member of Front Line Defenders, an organisation dedicated to protecting human rights defenders at risk worldwide.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

In Conversation: The Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress

Smashing Times Arts & Human Rights Radio Show on Dublin South FM 24 June + 1 July 2026, 6-7pm In Conversation: The Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress On today's programme, presenter Mary Moynihan is talking with four guests involved in the second Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress, taking place from the 26 to the 28 of June at the Maldron Hotel in Tallaght, Dublin https://jazic.org/ [https://jazic.org/]. The congress brings together people of all faiths and none to discuss the Palestinian struggle for justice, from an anti-Zionist perspective. The guests on the radio show are as follows: Sue Pentel is a 72 year old Jewish grandmother who was arrested in Belfast by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), while protesting peacefully against the genocide in Gaza. Sue is a member of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Jews for Palestine Ireland. Ria Czerniak-LeBov is a Dublin based visual artist, writer and musician, a member of Jews for Palestine-Ireland and an NCAD lecturer who has exhibited in the RHA amongst other venues. Hadas Emma Kedar is a communications and media arts scholar, involved in teaching, art-making and political activism. Dr Ramzy Baroud, from Gaza, is a journalist, author and the editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of several books, including Before the Flood, a Gaza family memoir, and Gaza Rising, co-edited with Professor Ilan Pappé.    A press conference for the second Jewish Anti-Zionist congress takes place on Thursday 25 June at 5pm, at Buswell’s Hotel, Dublin. All Welcome. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Interview with award-winning theatre practitioner, director, sociologist, and educator Frédérique Lecomte

The Smashing Times Arts and Human Rights Radio show broadcast on Wednesday 27 May, 6-7pm (repeated Wednesday 3 June 2026, 6-7pm) and available as a podcast), features an interview with the award winning internationally recognised theatre practitioner, director, sociologist, and educator Frédérique Lecomte. Frédérique is the founder, CEO and artistic director of Théâtre et Réconciliation located in Brussels, Belgium. The company uses performances and workshops to support reconciliation, trauma recovery, and human rights work, using theatre to promote social engagement and to empower and transform individuals and communities. They have the aim of making theatre with everyone to save the world and create a shared humanity. Frédérique has developed her own theatrical method for over 40 years called Théâtre et Réconciliation, named after the theatre company she founded. Frédérique has worked extensively in Belgium and in conflict zones including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. Enjoy a unique interview with Frédérique as she chats about her work in Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, about her unique theatrical methods and about her one woman show Mere Patrie or The Motherland. The Motherland is described as political cabaret with burlesque and whacky acts, on themes ranging from patriarchy and war to anxieties and alienations, a joyful show of energy and humour, where unmentionable acts happen including a strip tease, and peeling potatoes with your vagina!!!! The play is described as being full of energy and laughter, deconstructing masculinity, how we are brainwashed to support war and the rise of the Far Right.  Frédérique is currently visiting Ireland to work with Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality on a European project called We Are Europe, supported by Erasmus+. Frédérique returns to Ireland in October 2026 for the annual international Irish Arts and Human Rights festival which runs from 9 to 18 October 2026. Frédérique will present what she joyfully calls a ‘one night stand’, a three hour workshop to create a live improvised performance. People can sign up to take part in the workshop and live performance or simply to come and see the show as a spectator. The event is called  Theatre for a Shared Humanity and takes place at the Smashing Times Visual Art Gallery and Centre for the Arts and Human Rights, 30 Sandycove Road, Dublin, A96V9P1 on Monday 12 October, 2026. The workshop runs from 3 to 6pm and the live improvised performance runs from 7.30-9.30pm. Book at smashingtimes.ie or here [https://smashingtimes.ie/event/theatre-for-a-shared-humanity-arts-and-human-rights/] (for workshop + performance) and here [https://smashingtimes.ie/event/theatre-for-a-shared-humanity/] (for performance only). ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Reflections on War and Peace & Interview with Aoife McAtamney

The Smashing Times Arts and Human Rights Radio show broadcast on Wednesday 10 and 16 June 6-7pm (and available as a podcast) features a reflection by Mary Moynihan on war and peace. Global military spending now exceeds €3 trillion every year. Who benefits and where is the equivalent investment in peace? Instead of spending 1.7 billion on defence, should the Irish government spend this money on housing, job creation and peace? Why can billions be found for war spending while poverty homelessness, wealth inequality and climate breakdown continue to worsen? These are the debates we need to have in Irish society and the media.  Artist Mary Moynihan says ‘Ireland can be a leading voice for peace. Defend our neutrality, defend the Triple lock and challenge the growing influence of military and corporate interests on public policy and governments. As our former president Michael D. Higgins said, we need to ‘make space for peace.’   The show features a guest artist interview with Aoife McAtamney, a multidisciplinary artist working with contemporary dance, choreography, filmmaking, music and education. Aoife is Artistic Director of Daughter of a Drum, and a part of Choreography Connects, a CoisCéim artist-led residency project. Aoife is currently doing an Artist Residency with Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality at 30 Sandycove Road, Dublin. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Interview with award-winning theatre practitioner, director, sociologist, and educator Frédérique Lecomte

The Smashing Times Arts and Human Rights Radio show broadcast on Wednesday 27 May, 6-7pm (repeated Wednesday 3 June 2026, 6-7pm) and available as a podcast), features an interview with the award winning internationally recognised theatre practitioner, director, sociologist, and educator Frédérique Lecomte. Frédérique is the founder, CEO and artistic director of Théâtre et Réconciliation located in Brussels, Belgium. The company uses performances and workshops to support reconciliation, trauma recovery, and human rights work, using theatre to promote social engagement and to empower and transform individuals and communities. They have the aim of making theatre with everyone to save the world and create a shared humanity. Frédérique has developed her own theatrical method for over 40 years called Théâtre et Réconciliation, named after the theatre company she founded. Frédérique has worked extensively in Belgium and in conflict zones including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.