The MUNAlogues - Hello World. Hello Change.

Unity in Diversity with Gladys Ngwa - GENUINE LOVE FOUNDATION, Cameroon

In this episode, I speak with Gladys Ngwa – activist with AWE e.V. and the GENUINE LOVE FOUNDATION, and entrepreneur from Cameroon – about what Unity in Diversity can look like from her perspective. We touch on the difference between tribe and tribalism, on expectations around women, and on questions of respect, equality, and the importance of education and self-esteem. And the SDGs matter, too! Some of these themes remain open, inviting listeners to reflect further for themselves. Join us on a journey – at least in imagination – to Cameroon, often called “Africa in miniature,” and encounter a conversation shaped by different experiences, worldviews, and cultural frames.

S2E2: Living Utopia - Solutions for Peace in Unpeaceful Times, Stories from Israel & Outer Space

Spoiler: Only for voluntary optmists! Most people look in amazement at utopias, at projects that attempt the impossible. Perhaps utopias fascinate us because they require us to get out of our own comfort zones: In order to make a utopia happen, you have to work on yourself. You have not only to want to change yourself but actually change. In this episode you'll hear how about Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, a living utopia in Israel where Israelis and Palestinians are living together peacefully (though not without challenges). And if you believe that Russians and Americans cannot work together these days, give us a listen. Things may be different than they appear.

S2, EP1: The Effect of Forgiveness with Kevin Chaplin - Amy Foundation, South Africa

Meet Kevin Chaplin, a successful banker who gave up his career in the business world to change lives. Kevin is the founder of the South African Ubuntu Foundation [https://saubuntu.org.za/] and Managing Director of the Amy Foundation [https://amyfoundation.co.za/?v=d41d8cd98f00]. Through these foundations he helped more than 1300 students to find employment and created 150 businesses in four years. Find out how Kevin's life is interconnected with the history of South Africa, how forgiveness and being genuine leads to societal change and success, and why Ubuntu is key when you want to bridge racial, religious, cultural, and economic barriers and divisions. Read about Kevin's journey and leadership skills in his book Can Do! Making the Impossible Possible [https://saubuntu.org.za/can-do/]. Join the Ubuntu movement @ #PledgeUbuntu [https://saubuntu.org.za/pledgeubuntu/].

EP16: Bringing Empathy to the Classroom with Sara Lane - Roots of Empathy Canada

No matter how old we are, emotions are part of our lives. Yet, expressing our own feelings and relating to other people doesn't always come easy. It's a skill we need to learn and develop. Roots of Empathy has developed a unique curriculum to increase empathy and emotional literacy for children aged five to thirteen. Their programme helps children to express their feelings and to learn to recognize feelings in others. But it does more than that: it reduces bullying behaviour and it promotes resilience and positive mental health - as independent university research proves. Join my conversation with Sara Lane, the Director of Research and Curriculum of Roots of Empathy, and find out why empathy matters and plays a key role in creating caring, peaceful, and civil societies.

EP15: Cooking for Peace and Change, Stories from Israel & Nigeria

Building peace seems like an impossible task. But just as a popular sports brand keeps reminding us: impossible is nothing. In this episode you'll hear the stories of people who have experienced unrest, conflict, and war and yet won't get discouraged from bringing peace to their communities. They share their recipies on what it takes to bridge the religious gap and they prove American historian and playright, Howard Zinn right: "To live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is in itself a marvellous victory." Sources Chefs for Peace: https://chefs4peace.weebly.com/index.html [https://chefs4peace.weebly.com/index.html], last download 20/03/22. Nigeria: http://africanclimatereporter.com/2022/02/07/ [http://africanclimatereporter.com/2022/02/07/monarchs-multi-faith-leaders-arrange-week-of-events-town-hall-meeting-to-promote-peace-and-unity-in-nigeria-amid-insecurity-and-pandemic/], last download 20/03/22; https://www.pwc.com/ng/en/publications/spotlight-the-nigerian-film-industry.html [https://www.pwc.com/ng/en/publications/spotlight-the-nigerian-film-industry.html], last download 20/03/22; https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/ [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/], last download 20/03/22.