Episode 8: Championing Change and Peace - A Dialogue with Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee
From the tumultuous regions of Israel and Palestine to the terrains of Rwanda and Nepal, women are driving the fight for peace using innovative tactics. As we grapple with a violent world, how do we tap into our collective humanity? To gain some insight, we turn to those who have been tireless - and successful - in their fight for justice.
Leymah Gbowee shares how her upbringing, where she was taught the significance of education and standing up for her beliefs, paved the way for her to become a beacon of hope and change. From her youth as a spirited high school senator to a globally recognized peace activist and 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, she demonstrates the formidable power of the human spirit and the immense potential of women in championing human rights and equity. Together we journey through the cataclysmic impacts of war, with unique emphasis on the pivotal role of women in bidding peace. We discuss the Second Liberian Civil War, the displacement it wrought, and the residual trauma that survivors grapple with. Despite these daunting realities, the spotlight remains on the unyielding courage of Leymah and the women who stood by her, protesting against the war - a testament to the potency of active nonviolence in instigating meaningful change.
A full video of Leymah's talk can be found here.