The Moment We Chose Each Other: The Students of Serbia and the Power of Solidarity

🎧 Listen NowThis episode captures the most dangerous phase of Serbia's student movement---the moment when peaceful protest evolved into political power, and the regime's response turned brutal.Following Part 1's foundation of how grief became mobilization, Part 2 reveals what happened when students crossed the ultimate threshold: entering politics in a system designed to crush opposition. Through the voices of Katica, Nina and Natalija, we witness the Green Light campaign, mass arrests of over 300 students, and the vision of a future worth fighting for.This is the story of young people who refused to be silenced---and paid the price with their freedom, their safety, and their futures.🧵 Episode OverviewIn this continuation of Episode 3, Liza Florida returns to conversation with the same three students ---Katica Stevanovic, Nina Kustudic and Natalija Petrovic---as they navigate the movement's most perilous evolution.What began as mourning and blockades transformed into something the regime feared most: organized political opposition. The students describe their decision to form an electoral list---a move that immediately placed targets on their backs and escalated government repression to unprecedented levels.Through firsthand accounts of June 28th's violence, mass arrests, and ongoing intimidation, these women reveal the true cost of challenging entrenched power. Yet their testimonies also carry profound hope: a vision of Serbia where children can be children, where institutions serve citizens, and where young people stay because they can thrive, not just survive.This episode documents the point where student activism became existential---and where courage became the only path forward.🔑 Key Topics CoveredBreaking the Political Taboo Why students overcame their fear of the word "politics" and decided to build an electoral list.The Green Light Campaign How students gave citizens permission to act---and what followed when the people responded.June 28th: The Turning Point Police brutality escalates as the regime recognizes the true threat of organized student opposition.300+ Arrests in One Week The unprecedented crackdown following the electoral announcement and its impact on students and families.Building Democratic Infrastructure How the student electoral list was algorithmically designed to represent all universities fairly.The Algorithm of Representation A transparent system allocating parliamentary seats based on enrollment numbers across Serbia's higher education institutions.Solidarity as Survival Why "leaving nobody behind" became the movement's core principle during its darkest hour.A Vision Worth Fighting For What kind of Serbia these students are risking everything to create.🧠 Voices from the Frontlines"In Serbia, politics is a curse word. But we realized everything is politics---and we were fighting Goliath with nothing but our voices.""We had protests with hundreds of thousands of people, and it wasn't enough. People kept asking: 'What then?' We needed a concrete solution.""The moment we asked for elections---crickets. Silence. Because he realized we actually have a chance to win.""June 28th was when the police brutality really started. Before that, our relationship was mostly cordial.""We had more than 300 students arrested in a week. That's when we knew the stakes had changed completely.""I have a dream---to live in a country where I don't know the name of any minister, because I'm content with the work they're doing.""This world needs changing. We're headed to a very dark place. But no goal is unachievable if every fight is the fight we pick.""Authoritarian regimes rely on isolation. When stories cross borders, they disrupt the silence.""I want a Serbia where young people don't have to leave, where they can thrive and not just survive.""I want our children to stay children. High schoolers have been protesting way too much."💡 Political Strategy & Democratic InnovationThe Student Electoral List An independent political list composed of experts and policy holders unaffiliated with existing regime or opposition parties.Algorithmic Seat Allocation Transparent formula distributing parliamentary positions based on university enrollment numbers and geographic representation.The Green Light Campaign Strategic messaging empowering citizens to take whatever action they deemed necessary for change.Infrastructure Beyond Blockades Building electoral campaign systems designed to outlast the immediate protest phase.🤝 Connect with the Students of SerbiaThe Students of Serbia represent a rising global call for transparency, accountability, and dignity.Follow their movement and ongoing actions through student-led social channels:Katica Stevanvoic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katica-stevanovic-4614442b0/   Nina Kustodic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninakustudic/🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida | @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: Eight Billion Podcast💼 LinkedIn: Liza Florida🌐 Website: lizaflorida.com🙏 Special ThanksTo Katica, Nina and Natalija---for their unwavering courage in the face of arrest, intimidation, and violence.To the International Peace Bureau---for partnership and support throughout this series.To the 300+ students arrested for demanding democracy---your sacrifice is not forgotten.To the families who continue supporting their student activists despite the risks.And to our listeners: may this episode remind you that democracy requires more than hope---it requires those brave enough to enter the arena, even when the cost is everything.🔗 About the SeriesWomen as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented by Eight Billion in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau. Each episode uplifts women and youth shaping a more just, peaceful, and accountable world.

🎧 Listen NowThis episode brings listeners from the historical context established in Episode 1 directly into the lived experience of Serbia’s student movement. Through the voices of Katica, Nina and Natalija, we move beyond chronology and into conscience—into the moment when collective grief transformed into collective action.What began as a tragedy in Novi Sad became a reckoning for an entire generation. This conversation captures the point where history stopped being something observed—and became something lived, organized, and defended.🧵 Episode OverviewFollowing the historical groundwork laid in Episode 1, Episode 2, Part 1 centers the voices of the students themselves.Liza Florida sits down with three student leaders who emerged at the forefront of Serbia’s mass civic awakening following the November 1st collapse of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad, a preventable disaster that claimed 16 lives. Rather than recounting events from a distance, this episode offers firsthand testimony—what it felt like to live inside a system where corruption is not abstract, but lethal.The students describe how mourning evolved into mobilization, and how universities became sanctuaries of resistance. Through democratic student assemblies known as Plenums, young people from vastly different disciplines—engineering, philosophy, medicine, and the arts—came together to practice the democracy they felt had been stripped from public life.From sleeping on faculty floors in freezing conditions to facing police repression and public intimidation, these women reveal a new form of leadership rooted not in hierarchy, but in solidarity, care, and moral clarity.This is not a story about politics as ideology—it is about survival, accountability, and the fundamental right to live.🔑 Key Topics CoveredThe Fall of the CanopyA firsthand account of the Novi Sad tragedy and the immediate shock that ignited a national awakening.Corruption as a Life-Threatening RealityHow systemic negligence and state-aligned reconstruction projects led to fatal consequences.11:52 AM — The Power of SilenceThe weekly collective pause honoring the victims, transforming grief into public remembrance.When Students Were AttackedWhy violence against students became a turning point that mobilized broader public outrage.The Plenum ModelAn inside look at horizontal, democratic student assemblies used to debate, organize, and decide collectively.Inter-Faculty UnityHow collaboration between technical sciences and the humanities strengthened the movement.The Right to LiveA shift away from partisan framing toward a universal demand for safety, dignity, and accountability.Resilience Under PressureThe personal cost of resistance—sleep deprivation, surveillance, intimidation, and propaganda.🧠 Voices from the Frontlines“We realized we could lose our lives if we don’t speak up now. This isn’t about ideology—it’s about the right to walk down the street safely.”“Attacking students—the future engineers, doctors, and lawyers—is what truly angered the people.”“Our professors told us they were learning democracy from us again—learning how to listen.”“The faculty became our home. We came with sleeping bags and food and said: ‘This space is now protected.’”“It was coincidence that 16 people were killed—and coincidence that more weren’t. Everyone knows someone it could have been.”“True strength comes from love, solidarity, and honoring life.”💡 Grassroots Organizing & Collective ActionPlenum (Student Assemblies)Horizontal decision-making spaces that restored participatory democracy within universities.Campus BlockadesSustained, nonviolent occupations that transformed academic institutions into centers of civic resistance.STAV (Student Activism Group)A Novi Sad–based collective continuing its work despite arrests, trials, and state pressure.🤝 Connect with the Students of SerbiaThe Students of Serbia represent a rising global call for transparency, accountability, and dignity.Follow their movement and ongoing actions through student-led social channels:Katica Stevanvoic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katica-stevanovic-4614442b0/Nina Kustodic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninakustudic/🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida | @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: Eight Billion Podcast💼 LinkedIn: Liza Florida🌐 Website: lizaflorida.com🙏 Special ThanksTo Katica, Nina and Natalija—for their courage, clarity, and commitment to truth.To the International Peace Bureau—for partnership and support throughout this series.To the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy and their families—your lives are honored, your memory held.And to our listeners: may this episode remind you that democracy is not inherited—it is practiced, protected, and renewed by those brave enough to stand.🔗 About the SeriesWomen as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented by Eight Billion in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau. Each episode uplifts women and youth shaping a more just, peaceful, and accountable world.

Women as Agents of Change | Students of Serbia — After the Fall of the Canopy (Episode 1)On November 1, 2024, a canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, claiming sixteen lives and shattering the sense of normalcy across Serbia. What followed was not only a period of national grief, but the beginning of a profound civic awakening.This episode lays the historical foundation for a two-part podcast series on the Students of Serbia—tracing the year that followed the Fall of the Canopy and the conditions that gave rise to one of the most significant student-led movements in modern European history.Through remembrance rituals, silent vigils, democratic plenums, long-distance marches, and mass mobilizations, Serbian students transformed grief into collective action. As institutions faltered and pressure intensified, women emerged at the frontlines—holding space, organizing, protecting, and sustaining the movement with courage, clarity, and care.Episode 1 focuses on:- The aftermath of the canopy collapse and its national impact- How student organizing evolved in the months that followed- The emergence of silence, solidarity, and remembrance as forms of resistance- The role of women in holding the moral and emotional center of the movement- The events leading up to the pivotal March 15 gathering in BelgradeThis episode does not seek to sensationalize tragedy. It exists to document history, honor lives lost, and provide context for understanding how a generation chose unity over division—and love over fear.🎙️ This is the Eight Billion Podcast, in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau, as part of our ongoing series Women as Agents of Change.Episode 2 transitions into Podcast Part 1, featuring in-depth interviews with three women students who share where they were when the canopy collapsed and how the events outlined in Episode 1 unfolded for women on the frontlines of the movement. (Out January 7, 2026)  📌 Subscribe, listen, and join us in witnessing a story that is still unfolding.This content is presented for educational and documentary purposes only. It reflects publicly reported events, historical accounts, and firsthand narratives intended to foster understanding, dialogue, and awareness. It does not constitute political advocacy or endorsement.#StudentsOfSerbia #WomenAsAgentsOfChange #EightBillionPodcast #InternationalPeaceBureau

🎧 Listen NowThis episode takes you to the heart of Sudan through the voice of Fatima Medani, a Sudanese advocacy and policy consultant who embodies vision and radical compassion. Prepare to have your understanding of international aid and peacebuilding transformed as Fatima reveals how women-led, grassroots movements are not just surviving—they are creating a new future for their communities, challenging the world to listen, learn, and co-create.🧵 Episode OverviewIn this vital episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida speaks with Fatima Medani, whose work bridges global policy with local, on-the-ground resilience in Sudan. Fatima shares her deeply personal connection to her homeland, explaining how the inherent self-reliance and interconnectedness of Sudanese communities have given rise to powerful, women-led initiatives. Long before the recent conflict, these groups were filling the institutional gaps left by formal mechanisms.This conversation dismantles the outdated and harmful donor-recipient narrative. Fatima powerfully argues for a shift towards transformative justice—not fixing what is broken, but transforming the relationships that allow harm to occur. Through vivid examples like the Community Kitchens and the evolution of Resistance Committees into Emergency Response Rooms, she illustrates how local women are sophisticated leaders in logistics, safety, and care. This is not a story about victims waiting to be saved; it is a demand for international actors to see these women as equal partners, co-creators, and the true experts in building a sustainable peace.🔑 Key Topics CoveredThe Fabric of Community: How Sudan’s culture of interconnectedness and self-reliance is the natural foundation for powerful grassroots movements.Sudan as the "Toxic Boyfriend": Fatima’s personal and deeply honest reflection on her unwavering sense of responsibility and connection to her homeland.Women-Led Resilience: A detailed look at how women's groups are addressing critical needs—from safety and trauma care to food security and reproductive health—that formal systems fail to meet.From Political Protest to Humanitarian Aid: The story of how Resistance Committees adapted after the war, transforming into Emergency Response Rooms to provide essential services like mobile clinics and schools.Transformative Justice vs. Charity: Fatima’s core argument for shifting from a model of "helping" to one of co-creation, where international partners support the work already being done by local leaders.Dismantling the Donor-Recipient Narrative: A critique of how traditional aid models strip women of their agency and why they must be seen as equal partners, not passive beneficiaries.The Power of Proximity: Why those closest to the problem are also closest to the solution, and how this principle should reshape all peacebuilding efforts.Mapping the Movement: An inside look at Fatima's current needs assessment project, designed to document the strategies of feminist movements to drive systemic change.🧠 Powerful Quotes from Fatima Medani"Transformative justice in its heart is not fixing what's been broken. It's basically transforming the relationship.""Sudan is my toxic boyfriend. Even though I went internationally... I sort of found myself coming back to it. I don't know, a sense of responsibility.""Stop calling women in Sudan beneficiaries, stop calling them recipient. They are the co-creators of this trade. And they are equal partners and peers.""The question should not be, how can we help? The question should naturally be who is doing the work and how can we support them? Yes, on their term.""The grassroots, it's something within the fabric of the community itself because they rely on each other to bridge the gaps and fulfill the need.""If you think that we are so close to the problem, might as well, it only makes sense that we should be so close to the solution, right?"💡 Innovative Projects & Global InitiativesEmergency Response Rooms (ERRs): The evolution of the political Resistance Committees, these hyper-local groups adapted to the conflict to provide a range of humanitarian aid, from mobile health clinics to educational support.Community Kitchens: More than just a source of food, these spaces act as vital social hubs where women coordinate, share information, and make high-level decisions about supply chains and nutrition.Grassroots Feminist Needs Assessment: A current research project Fatima is involved in to map and understand the resilience strategies of feminist organizations in Sudan, with the goal of using the data to influence policy and drive systemic change.🤝 Connect with Fatima MedaniFatima Medani is a vital voice in advocacy for Sudan and a leader in reimagining peacebuilding. To follow her work and support grassroots movements, you can find her insights on global policy platforms and connect with her via:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatima-mutasim-medani?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119  🌐 Website: https://lizaflorida.com/🙏 Special ThanksTo Fatima Medani for her brilliant analysis, her powerful storytelling, and her unwavering dedication to the women of Sudan. Thank you for sharing your truth and challenging us all to do better.To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel.To the women peacebuilders and human rights defenders in Sudan and across the globe who are leading the way with courage and ingenuity.To our listeners, may this episode inspire you to question outdated narratives, champion equitable partnerships, and amplify the voices of grassroots leaders.🔗 About the Series: Women as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.

This episode introduces you to the luminous journey of Bai Rohaniza "Honey" Husman, a woman of extraordinary grace and a descendant of the Maranao royalty in the Philippines. Known lovingly as Princess Bai Rohaniza, Ani translates her noble heritage as a traditional bridge builder into a modern-day mission for peace. Prepare to be inspired as Ani shares how her organization, the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement, is sowing seeds of peace in the hearts and minds of children, proving that true royalty lies in service to humanity.🧵 Episode Overview In this powerful episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida sits down with Bai Rohaniza "Honey" Husman, whose life story is a testament to the power of turning personal history into a global mission. Honey recounts how her formative years, marked by the sirens and fear of the Gulf War, planted a deep longing to help children affected by conflict. Guided by her unique interfaith family roots—a Maranao Muslim father and a Catholic-born mother who embraced Islam—she embodies a message of unity that transcends cultural and religious divides.This conversation explores the heart of her work with the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement, a vision she brought to life in 2013. Honey explains her core philosophy: that peace is not merely a concept to be studied but a skill to be practiced daily, just like math or science. Through innovative programs like the "Peaceable Classroom," she is equipping children with tools for mindfulness, empathy, and conflict resolution. This isn't a story about passively hoping for a better world; it is a blueprint for actively building one, child by child, classroom by classroom, proving that those closest to the chaos are also closest to the solution.🔑 Key Topics CoveredA Childhood Shaped by Conflict: How Honey’s experience as a child during the Gulf War ignited her lifelong commitment to peacebuilding.A Legacy of Peace: The influence of her Maranao royal heritage and a family of traditional mediators on her modern-day mission.Bridge of Faiths: How growing up in a loving interfaith (Muslim-Catholic) family became the foundation for her approach to unity and understanding.The Vision of a Movement: The deeply personal story and prayerful discernment that led to the creation of the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement in 2013.Prevention and Aftercare: A look into the movement's two-track approach: the "Peace Heroes Formation Program" for prevention and an aftercare track for the healing and reintegration of youth "returnees."The Peaceable Classroom: Honey’s innovative methodology for making peace a daily, lived practice in schools through tools like "Mindful Minutes" and co-created peace agreements.Peace Through Creativity: The essential role of art, music, storytelling, and creative expression as universal languages for healing and connection.From Inner Peace to Global Movement: The deep spiritual faith that grounds Honey’s work and her unwavering vision for creating a global citizenry of "Peace Heroes."🧠 Powerful Quotes from Bai Rohaniza Husman"Art reaches the heart even faster than words... It helps us heal from our past, and it helps us build a kind of hope.""I had a dream, which is to raise a generation of Filipino children who know what peace truly means, even in the face of conflict and violence.""What if peace was something we taught every day? Just like science and math... What if peace was taught in such a way we're in it's part of our daily life.""Peace begins within our hearts, our minds. Our actions every day, peace begins with you. You are the difference. You are the peace, you are the movement.""It's a symbol of hope that never gives up." (Referring to the Aftercare Peace Track Guidebook)."Love knows no boundaries. Love moves in wonderous ways."💡 Innovative Projects & Global InitiativesPeace Heroes Formation Program: The flagship initiative designed to build a citizenry of peace heroes through two main tracks: prevention/protection in schools and an aftercare journey for youth returnees.The Peaceable Classroom Toolkit: A tangible learning resource book filled with strategies and tools that empower teachers to integrate peace into daily classroom routines, from "Mindful Minutes" to "Peace Jargons."Music for Peace Camps: Creative camps where children and youth express their stories of pain and hope by composing heartfelt songs, transforming them into "Musicians for Peace Ambassadors."Aftercare Peace Track Guidebook (The "Pink Book"): A trauma-informed guidebook created as a "labor of love" to support the healing and reintegration journey of returnees and their families.🤝 Connect with Bai Rohaniza Husman & Teach Peace Build Peace Movement, and her team are expanding their mission to more schools and communities. To follow their work and support the creation of a new generation of Peace Heroes, you can connect with them via:Facebook: Teach Peace Build Peace MovementInstagram: @teachpeace.buildpeaceYouTube: Teach Peace Build Peace Movement🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119🌐 Website: https://lizaflorida.com/🙏 Special ThanksTo Bai Rohaniza Husman for her profound wisdom, her gentle strength, and her unwavering dedication to the children of the Philippines. Thank you for sharing your heart and showing us how to build a more beautiful world.To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel.To the women peacebuilders and human rights defenders in the Philippines and across the globe who are leading the way with courage and ingenuity.To our listeners, may this episode inspire you to find the peace within, to build bridges in your own communities, and to champion the next generation of peace heroes.🔗 About the Series: Women as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.

🎧 Listen NowThis episode brings you a powerful and unflinching conversation with Shirine Jurdi, a global advocate for women, peace, and security from Lebanon. Prepare to challenge your perspectives as Shirine dismantles the narratives often imposed on women in conflict zones, offering a raw and honest look at the realities of war, justice, and the fight for a life of dignity, not just survival.🧵 Episode OverviewIn this essential episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida connects with Shirine Jurdi, President of the Lebanese section of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Shirine shares how her childhood experiences during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon shaped her lifelong mission for a just peace. She offers a critical analysis of how Lebanon's colonial and sectarian history has created systemic barriers to gender equality, challenging the external perception of Lebanon as a progressive nation for women.This conversation goes to the heart of what true solidarity means. Shirine powerfully rejects the label of "resilience," arguing it romanticizes suffering and absolves the world of its responsibility. Through personal stories, including a heartbreaking realization from her young nephew, she illustrates the deep psychological scars of perpetual conflict. This is not a story of victimhood; it is a demand to be seen as a leader, a call for the international community to stop, listen, and co-create solutions rooted in human rights and genuine care.🔑 Key Topics CoveredA Childhood Shaped by War: How surviving the 1982 Israeli invasion as a child ignited Shirine’s sense of purpose and advocacy.The Myth of Progressiveness: A critical look at the gap between the perception of Lebanese women's freedom and the lived reality of legal and political inequality.Legacy of Colonialism: How Lebanon’s confessional political system, a remnant of its colonial past, continues to marginalize women and prioritize sectarian loyalty over citizenship.Resisting "Resilience": Shirine’s powerful argument against the term "resilient," explaining why it is a harmful label that normalizes hardship and injustice.The Trauma of War on Children: A moving story about her nephew’s cynical view that "they don't care," revealing the profound psychological impact of conflict on the next generation.Women as Agents, Not Projects: A call to shift from tokenistic, donor-driven projects to centering women as knowledgeable leaders with causes, not cases.A Demand for True Solidarity: Why messages of support, ceasing arms shipments, and collective advocacy are critical lifelines for those living under bombardment.Adaptive, Localized Action: The importance of balancing global agendas with local needs and being flexible enough to pivot strategies when war breaks out, as seen with her work on small arms.🧠 Powerful Quotes from Shirine Jurdi"You do me harm when you call me resilient. It means that you agree to my hardship. I don't want to be resilient. I deserve to have a proper life.""We love life. We want to live in peace, but just peace, which is centered as a human rights approach away from fear.""Don't look at me as a victim. Look at me as a leader. Look at me as your sister.""With my privileges, I want to do an impact. It's not tokenism. It's... what you do in life that can make really an impact on your community.""We need to rehumanize our policies and to have also these children as centered, like their dignity."On her nephew's reaction to the war: "He said, 'No, because they don't care.' And I could never forget this. They don't care."💡 Innovative Projects & Global InitiativesWomen Peace Tables: A responsive project by WILPF Lebanon and Peace Women Across the Globe, shifted from a focus on small arms to creating safe spaces for displaced women to share their immediate needs for safety and dignity during the war.Young Women Plus Leadership Network: An inclusive network Shirine established for young Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian women and men to co-create agendas and build bridges between communities.Local Mediation Unit: An initiative to institutionalize a mediation unit within a local women's organization, demonstrating a model for linking international peace frameworks with grassroots needs.🤝 Connect with Shirine JurdiShirine Jurdi is a leading voice in the Women, Peace, and Security movement. To follow her work with WILPF Lebanon and support the call for a just peace, you can connect with her directly:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirine-jurdi-92439027/🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119🌐 Website: https://lizaflorida.com/🙏 Special ThanksTo Shirine Jurdi for her courage, her clarity, and her powerful testimony. Thank you for sharing your truth and for your tireless work to build a more just world.To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel.To the women peacebuilders and human rights defenders in Lebanon and across the globe who stand for justice in the face of conflict.To our listeners, may this episode move you to listen more deeply, challenge harmful narratives, and find your role in building collective solidarity.🔗 About the SeriesWomen as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.

🎧 Listen NowDive into a sacred conversation with Auntie Ivy Smith, a wisdom keeper and indigenous advocate from Aotearoa. This episode is a bridge between ancient truths and future possibilities—a global message of healing, responsibility, and profound change.🧵 Episode OverviewIn this deeply moving episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida sits down with her dear friend, Auntie Ivy Smith, a powerful voice for indigenous peoples worldwide. Auntie Ivy shares the sacred story behind her facial tattoo (tā moko), a global message for humanity. She recounts her decade-long, self-funded journey to over 30 countries to connect with frontline communities, find truth, and build alliances.This conversation goes beyond talk and into the heart of action. Auntie Ivy introduces her vision for a global treaty—one not owned by governments, but held in reverence for Mother Earth and stewarded by the next generation. She speaks on the power of ancestral technology, the urgent need for collective healing, and the critical solutions indigenous communities have always held. This is not just a podcast episode; it is a call to remember who we are, heal the past, and unite to protect our planet for a better tomorrow.🔑 Key Topics CoveredThe Sacred Story: Auntie Ivy explains the profound meaning of her facial tattoo—a message of responsibility, accountability, and the interconnectedness of all life.A Global Walk for Truth: Her experience traveling self-funded to over 30 countries to listen, learn, and build a network of over 200 frontline ambassadors for change.A Vision for a Global Treaty: The powerful concept of a treaty where ownership belongs to Mother Earth, designed to move beyond colonial frameworks and be led by the youth.The Old Ways are the New Way: Contrasting the destructive behaviors of greed and control with the true wealth of indigenous cultures: sharing, mutual care, and living in balance with nature.The Rise of Youth Leadership: Why the younger generation is crucial for the future and how we must support, guide, and protect them as they lead the charge.Ancestral Technology & Real Solutions: A call to invest in proven indigenous solutions for clean water, clean energy, and healing medicine, rather than wasting resources on less effective modern technologies.The Urgency of Healing: Why collective healing from past traumas is essential to move forward and how supporting indigenous healers is key to healing humanity.A Call to Action for Humanity: A direct appeal for allies, resources, and good-hearted investors to help record sacred wisdom, establish healing centers, and buy back land to implement lasting solutions.🧠 Powerful Quotes from Auntie Ivy Smith"This sacred story is a global message for humanity, and it comes with a responsibility, a dedication and accountability to how you conduct yourself.""We've always had the solutions. Our wealth is looking after each other, our wealth of sharing.""The ownership belongs to Mother Earth, this planet and everything that gives us life. We humanity... just need to educate and bring awareness.""If we don't heal the past, we are gonna continue to take this energy forward.""We are in 2025. We have the solutions and we want to share, train, upskill people that want to be a part of this movement. And we are ready now to start today, to save tomorrow.""Please come and sit with us so we can share our truth and wisdom, our knowledge."💡 Innovative Projects & Global InitiativesA Global Treaty for Mother Earth: A visionary framework for planetary stewardship that removes government and corporate ownership, placing reverence for the Earth at its center. The goal is to gather allies and hold a summit to formalize and launch this movement.Sacred Wisdom Film Archive: An urgent project to fund a film crew to travel to remote locations and record the knowledge of the last sacred wisdom holders before it is lost forever.Global Indigenous Healing Centers: A call to establish and support healing centers led by true indigenous healers to address trauma, addiction, and homelessness, and to train others in ancient healing practices.Ancestral Technology Fund: A plea for investment in implementing proven, ancient indigenous technologies for free energy, water purification, and sustainable agriculture to create fast, effective change.🤝 Connect with Auntie Ivy SmitInstagram: @auntyivy.eartEmail: [email protected] Ivy is building a global movement and is calling in allies, investors, and good-hearted people. To learn more about the treaty, her projects, or how you can contribute, please reach out via the contact information in the episode's description box or connect with Liza Florida, who can facilitate an introduction.🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119🌐 Website: https://lizaflorida.com/🙏 Special ThanksTo Auntie Ivy Smith for sharing her sacred story, her profound wisdom, and her powerful vision for a healed world. Thank you for your heart and your tireless work.To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel.To the indigenous wisdom keepers and frontline defenders around the world who protect the sacred for all of humanity.To our listeners, may you hear this call to action, find your role in the change, and remember that we are all in this together.🔗 About the SeriesWomen as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.

🎧 Listen NowJourney into the heart of activism in Cameroun with Cyrille Rolande Bechon, a fearless human rights defender who stands resilient against systemic injustice and direct threats to her life's work.🧵 Episode OverviewIn this powerful episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida connects with the indomitable Cyrille Rolande Bechon, Executive Director of Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme (New Human Rights) Cameroun. Cyrille shares her incredible journey from growing up in a large polygamous family, where she first learned to fight for her voice, to becoming a leading activist for democracy and human rights in her nation. She provides a raw, firsthand account of the pressing human rights violations in Cameroun, fueled by an authoritarian regime and widespread conflict.This is a story of profound courage. Cyrille details the devastating physical and cyberattacks on her organization this year, which resulted in the loss of 15 years of work. Yet, through it all, her spirit remains unbroken. This conversation is a testament to the power of community, the crucial role of data-driven advocacy, and the unwavering passion that fuels activism even in the darkest of times.🔑 Key Topics CoveredA Childhood of Defiance: Cyrille’s upbringing in a traditional, polygamous family and the pivotal moment she addressed her own father in a family meeting to assert her rights as a young girl.Freedom of Speech as Survival: How personal life choices that defied societal norms forced her to develop a fierce commitment to her own voice and autonomy.The State of Human Rights in Cameroun: An inside look at the country's most urgent issues, including a decades-long authoritarian regime, the shrinking of civic space, torture in detention, the Anglophone crisis, and rampant violence against women.Advocacy in Action: Cyrille’s strategy of using individual legal aid cases—like the exoneration of a man after 15 years of wrongful imprisonment—to expose systemic flaws and fuel data-driven advocacy for national reform.Under Attack: A harrowing account of the recent break-in, vandalism, and theft that destroyed her organization's office and 15 years of work, followed by a crippling cyberattack.Unbreakable Resilience: How Cyrille and her team found the strength to return to their mission, motivated by an outpouring of local and international solidarity.The Power of Solidarity: What solidarity looks and feels like on the ground, from messages from the community saying "Never give up" to support from international organizations.A Vision for a New Cameroun: Cyrille’s dream for her country—a place where basic needs are met, justice prevails, and women and girls hold power in every sector of life.🧠 Powerful Quotes from Cyrille Bechon"Freedom of speech... become a matter of survival. You have to fight to have a place, you have to fight to be heard, you have to fight to make people accept my choices.""We are not employees, we are activists. We do this because we have a vision.""They took everything, but they didn't take our passion. They didn't take our heart on what we are doing.""While looking for relief for victim, we use those data to fuel the advocacy work.""Never give up. We need you." (Message from the community after the attacks)"My heart, my hands are open... It is our fight. It's not others. It is the fight for our life."💡 Innovative Projects & Global InitiativesNouveaux Droits de l’Homme (NDH) Cameroun: Cyrille's organization, which promotes and protects the rule of law and democratic principles. It provides legal aid to victims of violence and advocates for systemic reform.Case-Based Advocacy: NDH's core strategy of meticulously documenting individual human rights cases to create an undeniable evidence base, which is then used to pressure the justice system and advocate for legal and policy changes.Community and Youth Engagement: Proactive work in universities, schools, and local communities to educate citizens on their rights and build grassroots support for democracy and justice, engaging with traditional and religious leaders to foster dialogue.🤝 Connect with Cyrille Rolande Bechon💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrille-rolande-bechon-a4425446/?originalSubdomain=cm🌐 Nouveaux Droits de l’Homme Cameroun: https://ndhcameroun.org/ 👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CRBechon/🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119🌐 Website: https://lizaflorida.com/🙏 Special ThanksTo Cyrille Rolande Bechon for her incredible bravery, resilience, and unwavering dedication to building a more just and democratic Cameroun.To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ipb1910/videos.To human rights defenders everywhere who continue to fight for a more just world, often at great personal risk.To our listeners, may this story inspire you to use your voice and remember the profound impact of solidarity.🔗 About the SeriesWomen as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.

🎧 Listen NowDive into a powerful conversation on human rights, resilience, and the fight for justice with Randa Siniora, a leading Palestinian feminist and human rights activist.🧵 Episode OverviewIn this compelling episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida sits down with the incredibly insightful Randa Siniora, a Human Rights Defender and General Director of the Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling in Palestine. Randa shares her deeply personal journey, shaped by a legacy of displacement and a lifelong defiance of patriarchal norms. She discusses the critical intersection of colonial occupation and patriarchal structures, specifically how they disproportionately impact Palestinian women.This isn’t just a conversation about activism; it's a testament to unwavering persistence, the vital importance of global solidarity, and the enduring power of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.🔑 Key Topics CoveredA Legacy of Displacement: Randa's personal story of her family fleeing West Jerusalem in 1948 and how this shaped her worldview and sense of belonging.Defying Patriarchy from Childhood: Her early experiences advocating for girls' equality within her extended family and challenging traditional gender roles, even as a young girl.The Single Mother's Journey: Randa's candid account of being a divorced single mother in a society that stigmatizes such women, and her insistence on independence and self-determination.The Intertwined Oppression: A deep dive into how colonial occupation and patriarchal structures reinforce each other, creating "multilayered oppression" for Palestinian women, including the impacts on family life, legal rights, and experiences of violence.Sexual Violence as a Tool of Suppression: Disturbing evidence and documentation of sexual abuse and threats against Palestinian women kidnapped or arrested by the Israeli military.Reclaiming Global Feminism: Randa's powerful call for the global feminist movement to shift focus from individualistic rights to dismantling systemic patriarchal and colonial structures, emphasizing the need for solidarity from the Global South.Hope in Action: How to maintain hope and action in the face of global injustice, emphasizing the power of the younger generation, social movements, and technological advocacy.Purpose-Driven Life: The importance of finding a "cause" in life, making every action meaningful, and giving dignity and respect to human rights.🧠 Powerful Quotes from Randa Siniora"We need to amplify the voices of Palestinian women because the situation we are living in is a genocidal crime... which should not be accepted by humanity.""We have to keep the energy and the passion and conviction that we can influence change.""Social justice is calling for women's rights. We are mostly affected by absence of equality and social justice.""Being abroad and having the opportunity to study abroad... made me understand the universality of human rights.""We have to work on dismantling these patriarchal structures, which are an obstacle to women enjoying their rights.""Colonial occupation and patriarchal structures reinforce each other in every aspect of Palestinian women's lives.""What we need to do is to reclaim our right to gender equality in the way we think is most relevant in our context.""The future is for social movements... they are more grassroots, they are more linked to the peoples on the ground."💡 Innovative Projects & Global InitiativesWomen's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC): Randa's leadership in advocating for Palestinian women's rights, balancing individual services with impactful advocacy at national and international levels.Evidence-Based Advocacy: WCLAC's crucial work in documenting and utilizing data from individual cases to expose how Israeli policies intertwine with patriarchal structures to create multi-layered oppression for women.Think Tank for Global Solidarity: The vision for developing a strategic think tank to consolidate efforts among women from the Global South and allies to challenge inequality and colonial structures.Digital Advocacy: Encouraging the younger generation to leverage technology and social media for powerful digital advocacy and to become influencers for social justice causes.🤝 Connect with Randa Siniora💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randa-siniora-39b70348/🌐 Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling: https://www.wclac.org/🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119🌐 Website: https://lizaflorida.com/🙏 Special ThanksTo Randa Siniora for her courage, authenticity, and unwavering commitment to justice and dignity for Palestinian women and all people.To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ipb1910/videos.To human rights defenders everywhere who continue to fight for a more just world.To our listeners, may you find strength in vulnerability and remember that your well-being is essential to the change you wish to see.🔗 About the SeriesWomen as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world.

🎧 Listen NowExplore the powerful intersection of trauma healing, human rights, and social change in this profound conversation with psychologist and poet Esset Samatova.🧵 Episode OverviewIn this episode of the Women as Agents of Change podcast, Liza Florida sits down with the insightful Esset Samatova—a Santo psychologist, human rights strategist, and poet. Esset shares her journey from a ninth-grade fascination with psychology to the front lines of activism, where she pioneers a unique approach integrating trauma healing into the core of social change. She discusses the critical need to address both individual and systemic trauma, the mentors who shaped her path, and her work with the UN Minority Fellowship.This isn’t just a conversation about activism. It’s about building resilient, whole, and effective movements from the inside out.🔑 Key Topics CoveredHealing as Revolution: Why healing is a foundational necessity for any social movement, not a luxury, and how mental health is crucial for sustainable activism.A Journey to Activism: Esset’s personal story, from her early interest in psychology to her impactful work with human rights defenders.Inspiration & Mentorship: The profound impact of female role models and mentors on Esset's personal and professional journey.Human Rights & Well-being: A deep dive into the unique pressures activists face and the importance of tailored, trauma-informed support.Creativity as a Tool for Resilience: How poetry and other creative outlets can be powerful tools for processing emotions and fostering strength.The Transformational Game: An inside look at Esset’s innovative project designed to make challenging topics like burnout and trauma more engaging and empowering for activists.🧠 Powerful Quotes from Esset Samatova"You cannot carry the weight of the world on your shoulders if no one is helping you hold it.""Your wellbeing is a part of the movement, and if we want to build a better world, we need you not just surviving but whole.""Poetry allows me to speak from a place that is raw, emotional, and true.""Care for yourself the way you would care for someone you love. With gentleness, with consistency and belief."💡 Innovative Projects & Global InitiativesTransformational Games: Development of interactive and empowering games that help activists address and navigate burnout and trauma in a constructive way.UN Minority Fellowship: Involvement with the United Nations, highlighting the critical role of institutional support in advocating for human rights and the well-being of defenders, despite systemic limitations.Psychology for Activists: Championing new psychological frameworks and mental health initiatives specifically designed for the needs of those engaged in social justice and human rights work.🤝 Connect with Esset Samatova📷 Instagram: @esset_pro and @isida_project💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esset-samatova-3935b21b9/🤝 Connect with Me📷 Instagram: @lizaflorida and @eightbillionproject👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightbillionpodcast/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-florida-07597119🌐 Website: https://lizaflorida.com/🙏 Special ThanksTo Esset Samatova for her courageous and compassionate work in nurturing the mental and emotional health of activists.To the International Peace Bureau for their partnership and support for this podcast series. You can learn more about their work at https://ipb.org/ and see more on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ipb1910/videos.To the human rights defenders everywhere who continue to fight for a more just world.To our listeners—may you find strength in vulnerability and remember that your well-being is essential to the change you wish to see.🔗 About the SeriesWomen as Agents of Change is a special podcast series hosted by Liza Florida, presented in collaboration with the International Peace Bureau and Eight Billion Project. Each episode celebrates the wisdom, vision, and courage of women working to build a more peaceful and just world