S2.5 - To hope for the future

07/03/23 • 32 min

A picture of the world we want to see

In conversation with Thomas Coombes

We conclude the series with a conversation about embracing hope. As a final reflection, we want to hope for the future and draw a picture of the world we want to see. We do this together with Thomas Coombes* who talks about why it helps to focus more on the human in order to achieve change and what a checklist of hope-based human rights communication would look like.

Thomas Coombes is a global communications strategist who developed hope-based communications to help the human rights and other progressive movements develop new narratives for social change. He has spent 15 years working in political communications for Amnesty International, Transparency International, the European Commission and global PR firm Hill & Knowlton. Thomas is an Alumnus of GC Europe. Take your hope-based pledge here.

A picture of the world we want to see

In conversation with Thomas Coombes

Previous Episode

S2.4 - To hope for the broken

The importance of hopefulness in creating justice

In conversation with Marina Shupac

In this episode, we focus on practicing hope and on good examples of aspiration, solidarity and resilience as opposed to negative feelings of suffering. Marina Shupac* brings in her professional and personal perspective to respond to the following questions: in what ways is hope a key for the empowerment of rights-holders? How can it be appreciated as a driver for change? How can it make the broken stronger?

Marina Shupac is an award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker and human rights practitioner from Moldova. Her film Last Chance for Justice was commissioned by the BBC World News and won, among other honours, the One World Media Awards. Marina was also awarded the Senior Minority Fellowship with the UN OHCHR and the Sakharov Fellowship with the EU Parliament. With an ethnic minority background, Marina is passionate about stories that diminish divisions between “us” and “them” and create solidarity among people. She is an Alumna of GC Caucasus.

Next Episode

S3.1 - Reimagining politics through human rights

Introducing the theme of the series

Our co-hosts Graham Finlay and George Ulrich engage in a conversation that looks at why this is the time to re-imagine politics and why it is important to do so through the lens of human rights. Listen on as they engage with the following questions: are human rights political? Is politics based on human rights? Should it be? How can human rights shape a renewed or re-imagined politics?

George Ulrich is the Academic Director of the Global Campus of Human Rights. Among his main research interests are the history and philosophy of human rights, human rights diplomacy, human rights and development cooperation, health and human rights. Full bio here.