Afleveringen
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When we think of a traditional path to global influence, few would imagine starting out on tour with the Grateful Dead. But Stephen Greene, co-founder and CEO of RockCorps, has built a trailblazing career doing just thatâblending the power of music, the passion of young people, and a bold new approach to social change.
In the latest episode of Everyday Ambassador, host Annelise Riles reconnects with her high school classmate for a conversation that spans decades, continents, and some of the most pressing generational challenges of our time.
Learn more about RockCorps: https://rockcorps.com or https://ibisrockcorps.fr/
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What do you do when you see human rights violationsâbut you donât have the power to stop them?
Thatâs the challenge many of us face today. Itâs easy to feel overwhelmed, furious, or hopeless. But what if there were a way to channel that frustration into real impact?
This week, weâre heading to Europe to see how one European Union diplomat handles the treatment of migrants at its bordersâand what we can learn from him.
Meet the Human Rights Diplomat at Europe's Borders
Meet Jonas Grimheden, the Fundamental Rights Officer at FRONTEX, the EUâs border control agency (Europeâs version of ICE). His job? To make sure that migrants' human rights are respectedâa near-impossible task when facing governments that donât want oversight.
Jonas is a Swedish human rights lawyer and a skilled diplomat who has taken on some of the worldâs toughest assignments, including representing his country in North Korea. He spent years at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, ensuring that human rights shape EU foreign policy.
In this weekâs podcast interview, Jonas reveals the high-stakes challenges of defending human rights at Europeâs borders. His work is harrowing, inspiringâand strikingly different from the approach taken in the U.S.
Pushbacks, Beatings, and Strategic Silence
Grimhedenâs team spends thousands of days each year in the fieldâon boats, at airports, even on deportation flightsâobserving procedures and speaking with migrants directly. Many reveal they were beaten or turned away illegally in a previous attempt. These reports trigger formal investigations, roughly one per week, though Grimheden believes they could be doing one a day.
Still, he knows the limitations. âIâm not the FBI. I canât order anyone to act,â he said. âBut I do have access, data, and leverage. And I use them.â
His team investigates what are known as pushbacksâwhen migrants are expelled without due process, often violently. In some countries, border guards are accused of beating migrants, stealing their possessions, and forcing them back across borders, often in the dead of night.
âIt doesnât take a lawyer to know thatâs illegal,â Grimheden said bluntly. âIâve even filed a criminal complaint myself with a national prosecutorâs office. That case is still pendingâthree years later.â
Despite evidence, some member states deny wrongdoing outright. âThey tell me their police arenât that stupid,â he said. âUnfortunately, I think they are.â Convincing national authorities to allow independent monitoring, particularly along green bordersâremote stretches of forest or coastlineâis an uphill battle.
In one case, officials claimed monitors couldnât patrol due to wild bears. âI think the bears were always there,â Grimheden quipped. âWhat changed was a year of persistence and public pressure.â
The Impossible Job: Fighting for Migrantsâ Rights with Little Real Legal Power
Jonasâ mission is daunting. He confronts violence and human suffering dailyâmigrants who are beaten, raped, drowned, or tricked by smugglers. Governments often turn a blind eye. Politicians exploit fear for votes. And border guards often see human rights enforcement as an obstacle, not a duty.
And hereâs the catch: Jonas has little power to enforce change. His job is to observe, document, and report. He canât force border guards to stop abuse. Each EU country controls its own borders and isnât always receptive to outside oversight. Worse, some of the worst abuses happen beyond the EUâs jurisdiction, in countries that donât answer to European laws.
He faces impossible ethical dilemmas.
* Spotting a migrant boat in distress: If Jonas alerts authorities, migrants might be rescuedâonly to be captured and abused in Libyan detention centers. If he says nothing, they might drown.
* Documenting police violence: He uncovers that border police in a âniceâ European country are beating migrants and stealing their property. When he reports it, officials often deny everything.
The Secret Weapon: Aikido Diplomacy
How does Jonas make an impact with so little direct power? His secret weapon is Aikidoâa Japanese martial art focused on non-violent conflict resolution.
Aikido isnât about overpowering an opponent; itâs about redirecting their energy. As Jonas explains:
"If you try to confront someone directly, it takes a great deal of force. But if you move with them, as they turn in a certain direction, you can harness their own force for your purposesâand flip them."
Thatâs exactly how he deals with nationalist politicians and hostile border guards. He doesnât yell. He doesnât fight. He listens, understands their motivations, and then finds ways to shift their behavior.
For example, he discovered that migrant beatings mostly happened late at night, near the end of border guardsâ shifts. Why? The guards were exhausted and just wanted to go home. By understanding this, Jonas found a way to introduce policies that reduced their workload and, in turn, the violenceâwithout condoning their actions.
Grimheden sees his job not as shouting from the sidelines, but persuading from the inside. âI have to be stubborn and patient,â he said. âYelling doesnât help. Strategy does.â
Lessons for Everyday Ambassadors
Jonasâ approach offers a roadmap for all of us who care about human rights but lack formal power. Hereâs how we can apply his strategies:
* Be a Diplomat, Not Just an Advocate
Donât just talk to people who already agree with you. Seek out those who donât. Changing minds is part of changing the culture.
* Control Your Emotions
Ranting in private is fine. But yelling or exaggerating in a debate doesnât workâit just makes opponents dig in.
* Understand the Other Side
Jonas assumes that people donât want to be cruelâsomething in their situation leads to their behavior. If you can understand their motivations, you might be able to flip them.
* Be Meticulously Factual
Facts are your strongest tool. Do your research. If someone has questions, take the time to get real answers.
* Be Clear and Firm
Jonas never yells, but he also never backs down. When he tells border guards that a law is being broken, he does so calmly and clearly. **Clear is kind.**
* Do the Right Thing, Even Outside Your Mandate
Jonas sometimes reports crimes as a private citizen or helps NGOs bring lawsuitsâeven if itâs not technically in his job description. His reasoning?
"My mandate doesnât say I can't."
* Be Patient and Persistent
Change doesnât happen overnight. Some of Jonasâ biggest wins took months or even years. But persistence pays off.
The Challenge: Put Diplomacy Into Practice
Jonas calls his approach "a bit of a strategy game." And we can all play it.
This week, I challenge you: Find one or two people who donât believe in the human rights of migrants, people facing violence abroad, or sexual minorities. Engage them. Apply these diplomatic strategies. See if you can shift their thinkingâeven a little.
Because when the culture changes, politics will follow.
To learn more about Jonas Grimhedenâs work, visit Frontexâs official site
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In this episode, Annelise Riles speaks with Felecia Maxfield-Barrett, CEO of Utah Global Diplomacy, about how global diplomacy is taking root far beyond embassies and government officesâright in communities like Utah. From her upbringing in American Fork to her leadership in international exchange programs, Felecia shares how shared humanity and storytelling can build bridges across cultures and borders.
To learn more about Utah Global Diplomacy and how you can get involved in citizen diplomacy, visit utahdiplomacy.org. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anneliseriles.substack.com
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This year's Nobel Peace Prize prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization founded by survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear attacks. Their mission is to rid the world of nuclear weapons and make sure they are the last to ever experience the horror of an atomic attack.
Member Mitamura Shizuko joins Everyday Ambassador to share her experiences from her activism as well as her hopes for the future with host Annelise Riles. Annelise then speaks to Yamaguchi Yukino about her efforts to lead the next generation of Japanese activists. Finally, Annelise talks to Santa Fe's Archbishop John Wester to learn more about his decades-long work in advocating for nuclear disarmament.
Listeners can also reach out to Annelise at [email protected]. And be sure to check out www.everydayambassador.net for more information about this series and forthcoming book.
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In this season, weâre looking at what we can each do to strengthen our democracy and repair our communities. Rebuilding trust in our institutions is a critical piece of that. And today, weâre going to share some practical how-tos on what you can do to help get us there.
First, we turn to Poland to hear how civil society actors there were able to take back their countryâs democracy and rebuild the rule of law. Host Annelise Riles speaks with Adam Bodnar, a human rights lawyer and Polandâs current justice minister.
Later, she talks with John Bisognano, the president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC). The NDRC was founded by Eric Holder and Barack Obama to stop gerrymandering and restore faith in the fairness of U.S. elections.
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According to a 2024 Gallup poll, 36 percent of U.S. adults have no trust at all in the media. And another 33 percent of Americans say they have ânot very muchâ confidence in the media. In this era of mistrust and disinformation, thereâs an onus on all of us to understand how social media actually works.
On this episode of Everyday Ambassador, host Annelise Riles is joined by experts working on mis-and disinformation from two different angles. Carlos Espina is a content creator and community activist who creates informative videos for his Spanish-speaking audience. And V.S. Subrahmanian is a professor at Northwestern University and the head of a lab that uses artificial intelligence to model deepfakes and other online threats, to learn how to improve security against foreign actors.
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On today's episode, we look at the Good Friday Agreement and how leaders "willing to take a risk for peace" were able to put an end to decades of conflict. Former Special Envoy to Northern Ireland Richard Haass shares his experiences facilitating the implementation of the agreement with host Annelise Riles.
Plus Annelise connects with longtime friend Lois Anderson, Executive Director of Oregon Right to Life, about getting along with people with different political perspectives.
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The recent U.S. election demonstrated once again a high degree of political polarization and the severe lack of trust both sides have for each other. How can we bridge these differences?
Host Annelise Riles kicks off this season of Everyday Ambassador with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe. Hayhoe has dedicated her career to talking across political divides. The core of her strategy is simple: She listens.
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The U.S. presidential election illuminated just how divided Americans are. Itâs not just the political rhetoric. They are consuming different media, having different conversations, even living different realities. So across these divides, how can Americans really hear and understand one another? What can be done to start repairing trust between people of differing opinions? How about trying a little diplomacy?
Join host Annelise Riles for Season 2 of Everyday Ambassador, where we talk to experts and geopolitical thinkers from around the world to show you the small moves that make big change. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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On this episode of Everyday Ambassador, host Annelise Riles sits down with corporate guru Christian Madsjberg, to hear how he employs an amateur's mindset when consulting for top companies. Journalist and open source investigator Natalia Antonova also shares how harnessing the 'hive mind' on the internet can lead to better outcomes when online dating. And finally, students from Northwestern share their own stories on how they turn to others to broaden their perspectives.
As always, we want to hear how you're using these moves in your life as an Everyday Ambassador. Share your story by leaving us an audio message via SpeakPipe.Listeners can also reach out to Annelise at [email protected]. And be sure to check out EverydayAmbassador.net for more information about this series and a forthcoming book.
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On this episode of Everyday Ambassador, host Annelise Riles sits down with Christine Chinkin, former judge at the Tokyo Women's Tribunal. Chinkin shares how this people's tribunal was set up as a fictional continuation of a previous war crimes tribunal, in order to bring victims justice.
Foreign Policy's Mayesha Alam also joins the podcast to share how FP uses a crisis simulation called Peace Games to push participants towards more innovation solutions.Finally, students from Northwestern University share their personal stories on how they use fictions to overcome challenges in their daily lives.
Next weekâs Everyday Ambassador challenge: Tell us about a time where you brought in an outsider to help problem solve or innovate? How did that outsider perspective help bring about a solution?Share your story by leaving us an audio message via SpeakPipe.
Listeners can also reach out to Annelise at [email protected]. And be sure to check out www.everydayambassador.net for more information about this series and forthcoming book.
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On this episode of Everyday Ambassador, host Annelise Riles is joined by Felipe Rey, a law professor and the co-founder of iDeemos, a Democratic Innovation lab. Rey explains how he crafts citizen assemblies to encourage greater civic participation in policymaking.
Escape room designer Juliana Moreno also shares how leaving space for others to shine leads to better problem-solving.
Finally, listeners and students from Northwestern University share their personal stories on how they use "gaps" to bridge divides.
Next weekâs Everyday Ambassador challenge: Name a time where role-playing or visualization helped you get through an impasse. How did imagining yourself going through that scenario help you think differently?
Share your story by leaving us an audio message via SpeakPipe. Listeners can also reach out to Annelise at [email protected]. And be sure to check out www.everydayambassador.net for more information about this series and forthcoming book.
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On this episode of Everyday Ambassador, host Annelise Riles is joined by former National Security Council staff Ryan Hass to hear how gift-giving is integral to the U.S.-China relationship.
Former White House Chief Protocol officer Peter Selfridge also shares how being intentional and taking the recipient into account can improve relationships.
Finally, listeners and students from Northwestern University share their personal stories on how gifts have impacted their lives as well.
Next weekâs Everyday Ambassador Challenge:
Tell us a time when bringing different perspectives together helped solve a problem. What was the benefit of gathering differing points of view?
Share your story by leaving us an audio message via Speakpipe. Listeners can also reach out to Annelise at [email protected]. And be sure to check out www.everydayambassador.net for more information about this series and forthcoming book.
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On this episode of Everyday Ambassador, host Annelise Riles sits down with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Beatrice Fihn to hear how taking a playful approach to fostering relationships, and building trust, helped pass a nuclear weapons treaty. We also hear how The Police Athletic League of Philadelphia as well as students from Northwestern University use fun to solve problems and work through relationship barriers.
Next week's Everyday Ambassador Challenge:
Tell us a time when giving or receiving a gift helped build or mend a relationship. What was it about that gift that made it so effective?
Share your story by leaving us an audio message via Speakpipe.
Listeners can also reach out to Annelise at [email protected] And be sure to check out www.everydayambassador.net for more information about this series and forthcoming book.
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The strategies global leaders use to negotiate impasses and bridge divides may seem complicated. But when you break them down, they can turn out to be quite simple. From giving gifts to encouraging play to creating space for collaboration, Northwestern University law professor Annelise Riles shares surprising stories of how seemingly small gestures can bring about big change. Follow Everyday Ambassador to hear how you can use these tools to shape your community and your world. Everyday Ambassador is produced by FP Studios with support from the Humboldt Foundation.
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