エピソード

  • 7 Ways to Defend Human Rights When You Don't Have Power
    2025/04/03
    What do you do when you see human rights violations—but you don’t have the power to stop them?That’s the challenge many of us face today. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, furious, or hopeless. But what if there were a way to channel that frustration into real impact?This week, we’re heading to Europe to see how one European Union diplomat handles the treatment of migrants at its borders—and what we can learn from him.Meet the Human Rights Diplomat at Europe's BordersMeet Jonas Grimheden, the Fundamental Rights Officer at FRONTEX, the EU’s border control agency (Europe’s version of ICE). His job? To make sure that migrants' human rights are respected—a near-impossible task when facing governments that don’t want oversight.Jonas is a Swedish human rights lawyer and a skilled diplomat who has taken on some of the world’s 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 week’s podcast interview, Jonas reveals the high-stakes challenges of defending human rights at Europe’s borders. His work is harrowing, inspiring—and strikingly different from the approach taken in the U.S.Pushbacks, Beatings, and Strategic SilenceGrimheden’s team spends thousands of days each year in the field—on boats, at airports, even on deportation flights—observing 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. “I’m not the FBI. I can’t order anyone to act,” he said. “But I do have access, data, and leverage. And I use them.”His team investigates what are known as pushbacks—when 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.“It doesn’t take a lawyer to know that’s illegal,” Grimheden said bluntly. “I’ve even filed a criminal complaint myself with a national prosecutor’s office. That case is still pending—three years later.”Despite evidence, some member states deny wrongdoing outright. “They tell me their police aren’t that stupid,” he said. “Unfortunately, I think they are.” Convincing national authorities to allow independent monitoring, particularly along green borders—remote stretches of forest or coastline—is an uphill battle.In one case, officials claimed monitors couldn’t patrol due to wild bears. “I think the bears were always there,” Grimheden quipped. “What changed was a year of persistence and public pressure.”The Impossible Job: Fighting for Migrants’ Rights with Little Real Legal PowerJonas’ mission is daunting. He confronts violence and human suffering daily—migrants 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 here’s the catch: Jonas has little power to enforce change. His job is to observe, document, and report. He can’t force border guards to stop abuse. Each EU country controls its own borders and isn’t always receptive to outside oversight. Worse, some of the worst abuses happen beyond the EU’s jurisdiction, in countries that don’t answer to European laws.He faces impossible ethical dilemmas.* Spotting a migrant boat in distress: If Jonas alerts authorities, migrants might be rescued—only 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 “nice” European country are beating migrants and stealing their property. When he reports it, officials often deny everything.The Secret Weapon: Aikido DiplomacyHow does Jonas make an impact with so little direct power? His secret weapon is Aikido—a Japanese martial art focused on non-violent conflict resolution.Aikido isn’t about overpowering an opponent; it’s 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 purposes—and flip them."That’s exactly how he deals with nationalist politicians and hostile border guards. He doesn’t yell. He doesn’t 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 guards’ shifts. Why? The guards were exhausted and just wanted to go home. By understanding this, Jonas found a way to introduce ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    29 分
  • Introducing the Everyday Ambassador Podcast!
    2025/03/27

    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 offices—right 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



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anneliseriles.substack.com
    続きを読む 一部表示
    23 分
  • Nuclear Activists Pass the Baton
    2024/12/11
    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 anneliseriles@everydayambassador.net. And be sure to check out www.everydayambassador.net for more information about this series and forthcoming book.

    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anneliseriles.substack.com
    続きを読む 一部表示
    29 分
  • Building for the Future
    2024/12/04
    In this season, we’re 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, we’re 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 country’s democracy and rebuild the rule of law. Host Annelise Riles speaks with Adam Bodnar, a human rights lawyer and Poland’s 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.

    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anneliseriles.substack.com
    続きを読む 一部表示
    30 分
  • Get to Know the Algorithm
    2024/11/27
    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 “not very much” confidence in the media. In this era of mistrust and disinformation, there’s 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.

    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anneliseriles.substack.com
    続きを読む 一部表示
    33 分
  • Lessons from Friendship in Rebuilding Trust and Bridging Divides
    2024/11/20
    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.

    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anneliseriles.substack.com
    続きを読む 一部表示
    26 分
  • Why Listening Actually Works
    2024/11/13
    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.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    27 分
  • COMING SOON: Season 2 of Everyday Ambassador
    2024/11/06
    The U.S. presidential election illuminated just how divided Americans are. It’s 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.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    3 分