Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa Stephen Kamugasa

Detailed Synopsis Understanding Genocide: A Global Responsibility In a thought-provoking podcast episode, Dr. Omar McDoom stresses the global responsibility of recognising genocide. He delves into the complexities of genocide, with a specific focus on the Rwandan genocide, emphasising the importance of understanding its causes and contexts to prevent future atrocities and foster reconciliation.Importance of Understanding GenocidePrevention: Dr. McDoom highlights the significance of comprehending the factors that lead to genocide to prevent similar events in the future. By understanding these root causes, the international community can proactively address underlying issues and take measures to prevent future genocides. Reconciliation: The podcast episode underscores the importance of understanding the motivations behind genocidal acts for post-conflict reconciliation. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of these motivations, societies can work towards healing, restoring communities, and promoting coexistence. Global Impact: Dr. McDoom's research on the Rwandan genocide emphasises that genocide has far-reaching implications beyond local or regional boundaries. The aftermath of genocide can impact international relations, human rights, peace, and security. Therefore, a thorough understanding of genocide is crucial for the global community to address and prevent such atrocities.  Role of the International Community United Nations Security Council: Despite its limitations, the UN Security Council remains a critical platform for addressing genocide and armed conflicts. Dr. McDoom stresses the need for the Security Council to play a proactive role in preventing genocide and promoting global peace. International Criminal Court (ICC): The ICC is highlighted as a key institution for holding individuals accountable for war crimes and atrocities. Dr. McDoom emphasises the importance of supporting a rules-based system and strengthening the ICC to ensure accountability for violations of international law. Lessons from Rwanda Securocratic State Building: The concept of a securocratic state builder in Rwanda, prioritizing security above all else, raises concerns about long-term sustainability and its implications for human rights and freedoms. While Rwanda has made progress post-genocide,

Podcast summary: In this inaugural episode of our six-part series on genocide, we delve into the silence that often surrounds this grave issue. Our esteemed gues...

Podcast summary: Summary: In this podcast, Stephen Kamugasa interviews Mr. Robert Pacilio, a retired school teacher and writer. Robert, who grew up in a tough part of Brooklyn, shares his experiences of being the only child in an Italian-American family. He also discusses his journey as a teacher and his latest memoir, "It Was Never About the Books (https://www.amazon.com/Was-Never-About-Books-remarkable/dp/B0BW31GJ5W)," which explores the influence of teachers on their students. Finally, the podcast explores the butterfly effect of great teachers and the impact they can have on students' lives.Show notes/Time stamp: 00:04:48 The power of resilience and determination. 00:10:32 Teaching is about empowering students. The timestamp in the podcast where it starts to discuss the challenges of the teaching profession in a highly polarised political climate is 00:21:00. Teaching in a polarised climate 00:27:10 Words and ideas can change. 00:29:38 Treat people with dignity always. 00:37:01 Respect and care for others. 00:45:16 Artificial intelligence cannot replace human teachers. 00:49:59 Importance of personalized education.

Podcast Summary: In this episode 011 of Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa, Stephen welcomes Milton Alimadi, a Ugandan-American author, journalist, professor, and publisher of Black Star News. Milton discusses his background, including being the son of a former Prime Minister of Uganda and his education at Syracuse University and Columbia University. He shares his experiences working as a journalist for publications, among them the New York Times, where he exposed the trend of white reporters fabricating stories about Africa. Milton also talks about co-founding Black Star News, an investigative newspaper, and highlights his notable investigative pieces. He is the author of several books critiquing racial stereotypes in Western media's portrayal of Africa. The conversation delves into Milton's most significant work, "Manufacturing Hate: How Africa Was Demonised in Western Media." Throughout the episode, Milton's passion for challenging stereotypes and promoting accurate narratives shines through. Please read the blog that supports this podcast, which includes book recommendations, at The Kamugasa Challenge (https://thekamugasachallenge.com/). Timestamps: [00:02:21] Racial stereotypes in Western media.  [00:06:09] Stereotype propaganda about Africa.  [00:12:18] Kindness and standing up for injustice.  [00:18:45] History of demonisation and conquest.  [00:25:31] The dangers of tribal stereotypes.  [00:30:55] The abuse of the T word.  [00:35:26] Institutionalized racism in South Africa.  [00:41:09] Institutional racism and collective indifference.  [00:47:09] Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia.  [00:53:59] Borderless Africa and Unity.  [01:01:31] The importance of the common human family.  [01:06:23] Historical demonisation of African people.  [01:14:09] The New York Times' historical archive.

A crisis between town and country is as real as the day is long. It is a widening cleavage which manifests itself in everything we do: in our politics, in our education, in the way we work, in what we dream about, and yes, most crucially, in our att...

 This is the 2nd of three podcasts on Climate Change.   Today’s guest is Ms Maria Diekmann, a scientist and conservationist.    Maria was born in 1965 to Major William Carl Buerk, a US fighter pilot who saw active service in the Vietnam war. Major Buerk was among those listed as missing in action - presumed dead. Maria’s mother, Mrs Antoinette Mira Buerk, was subsequently folded into the legendary Earl Warren family, after remarrying Earl Warren Junior. Earl Warren senior, was an American lawyer, politician, and jurist who served as the 14th Chief Justice of USA from 1953 to 1969. Warren also led the Warren Commission, a presidential commission that investigated the 1963 assassination of President John F Kennedy; he is considered to be one of the most influential supreme court justices and political leaders in the history of the United States. Warren was the only governor of California to be elected for 3 consecutive terms.      Maria attended the amazing Carden School in California; whose unique curricula had, in Maria’s own words, “a great influence on me.” She afterwards went to Principia School in Missouri, before taking up her place at Principal College in Illinois, where she graduated with a degree in sociology. After leaving Principal, Maria, inspired by her legendary step-grandfather, Earl Warren, first tried her hand at politics, working for Democratic Party Senator, Thomas Eagleton, but subsequently removed to South Africa to explore new pastures in 1989. She was fortunate to know a few friends at the University of Wits, where she acclimatized to South Africa’s rapidly changing political climate, which saw Nelson Mandela released from prison in 1990. This was the environment in which Maria’s life changed fundamentally by falling in love, getting married and settling down to start a family in Namibia in the 1990s. It was in Namibia that she also fell in love with endangered and misunderstood animals.    It was this love for endangered and misunderstood animals that led to the formation of the Rare and Endangered Species Trust, REST, in 2000. REST soon acquired a world wide reputation for Cape Griffon vultures conservation, but subsequently turned its focus to conserving the pangolin, after Maria devoted more than three months of her life to a pangolin pup, meticulously recording every aspect of the pup’s life as it developed. This was the first time such a thing had ever been done in history; the experience completely changed Maria’s life. Her dedication to the pangolin is captured in a BBC documentary, “Pangolins: The World’s Most Wanted Animal,” narrated by Sir David Attenborough.     Maria is now busy working towards establishing a primary pangolin conservation centre and a carbon sinking initiative in Emerald Forest Reserve in Nigeria. It is spearheaded by her Nifty Pangolin campaign, a fundraising initiative, with a view of establishing nine pangolin conservation centres around the globe, dedicated “to the protection of the most trafficked animal in the world.”     As her hands are not full enough, Maria has just published a book entitled, Pangolins in My Life.  In this Episode, we discuss the topic: “How To Love Endangered And Misunderstood Animals.