What role can education play in times of war, displacement, and uncertainty? And how can schools and universities provide not just learning, but hope, courage, and resilience for communities in crisis?In this bonus episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson reflects on her conversation with Professor ‘Funmi Olonisakin, Vice President at King’s College London and founder of the African Leadership Centre. Drawing on her own experiences of conflict in Nigeria and her career at the UN, ‘Funmi shares why she sees education as central to rebuilding societies — from restoring institutions after war, to forging equitable partnerships that transcend borders.We also hear from Nigerian activist Wadi Ben-Hirki, who has spent nearly a decade advocating for marginalised girls, and from Dr Koula Charitonos of the Open University, who explores how EdTech can offer opportunities for refugees, but also how it has the potential to exacerbateinequalities, and most fundamentally, to lose that human aspect of education.Together, these voices reveal how, even in the face of violence and instability, education can act as a lifeline — shaping futures, strengthening communities, and creating the possibility of lasting peace.Listen to Our World, Connected, brought to you by the British Council. Subscribe and follow for more global stories on culture, connection, and the power of education.Additional Resources and Links:Episode 8 Season 1 | Culture and education: Seeds of hope in times of conflicthttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/our-world-connected-podcast/culture-education-hope Teaching for peace - British Councilhttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/teaching-for-peaceTransnational education: students from conflict-affected regions opting for UK universitieshttps://www.britishcouncil.org/about/press/students-conflict-affected-regions-opting-uk-universities International higher education partnerships and the Sustainable Development GoalsInternational higher education partnerships and the Sustainable Development Goals | British CouncilResearch in the midst of conflict: New perspectives on peacebuilding in Sudan and Ethiopiahttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/research-in-conflict Follow British Council Research and Insight:Newsletter - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/subscribe Twitter - https://twitter.com/InsightBritish Website - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight
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13:47
Living stories: art, space and memory
What does it mean to tell stories through the spaces we live in? And how can architecture be a source of memory and repair?In this bonus episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson revisits a powerful conversation with Kabage Karanja, architect, researcher, and co-founder of Nairobi-based design studio Cave_bureau.A leading voice in rethinking architecture through the lens of ecology, memory, and justice, Kabage shares his reflections on vernacular architecture, the legacy of British colonialism, and the importance of caves as spaces of cultural knowledge. His work, including the groundbreaking UK-Kenya collaboration Geology of Britannic Repair, exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale, asks urgent questions about how we live, what we build, and what we choose to remember.Christine also draws on insights from other voices featured in Season 2 — including artist Rosie Olang’ Odhiambo and filmmaker Noé Mendelle — to explore how storytelling takes many forms, from exhibitions and documentaries to the natural world around us. Together, these creative practitioners show how the stories we choose to tell can become tools for connection, repair, and collective healing.Listen to Our World, Connected, brought to you by the British Council. Subscribe and follow for more thought-provoking conversations on culture, communication, and the power of storytelling.Additional Resources & Links:Digital Cultural Heritage: Imagination, innovation and opportunityhttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/digital-cultural-heritageUK Arts, Culture and Young People: Innovative practice and trendshttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/UK-arts-young-peopleOFF/TRACK Collective: Imagining New forms of Cultural Productionhttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/new-cultural-productionFocus on Ukraine – Supporting Decolonisation in Museumshttps://arts.britishcouncil.org/resources/focus-ukraine-supporting-decolonisation-museumsFollow British Council Research and Insight:Newsletter - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/subscribe Twitter - https://twitter.com/InsightBritish Website - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight
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15:10
Rewired: How technology is changing us all
How is technology shaping the way we live, learn, and connect? And what does that mean for young people growing up in a digital-first world?In this bonus episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson revisits a powerful conversation with Baroness Beeban Kidron, crossbench peer in the House of Lords and founder of the 5Rights Foundation. A leading advocate for children’s digital rights, Beeban reflects on the urgent need to rethink how technology is designed and regulated — and the responsibilities of governments, educators, and tech companies in keeping young people safe online.Christine also connects Beeban’s insights to other voices from across the series: from linguist David Crystal on how digital culture is reshaping our language, to consultant Larisa Halilovic on how new technologies are impacting on how we communicate — and what we feel we can trust.Together, these conversations explore a central issue of our time: how digital tools are transforming us all — and how we can harness them for connection, creativity, and positive change.Listen to Our World, Connected, brought to you by the British Council. Subscribe and follow for more thought-provoking conversations on culture, communication, and the power of education.Additional Resources & Links:Digital Cultural Relations https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/digital-cultural-relationsWhy technology needs artists: 40 international perspectiveshttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/why-technology-needs-artists Digital Cultural Heritage: Imagination, innovation and opportunityhttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/digital-cultural-heritage Relevant 5Rights Foundation research:Inquiry finds UK Government must regulate GenAI and close online safety loopholeshttps://5rightsfoundation.com/inquiry-finds-uk-government-must-regulate-genai-and-close-online-safety-loopholes/New UK data law: what does it mean for children’s privacy?https://5rightsfoundation.com/new-uk-data-law-what-does-it-mean-for-childrens-privacy/ Follow British Council Research and Insight:Newsletter - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/subscribe Twitter - https://twitter.com/InsightBritish Website - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight
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16:45
Connecting through dialogue: deep listening in divided times
How do we really listen — to each other, and to the world around us?In this final episode of season two, host Christine Wilson explores the practice of deep listening — a powerful communication method rooted in empathy, openness, and the desire to understand across divides.Christine is joined by journalist, media executive and author Emily Kasriel, who developed the Deep Listening methodology. Drawing on her work from across news, conflict resolution and academia, Emily’s new book Deep Listening: Transform Your Relationships with Family, Friends, and Foes offers a practical guide to navigating disagreement and building connection in a noisy, polarised world.We also hear from Hawraa Ghandour, an English teacher, educational trainer and founder of Media Literacy Lebanon. Hawraa took part in the BBC and British Council’s Crossing Divides deep listening project in Lebanon, an experience that continues to shape her work with students and communities, using media and dialogue to foster understanding.Together, Emily and Hawraa reflect on the challenges of truly hearing another’s perspectives, and how slowing down, staying curious, and practising empathy, can create the space we need to leave aside our assumptions and bring about positive change.Listen to Our World, Connected, brought to you by the British Council. Subscribe and follow for more thought-provoking conversations on culture, communication, and the power of education.Additional Resources & Links:Deep Listening: A Transformative Experience - By Tiba Khalifa, 90 Youth Voices Participant, British Councilhttps://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/deep-listening-transformative-experienceDeep listening as an approach to tackle polarisationhttps://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/deep-listening-approach-tackle-polarisationCrossing Divides with Deep Listening for BBC100https://www.bbc.com/news/world-61984236Follow British Council Research and Insight:Newsletter – https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/subscribe Twitter – https://twitter.com/InsightBritish Website – https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight
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33:25
Changing words, changing worlds: English in an age of transformation
What does the future hold for the English language? And how is technology transforming the way we speak, write and connect across borders?In this episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson explores how digital culture is reshaping the English language, from the rise of internet slang to the impact of AI, social media, and globalisation on how we communicate.Christine is joined by renowned linguist and author David Crystal, one of the world’s leading experts on the English language. With more than 100 books to his name – including the landmark Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language – David reflects on how English has evolved over centuries, and what its future might look like in an increasingly digital world.We also hear from César Bizetto, an English teacher, teacher trainer, and academic director based in São Paulo. With over 20 years of classroom experience, César shares how English language instruction has changed in Brazil, and why he believes teaching English is about more than grammar, it’s about opening doors.Together, David and César explore how English is shifting across contexts, continents, and generations, and what that means for education, culture, and connection.Listen to Our World, Connected, brought to you by the British Council. Subscribe and follow for more global stories on culture, connection, and the power of education.Additional Resources & Links:The Future of English research programme: https://www.britishcouncil.org/future-of-english The Future of English: in conversation with David Crystal (March 2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64HRT797Lsc Follow British Council Research and Insight:Newsletter – https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/subscribe Twitter – https://twitter.com/InsightBritish Website - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight
Our World, Connected is a brand-new podcast from the British Council, placing you at the heart of the biggest global conversations about culture, connection, and empowerment. Join host Christine Wilson, Director of British Council Research and Insight, and a diverse lineup of world-renowned experts and thinkers as they examine the most pressing issues of our time - and uncover the human stories behind them.
We’ll explore the transformative power of arts, culture, language, and education amidst global challenges like peacebuilding, sustainable development, climate change, and the growth of AI.
Colombia