The FT’s foreign editor Alec Russell has been reporting on crises around the world for more than 30 years. He was in Romania during the fall of the Ceaușescu regime, in South Africa for the fall of apartheid, and in 1994 he reported on the genocide in Rwanda. So when we recently felt ourselves losing hope at the news from Gaza and Ukraine, we decided to ask him: is this an especially tough time in history, or does it just feel that way? And what has he learned from being present for so much of history? Today, Alec gives us tips for finding perspective, and tells us where he finds hope.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify, etc.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– Alec’s piece commemorating 30 years since Rwanda’s genocide is here: https://on.ft.com/3QnQbfx
– You may also be interested in Alec Russell’s book After Mandela: the Battle for the Soul of South Africa
– Alec is on X @AlecuRussell
-----
The FT Weekend Festival is coming back, and will be in Washington, DC, on May 4! Speakers include Nancy Pelosi, Alec and Lilah! To book tickets, go to ft.com/festival-us and use our exclusive discount code: weekendpodcast.
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to live forever
A Strange Loop, the Tony-winning queer black best new musical
What Warhol’s Marilyn tells us about the art market
The rich interior lives of pigs
Introducing: Hot Money
Tina Brown and Simon Schama on the royal family
The story of a stolen cookbook. Plus, Elizabeth Strout
Why US abortion rights are under attack
Behind the Money is back!
How Shakespeare gave actor Michael Patrick Thornton his life back
'Everything Everywhere All at Once' with Daniels
Morality in the Twitter era. Plus: China’s language revolution
The good life, with chefs Daniel Humm and Alice Waters
The story behind one of reggae’s most sampled songs
How Cameo is changing celebrity. Plus: designing your home
Introducing Tech Tonic: The US/China Tech Race
Poet Maria Stepanova. Plus: Inside the FT newsroom
Art in times of war, plus: Anish Kapoor
This is how Russia weaponizes disinformation
Understanding Ukraine’s identity. Plus, the Oscars
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
FT News Briefing
Money Clinic with Claer Barrett
FT World Weekly
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Turn of the Screw
FT News in Focus
FT Banking Weekly