About Bridging Divides
Here you'll find answers to your questions about the Bridging Divides podcast, and the community choosing compassion in a divided world.
What is Bridging Divides?
Bridging Divides is a new way for all of us to come together and understand why we feel so divided, and what each of us can do to make a difference
Starting with the Bridging Divides podcast, we'll open up this conversation by asking leading experts the most pressing questions from our community. Alongside the podcast, our experts' recommended practical tips will provide you with the tools you need to put this new knowledge into practice.
Think of Bridging Divides as your toolkit for how we can choose connection and understanding over division in our everyday lives. When things feel bleak, always remember that we have more in common than what divides us.
Why is Bridging Divides needed?
We all know that we are living through challenging times, and our society is feeling more fragmented and disconnected than ever.
We’re overwhelmed with negative headlines from around the world. Everyone’s pushing you to pick a side and it can feel harder than ever to bridge these divides.
This heightening of division is a humanitarian issue – one that’s increasingly impacting communities across the UK. It’s clear that divided communities are hit hardest by crisis. And right now, as we are facing the risk of more extreme and more frequent crises, we all need to commit to choosing compassion and connection, so we are better able to cope with future challenges.
We’re creating the Bridging Divides community, alongside experts, and people like you, so we can all be part of the change. No one person or organisation can fix this alone.
Why is the British Red Cross creating Bridging Divides?
We know this is something on a lot of people’s minds, and it’s something we care deeply about too. For over 150 years, the British Red Cross has been supporting communities, whoever they are, wherever they are, and whatever they believe, to cope with the disasters they experience.
Often this takes us into highly divided situations around the world. As a global humanitarian movement, we never take sides. This doesn’t mean staying out of tricky conversations. Instead, it allows us to stay in them, with everyone. When it comes to navigating division, we’ve learnt that the key is to think beyond ‘this side’ and ‘that side’.
We’ll draw on our experience, around the UK and around the world, to help shape Bridging Divides alongside members of the community and leading experts, so together we can build a more connected, more positive future.
How can I get in touch to share an idea or ask a question?
You can contact us anytime at bridgingdivides@redcross.org.uk to share ideas, feedback, or ask questions.
How can I listen to the Bridging Divides podcast?
Every episode will be available on the British Red Cross YouTube channel, as well as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
You can also receive each episode straight to your inbox if you sign up to join the Bridging Divides community, alongside practical tips and extra insight from our experts and host, Sonali. With every new joiner, the Bridging Divides community get stronger, and we are more able to build on the connection created by our first podcast series, together.
In a time of growing division, how we show up really matters. That's why people like you are coming together, listening to the Bridging Divides podcast, and committing to building connection in our everyday lives.