Can you imagine meeting the man who planted the bomb that killed your father in a terrorist attack and then making friends with him and go on to share many platforms with him? That is exactly what my extraordinary guest did! She is such a force for making positive change, peace and hope and I’m honoured to call her my friend
Jo Berry is an inspiring speaker who works to resolve conflict around the world. Sixteen years after her father was killed by an IRA bomb, Jo first met with the man responsible, Pat Magee. This initial three-hour meeting led to them speaking on over three hundred occasions, on a shared platform around the world. Their unusual relationship has been told in the BBC documentary "Facing the Enemy", was featured in the film "Beyond Right and Wrong", and inspired "The Bomb", a play by Kevin Dyer.
The founder of the charity ‘Building Bridges for Peace’, Jo advocates that unbounded empathy is the biggest weapon we have to end conflict. With political, religious and racial divides deepening as global and local events unfold, her words offer a message of hope and encourage us all to see the humanity in others.
Some key points from our interview:
· How she made the decision to bring something positive when her father was killed
· How she decided very early on after the bomb attack, that she will not make an enemy but wanted to understand the man who killed her father
· How she transformed her pain as she didn’t want to be affected by it for the rest of her life
· How she recognised that unbounded empathy and compassion for all is necessary to understand each other
· How she’s determined to break down the deep structures in society by making friends with her enemy
“If I had lived your life, would I have made the same choices?” – Jo Berry
You can get more information about Jo here: https://jo-berry.com/
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"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.
Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.
She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.
You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken, from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/
Watch edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken
Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/unbrokenthepodcastwithmb
Short of time but want to tune in?
Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE