Intercross: The Podcast

Hosted by ICRC

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Episodes

151

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Dec 2025

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About the show

The official podcast of the International Committee of the Red Cross out of the delegation in the US & Canada. We aim to delve into the rules of war and take you to the frontlines of some of the most inaccessible conflicts in the world, where the ICRC and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement work to neutrally and independently respond to emergencies. OUR MISSION: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance. The ICRC also endeavors to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

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60 recent

December 18, 2025Episode 119 min

Intercross: The Podcast Closes, The Conversation Continues

Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC. Today on the show we're saying good-bye to almost a decade of this podcast. We started this podcast to inform audiences about International Humanitarian Law. We'll talk about what's next, look back at some of our most memorable moments, including one of our first episodes in 2017 produced by Nikki Clark, my predecessor, and review some of our favorite episodes from the past few years. We won't be returning with additional episodes, but we thank you listeners for supporting this project and opening your ears and hearts to powerful humanitarian discussions and stories. We'll still be here engaging in new ways to tell you more about conflict and the people caught in the middle of it. You'll continue to hear from us on other podcasts, in the news, at events across the US and Canada, and at our website, where you can learn more about what we're working on. You can also continue to follow us on X at @ICRC_dc.

November 25, 2025Episode 1036 min

"You're never going to be the same," The Arduous Task of Accounting for Fallen U.S. Servicemembers

Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), there are around 81,000 Americans missing and unaccounted for from World War II, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, and other conflicts. Today on the podcast we get a first-hand look at the US culture of honoring the dead with dignity by learning how the US military accounts for their deceased and missing servicemembers. Then we turn to an interview with one of International Committee of the Red Cross's forensic experts to look at how militaries across the globe do this same work. Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. See bonus materials and additional information on our website. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc

October 30, 2025Episode 1019 min

Building new bridges: humanitarian diplomacy in the Gulf

Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC. Nowadays on the global stage, the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait are shaping a new collective role, in which influence, funding, and humanitarian engagement intersect in powerful ways. Today on the show we're focused on the—at times—complex and nuanced humanitarian role these states play on the global stage. Then turn to an interview with Mamadou Sow, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross's delegation to the Gulf States, to explain how we work with these to support humanitarian action and ensure that the laws of war and the obligations of states engaged in conflict are upheld. Music By: Blue Dot Sessions - Basic Curiosity, Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. See bonus materials and additional information on our website. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc

September 18, 2025Episode 846 min

If the Humanitarian System is "Broken," What's the Fix?

Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC. What are the principles guiding humanitarians in their work? And do they need a refresh? Today on the podcast, we learn more about the principles guiding humanitarian action. Then we meet Dr. Paul Spiegel, Director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, who is reimagining how the humanitarian system works. Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. See bonus materials and additional information on our website. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc Music By: Beat Mekanik /Baby Girl-Free Music Archive/(CC BY)

August 28, 2025Episode 718 min

Humanity @ War: Using AI in Armed Conflict

Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC. Does artificial intelligence make wars better or worse? That was the provocative question we asked participants at an AI Expo hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project earlier this summer. SCSP is, a non-profit whose mission is to help strengthen U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies that shape national security, the economy, and the way the US fights wars. We dig into the question with drone enthusiasts, tech CEOs, and Mark Montgomery from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. For the ICRC's views on new and emerging technologies used in war, please visit us at https://www.icrc.org/en/law-and-policy/new-technologies-and-warfare. Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc

July 24, 2025Episode 621 min

Beyond the Forecast: American Red Cross on the Hurricane Front Lines

Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC. Today we're doing something different on the podcast. We're going to hear from our colleagues at the American Red Cross about their disaster relief response efforts in times of hurricanes. Experts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say hurricane season isn't just June through November any more, but year round; much like the American Red Cross's disaster response. We're going to walk you through the Red Cross' response before, during, and after a disaster and talk about their partnerships with non-profits in vulnerable communities to ensure long-term recovery and resilience. Music Credit: Cinematic Film Music - I - Bells and Piano Version.wav by GregorQuendel -- https://freesound.org/s/650342/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. See bonus materials and additional information on our website. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc

June 26, 2025Episode 534 min

Humanitarian Update from Syria

After 14 years of registering more than 35,000 people as missing, the International Red Cross can finally bring some solace to families on the fate and whereabouts of their missing loved ones in Syria. We sit down with the head of the Syria delegation, Stephan Sakalian, to talk about how the International Committee of the Red Cross is working to provide some consolation to those seeking missing loved ones and what it will take to rebuild the country under the new government. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc See bonus materials and additional information on our website. Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. Music for this episode thanks to 687949__seelengold__german-melancholy. Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC.

May 22, 2025Episode 429 min

The Future of U.S. Humanitarian Aid

It's been a challenging time to be part of a humanitarian organization in the U.S. The terms: foreign assistance aid and foreign aid have been discussed a lot lately. But, what do they really mean? Can humanitarian aid to help people affected by conflict and violence—the work we do at International Committee of the Red Cross—really meet an America-first agenda? On today's episode, ICRC's Head of the US & Canada Delegation Fabrizio Carboni sits down with Kathryn-Jean Lopez, editor-at-large at the National Review, a U.S. magazine and news website publishing conversative commentary. Music for this episode was provided by: Tension Music Box by Universfield -- https://freesound.org/s/735313/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. See bonus materials and additional information on our website. And follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC.

April 24, 2025Episode 323 min

A Brotherhood in Arms: The Red Cross Event that Brings Enemies Together

Since the beginning of time, war has been used as a tool to resolve disagreements. While countless numbers of civilians die in war, the cost of war only gets more expensive each year. In this episode, we look at one of the only programs on the globe that brings together adversaries and allies to talk through ways to reduce the costs of war—in treasure and in lives--and maybe build toward positive peace. We sit down with Thom Geiser, an armed services advisor with the ICRC, and Paul Sotomayor, the deputy division chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command J7. Please rate, review, and subscribe to Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. See bonus materials and additional information on our website. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC.

March 20, 2025Episode 120 min

Digital Dilemmas 2.0: Deepfakes

In this Digital Dilemmas 2.0: Deepfakes episode, we take a look at two poignant questions: "How do we distinguish truth from manipulation? Who owns the truth?" We tour a deepfake exhibit created by the ICRC and L'École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) at the United Nations. Then, we zoom out and look at how dissemination of harmful narratives projected in images, videos, or other information affect communities in conflict and situations violence. See bonus materials, additional information, and a hearing imparied script of the episode on our website. Please follow, like, rate, and review Intercross wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss an episode. Follow us on X.com, @ICRC_dc Disclaimer: The advice, opinions and statements contained in this podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC.

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