RFA in the press
Trade the Doom Scrolling for Novels!
Rob Merrick, Devex
In October, RFA co-founders Kirsten Gelsdorf and Adrienne Ghaly attended Devex World 2024, discussing how “the power of fiction” can reshape our considerations of humanitarianism. They implore us to toss away our “doom-scrolling” social media tendencies and instead engage with novels to unpack humanitarian crises through the eyes of complex characters and plots. Read More
Why Stories Matter
Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief at Devex
One of the central themes behind the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Humanitarian Symposium was the role that storytelling plays in our work. Many of us know all too well that you can do all the good in the world, but it’s unlikely to make the maximum impact if it’s not packaged in a powerful, evocative narrative. Read more about RFA’s involvement in the Symposium.
“Read for Action” profiled in Danish newspaper Globalnyt: “Virtuel bogklub skaber humanitær handlekraft gennem litteratur”
Soren Steensig, 25 Nov. 2022
At the beginning of November, Kirsten Gelsdorf and Adrienne Ghaly's digital book club 'Read for Action' went live. The two American university researchers attack the challenge of portraying the Global South from different angles, but have a common dream of a worldwide community that can inspire humanitarian action. Read More
Want To Help Save the World?
Eric Williamson, UVAToday
No disrespect to your book club, but one being offered by the University of Virginia, in partnership with the United Nations, just might help save the world.
Read for Action, created by the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy’s Humanitarian Collaborative, kicked off earlier this month alongside the United Nations’ annual climate change meeting, known as COP27, which convened this year in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt. Read more.
Read, Connect, Act: United Nations and University of Virginia Launch Humanitarian Book Club to Spur Action to Help People in Need
(New York, 7 November 2022) Today’s launch of Read for Action: the Humanitarian Book Club kicks off a unique, global initiative that connects book lovers and relief experts to inspire fresh ideas and real action to alleviate human suffering caused by violent conflict and the climate crisis. Read more.
