Inside comms strategy at the world's largest peacebuilding NGO

We talk a lot on this show about the reasons why peace and conflict resolution aren’t more visible in the news media and our public conversation.

Our past guests have presented a variety of explanations: TV news segments are too short to talk about much beyond dramatic events, like battles and coups. For-profit media doesn't cover peace efforts because there's not enough interest in peace to attract advertisers. Conflict and divisiveness drive revenue on social media platforms. Professionals in the peacebuilding field speak in jargon that's not easily accessible to the average person. Or maybe, seeing so much violence in the news, has audiences thinking that peace isn't even possible, and therefore not worth working for.

Given all these challenges, we thought it was time to speak with someone whose job it is to make peace more visible.

Jack Farrell is Director of Communications for Search for Common Ground, the world's largest peacebuilding organization, with offices in 40 countries. Part of working in communications at an organization like Search is putting human lives before stories – Jack says many of the best stories about peacebuilding never reach the public to protect the safety of the people involved. Nevertheless, peacebuilding NGOs can and do play an important role in the media.

With over a decade of experience in nonprofit communications and politics and an eye towards the future, Jack has valuable advice for anyone looking to amplify their message, while exercising sensitivity and humility.

To get to know Jack a little better, sign up for our email newsletter, where we've got a more personal Q & A that you won't find on the podcast. Subscribe at warstoriespeacestories.org/contact.

Email Jack Farrell at jfarrell@sfcg.org and find him on X (formerly Twitter) @JackWFarrell.

You can get in touch with us at jsimon@warstoriespeacestories.org, or on X @warstoriespeace. We’re also on LinkedIn.

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About us

Making Peace Visible is a project of War Stories Peace Stories. Our mission is to bring journalists and peacebuilders together to re-imagine the way the news media covers peace and conflict, and to facilitate expanded coverage of global peace and reconciliation efforts. Join the conversation on Twitter: @warstoriespeace.

Making Peace Visible is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin with help from Faith McClure. Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

ABOUT THE SHOW

The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. Our associate producer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org

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