Overcoming trauma in the service of peace, w/Elpida Rouka | Special Envoy for Syria | Awake at Night

Elpida Rouka’s first name means hope in Greek, a feeling that can sometimes be elusive when serving in the most troubled places on earth. Currently a senior political affairs officer in Geneva, she is a survivor of the 2003 Baghdad Canal Hotel bombing, the deadliest attack in UN history. “First you feel the shake, and the light, and then the blast, the sound comes. I blacked out between exiting the building, but when I was out, there was just a scene of a massacre. The only thing I recall after that was being thrown a phone and told: ‘Call your parents, now.’” Humanitarian workers are routinely exposed to primary and secondary trauma. Yet stigma and survivor’s guilt can prevent aid workers seeking timely help for post-traumatic stress. In this episode, Elpida Rouka reflects on grief, loss, and mental and physical scars, and shares why the exact wording of the preamble of the UN Charter has helped give her the strength to heal. [00:00] Introduction [01:22] Recalling the 2003 Canal Hotel Bombing [10:01] The emotional toll of survival [11:51] Returning to her work in Iraq [13:23] How the attack brought renewed determination [17:31] Life across conflict zones [21:14] The triggers of personal loss [23:23] Pathway to recovery [30:12] Roots of purpose [33:22] Reflections on contribution and impact [35:05] Finding hope in conflict-affected communities [38:30] Balancing service and wellbeing [39:03] Closing remarks Listen to more Awake at Night episodes https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt #podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #Trauma #Healing About Awake at Night Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.


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