Welcome back to Silent Killers. Today we’re at the Palais des Nations in Geneva for a conversation with researcher and consultant Ruth Bottomley. We talk about Cambodia, unexploded ordnance, growing humanitarian funding gaps, and the importance of bringing personal stories into the halls of diplomacy. But this is also a conversation about compassion, hope and complacency and why we cannot lose sight of the fact that this is a solvable problem. Because removing a single landmine can change the future of a person, a family and an entire community.
Ruth Bottomley joined The Landmine Monitor in 2019, working with the impact team and since 2022 she has undertaken the Monitor research on mine action support.
Ruth has thirty years’ experience in international development and humanitarian mine action. She has worked with international mine action and development organizations, national mine action centres, and with civil society organizations and communities. Her specialisms in mine action are community liaison, explosive ordnance risk education, research, and survey.
More broadly her work focuses on rights, gender, inclusion, and accountability, particularly in relation to land, natural resources and areas impacted by conflict. She has an MA in the Anthropology of Development and Social Transformation from the University of Sussex.
She has worked extensively in Southeast Asia, and in other parts of Asia and Africa. She is currently based in the UK working as an independent consultant.
David Peck is a writer, speaker, and award-winning podcaster who works at the intersection of storytelling, social change, and meaningful dialogue. As the host of Face2Face and former host of Toronto Threads on 640 AM, he has published over 800 in-depth interviews with some of the world’s most compelling thinkers, artists and storytellers, including Viggo Mortensen, Sarah Polley, Raoul Peck, Werner Herzog, Chris Hadfield, David Cronenberg, Jason Issacs, Gillian Anderson and Wade Davis. With a background in philosophy and international development, David brings a thoughtful, globally aware perspective to every conversation.
He’s a published author and experienced keynote speaker, known for creating spaces where complexity is welcomed and ideas come alive. Whether moderating panels, hosting live events, or speaking on issues ranging from ethics to media, David’s work is grounded in a deep curiosity about people. At heart, he simply loves good conversation — and believes it’s one of the best ways we grow, connect, and make sense of the world.
For more information about David Peck’s podcasting, writing and public speaking please visit his site here.
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