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The Toll of War with Irwin Redlener

UP9, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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About This Episode

How will the war in Ukraine impact future generations? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson learns about disaster relief and helping child refugees with co-founder of Ukraine Children’s Action Project and pediatrician, Irwin Redlener.

Find more information and how to help Ukraine Children’s Action Project here: https://www.eifoundation.org/partners/ukraine-childrens-action-project/

What is the reality of war from a doctor’s perspective? Irwin tells us what it is like to be in a war zone and his experiences working with displaced children. We discuss the current state of humanitarian aid. Is there more we can be doing to help victims of war beyond satisfying immediate needs? What needs to happen to fully recover and build back after this conflict? 

What happens to a child’s education in a time of war? We learn about Irwin’s efforts to keep Ukrainian kids in school and to continue to think about their future development. What is technology’s role in all this? We explore the playbook for addressing future conflicts and disasters and the importance of asking a kid what they want to be when they grow up. 

How do we make sure there isn’t an entire generation lost to trauma? Do we have any insights from past wars? Learn about mental health care for war refugees and how teachers are being trained to handle traumatized children. All that, plus, we discuss the importance of continuing to dream. 

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

In This Episode

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