English
Before being transported to the Nazi death camps, most persecuted Dutch Jews passed through Camp Westerbork in the province of Drenthe. Now, more than 60 years after the camp was liberated, three people talk about how they managed to survive.
It's easy to underestimate the power of words, but post 9/11 they have been skillfully manipulated by politicians, diplomats, entertainers and the media to shift public opinion.
I's the poor cousin of all genre fiction, but die-hard readers always know where to find them: the books that allow them to escape from the harsh realities of life.
Imagine a government that destroys the homes of 700,000 people and the livelihoods of nearly 2.5 million others. Welcome to Zimbabwe.
More than half a million people in India are both deaf and blind, and without support their world can be an isolated one of darkness and silence. Sense International and the Helen Keller Institute offer that support.
The regal, enchanting swan has inspired so much memorable poetry, music and imagery that one might almost forget that this beautiful, long-necked creature also has a private life off-stage in Nature.
We rebroadcast Laura Durnford's award-winning programme on the excavation of mass graves and techniques to identify the remains of people who went missing in Bosnia-Hercegovina.
Since 9/11, many people have come to view the world through a filter of anxiety. But what is the source of that fear? Joanna Bourke believes it lies less with 'terrorists' than with those in power.
Long before Santa and Bing Crosby, even before Christianity itself, the Winter Solstice was celebrated with seasonal ritual. One ancient and rowdy solstice custom is Mummering and it's survived until this very day.
Zimbabwe used to be the breadbasket of southern Africa. Today it has become one of the world's basket cases.
"Failed state" is a term that emerged in the early 1990s. It's being used more and more frequently, but what does it mean?
Haiti is often cited as a classic example of a failed state. But what does that mean for the country and its people? And is it actually true?
This year's 800th anniversary of the rise to power of Genghis Khan offers a welcome opportunity to look at the immeasurable impact that the Mongol empire and conquests have had on Europe to this day.
In the Western Australian wheatbelt something has been awakened. A generation ago, 1000 acres were cleared a day for modern agriculture. Now, farmers are facing the problem of salination of their land.
Commemorate the ending of the First World War, two men talk about their experience on the battlefield and historian Stephen Brumwell discusses how soldiers have dealt with warfare down the ages.
In September 1765, the Mozart family set foot on Dutch soil. It was the final stage of their ‘Great Western Trip’ and they stayed much longer than planned. Nine-year-old Wolfgang was lucky to escape with his life.
Chris Chambers takes a look at the fascinating history of the Peace Palace in The Hague. Filled with priceless treasures, the building is not just a symbol of peace; it’s also a key component of international law.
The First Hague Peace Conference of 1899 was to change the international landscape forever and lead to the first world courts and ultimately to the UN. Chris Chambers looks at this crucial period in international relations.
Shabnam Ramaswamy runs a court. She's the judge, the jury and the investigating magistrate in a West Bengal village, where she's regarded as the Hindu goddess of vengeance who vanquished evil.
For a river which is not much more than 30 kilometres long it packs a hefty punch. Along its banks lie some of the grandest houses in the country cheek by jowl like jewels sparkling along the base of a crown.
The Netherlands is the only Western country where more than 30 percent of births take place at home. A system of highly trained midwives and maternity aid nurses makes it all possible. But will the practice survive?
Chinese philosopher Confucius once described the harmony between husband and wife and children as "the music of lutes and harps". Much has changed in Chinese family life since the time of Confucius, but his influence can still be felt today.
In part two of this story we hear how the Bushmen are fighting back and have taken the Botswana government to court.
In 21st century Botswana, the Bushmen are fighting not only for their culture and their land but for their very survival as a people.
Until recently, the victims of Colombia's long-running civil war were left to deal with their pain on their own, but in recent years, there has been growing awareness among charities and the government of the need to provide psychological assistance.
Lough Neagh in Ireland can boast being the sole surviving major wild eel fishery in Europe. However, the past couple of decades has seen a huge decline in the numbers of eels coming into the Lough.
Platypus Leather is the last tannery in Sydney, Australia. But after 30 years of existence, it's about to come to an end - and with it a once thriving industry will have vanished.
Producer David Guttnick follows the footsteps of a pair of shoes recently bought at a Montreal shoe store to the factory in Guandong Province in China where they were made.
When Father John Visser met Silesian priests at the end of World War II, he knew that he too wanted to become a Silesian of Don Bosco, an organisation dedicated to helping young people.
For the past 20 years, Dutchwoman Lea Laarakker-Dingjan has been assisting several poor villages in eastern Thailand through a silk weaving project.
Leaving Botswana's thriving capital, it's not long before you reach villages where mains water and electricity are a luxury. The country's diamond wealth has not benefited everyone and the fault lines in society are opening up.
The discovery of diamonds has transformed Botswana from one of the world's poorest countries into a glittering African success story. But not everyone is benefiting from the diamond wealth.
In the 1970s, Cambodia was considered a failed state, unable to control its territory and provide basic services to its people. The country is still climbing out of the abyss.
During the Second World War he obtained millions of Dutch guilders to finance the resistance. But now his name is known to few - it's high time to dust off the story of Walraven van Hall.
Tens of thousands of children are being trafficked throughout Southeast Asia, mostly to work in sweatshops, as beggars or in the sex industry.
Often portrayed as a misunderstood genius, Rembrandt was one of the most highly praised and successful painters of all times. Every century and every country has projected its own ideals and whims onto him.
Many Sri Lankans remember Dr Rajani Thiranagama, a prominent scientist and human rights activist who was shot dead in 1989. "In some ways," says her daughter, "I think I'm still waiting for her to come home from work."
In the 17th century, wealthy Dutch merchants built their gardens according to the scientific and religious thinking of the time to demonstrate not only their riches, but also their knowledge and power.
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in Britain, but most people are still unaware of how vulnerable they are. It's very easy to be duped by plausible individuals determined to get personal information.
In 1947, Ben Ferencz prosecuted the Nuremberg war crimes trials at the age of 27. Since then he has tried to stop these atrocities from happening again - by making war a crime.
