“This is a dose of optimism amid the gloom; stunning examples of people and places where courage has led to real change for the better .” Alastair Campbell
John Kampfner visits ten inspiring countries and meets people making radical change happen. Braver New World: The Countries Daring to Do Things Others Won’t is an urgent reminder that solutions exist - the question is whether we have the courage to learn.
The countries showing true innovation are often those with their backs against the wall; not wealthy nations assuming they have all the answers. In Japan, John Kampfner discovers inter-generational care homes ensuring dignity in later life. He visits Vienna’s century-old housing projects where 60% of residents live in subsidised accommodation without stigma. He sees Moroccan solar panels in the Sahara producing enough clean energy to power two million homes, and Finnish classrooms preparing children for an uncertain world. None of the countries he visits are utopias, but what unites them is a refusal to accept that difficult problems are unsolvable.
John Kampfner is an award-winning author, columnist and foreign affairs specialist. In a career spanning 40 years he has had a front-row seat at many of the world’s biggest events. He is a frequent contributor to the Guardian, Foreign Policy and Politico among others. His Citizen of Everywhere substack provides insider analysis of international politics and current affairs.
In conversation with Ingrid Miley.