The Breakfast Podcast

"Zlata's Diary" was written by Zlata Filipović, a young girl who documented her daily life during the Bosnian War and the Siege of Sarajevo between 1991 and 1993.She began the diary at age 10, addressing it as "Mimmy." Her entries start in a normal school environment and gradually transition to loss of electricity, sheltering in basements, food shortages, and the death of close friends due to bombings.

This date might mean nothing to you or sound like a Eurovision song, but for many Ukrainians, it was their "annus horribilis". But no. I am not referring to the song, but to the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatars carried out by the regime of Joseph Stalin in May of that same year. For the population of Crimea and much of Ukraine, 1944 did not mean only the advance of the Soviet front against the Nazi occupation, but the beginning of a human tragedy

Sixteen years ago—time flies—I ran a workshop in which I asked why a football player was considered a foreigner, whereas people arriving on wooden boats were labeled immigrants.The goal of the activity was to help people understand why we accept certain individuals and reject others, as was the case with Ukrainian refugees. But I will give you a clearer, more graphic example. During the Bosnian War, which was widely televised, people had no issue welcoming Bosnian refugees, even though they were Muslim. Nobody claimed they were going to replace us or impose Islam on us.I ask you: what has changed?

Yes. I like writing. And this year I decided to go all out and sign up for every literary contest I saw. Needless to say, I lost them all, but it gave me an idea: to create a character that allows me to raise awareness about human rights through literature. My dream, if I manage to become a philologist, is to publish them.

Is it possible to give one’s life for others? In times of deep polarization and harsh dichotomies of "us versus them," those who cling to an ideal break this barrier, acting not for themselves, but for a greater common goodThe highest value always lies in the choice that maximizes global well-being and minimizes collective suffering.

It is fascinating how the perception of migrants works. Until not long ago, it was accepted that Germans, Britons, or Norwegians, well settled for years in the south of Gran Canaria, would establish themselves, and above all in isolation, like in colonies, and nothing happened because "they don't bother anyone." 

His poetry explores life, the passage of time, childhood, and mortality through energy-filled imagery. Thomas's narrative voice was not meant merely to be read; it was built to be recited aloud, turning every verse into a sonic ritual.

So how does a civilization lose its moral compass? It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn't mean people suddenly lose their minds. It just takes someone clever enough to weaponize their deepest fears.

Sending migrants to a third country—known as border outsourcing—has become one of the most debated proposals in current migration policy.​What does it consist of?A country transfers asylum seekers or irregular migrants to a third state so that it processes their applications or hosts them temporarily or permanently, in exchange for financial compensation or bilateral agreements.

During the Nazi regime (1933-1945), literature was subjected to a violent ideological purge. Under the concept of degenerate art, the Third Reich not only persecuted creators, but attempted to physically erase any thought contrary to its doctrine.What is outrageous, and even laughable, is that in today's Spain, city councils or social media backlash cancel or suspend plays. 

Today I bring you one of the most tragic stories from 1930s Germany. Otti Berger's story. ​Otti Berger was a key figure in the Bauhaus weaving workshop, where she stood out not only as a brilliant student, but also as a materials researcher, patent designer, and professor.

If there is one thing that is not well understood, it is why descendants of migrants, or migrants themselves, are capable of expelling other people who decided to make the exact same choice: to seek a better life.

Perhaps ancient works may not seem like things of the past, but you will be surprised by things that sound familiar to you in the present. He did not speak of heroic wars, but of what moves us all today

Imagining the situation: in your country there are no opportunities, due to diverse crises, part of the population must migrate. You cross seas, oceans, or deserts and find out that it was not the dreamed paradise. Rather, you find another hell. Arriving in Spain means the beginning of the ordeal:

I read an article featuring an interview with a Sudanese guy who arrived in Ceuta. Imagine the situation: to reach Ceuta, they have to cross several territories that are right in the middle of the desert.He cannot be deported because of the war.It turns out this guy is a jurist, but xenophobes don't believe it, because their racism, classism, and xenophobia make them believe there are no universities in Africa.Why are they required to integrate, if later, when they do, they aren't accepted either?

When a person is torn from their homeland, the written word often becomes the only possible home. Writing from a distance is not only an act of memory, but a form of resistance, of rebuilding identity piece by piece and defying oblivion.In this episode, I will reflect on how uprooting has given birth to some of the most universal works in history. I will talk about authors who transformed loss into art and the pain of exile into a bridge to the reader.Will you miss it?

I dropped out of in-person university in 2001, out of lack of motivation and boredom, and got into volunteering. I don't regret it, but I always missed university.But my soul will always belong to English philology, which I returned to 2 years ago.

Today's episode is dedicated to migrant professionals who have fought and suffered just like Spaniards, of course, for a position. But what they don't tell you is what lies behind that effort. So if you see a migrant person providing care or teaching you, think that not only have they earned a degree, but also of the bureaucracy that lies behind that effort.

There may be some moment in life when we need information, no matter how analog it may seem, or a book may serve us to escape from a bad time. You cannot imagine the treasure you have at home.

There are moments when darkness ceases to be a distant shadow and becomes the very ground we walk on. We peer into the abyss—that breaking point where fear paralyzes and uncertainty threatens to devour everything—and we feel the temptation to back away.However, true bravery rarely arises in the absence of terror.

Over the centuries, thousands of civilizations have been born, disappeared, or mutated. The latter has happened because people decided to come together to create something new, whether through political alliances or romantic interests. These crossings occurred because they decided to leave their safe environments in search of resources, survival, or adventure.

Discover the fascinating life and legacy of William Gaskell, the influential Unitarian minister, tireless social reformer, and literary partner of his famous wife, Elizabeth Gaskell. "Temperance Rhymes" is a social poetry collection in which he expressed his support for workers struggling with poverty, whom Gaskell helped them,  in the fight against alcoholism.

Like many South Korean dramas show, South Korea is a beautiful country with a rich history, but it also faces a severe bullying issue. From a social integration perspective, this connects deeply with self-concept and the high density of cosmetic surgery clinics in Seoul.

It often amazes me how imaginative people can be when accusing migrants of taking all the resources.By this I mean that opportunities are there for everyone, and it's up to us whether we accept them or not.

Published in 1854, Elizabeth Gaskell's novel is one of the most iconic works of the Victorian era. Through the eyes of its protagonist, Margaret Hale, the author portrays the collision of two British worlds in full transformation during the Industrial Revolution. 

It is obvious, and it has been proven, that to end a culture, the fastest and most evident way is to prevent its language from being spoken, its traditional clothing from being worn, or its religion from being practiced. 

I don't think xenophobia is the only reason for the rejection of migrants. I think it stems from the perception of how social resources are managed. If we compare them to a pie, the more people there are, the smaller the slice you get. But I don't want to dwell on aid programs, nor mention the Mutual Aid and Assistance Fund (MAIF). I want to focus on the reasons why, even when you explain it, people don't believe you and, on top of that, you end up getting burned.

I won't dwell on the statistics or the reasons for migration, as that's not the focus of this section. I simply want to concentrate on the resilience of those who choose to migrate. I think I've made it clear that a war isn't necessary for people to migrate.

If you're a fan of "Outlander," this will interest you: I still remember those scenes where the protagonists, for having a minimum of wisdom, were branded as witches.

Today we are going to open a door that many prefer to keep closed: the reality of thousands of migrant women working in the domestic and care sector. A reality marked, all too often, by silent abuse.

In Cold Blood (1966) by Truman Capote is  the work that defined the "non-fiction novel," merging journalistic rigor with narrative elegance to explore the psyche of its perpetrators and the fragility of the American dream. 

We Spaniards know this. We know what it is like for neighbors to start disappearing overnight because someone has denounced them.

When a neighborhood fills with absent investors, real diversity is lost—the diversity of neighbors, local businesses, and families of different backgrounds. 

Through the eyes of young Scout, the novel addresses systemic racism, the loss of innocence, and the profound injustice of the judicial system in the Deep South of the 1930s, personified in the false accusation of rape against Tom Robinson, a Black man. 

History books often tell us who won and who lost a war. But when we look back at the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), the traditional definition of victory crumbles. The truth is much darker: there were no real winners.

These professionals are the human bridge between health systems and remote villages; as trusted neighbors, they combat misinformation firsthand, explain the benefits in their own language, and ensure no family is left behind. Without the local community leading immunization, trucks filled with vaccines would never reach the last mile.

"Campos de Castilla" is not just a book of poems; it is the soul of Spain etched in stone, wind, and memory. 

The Casa del Niño (Children's Home) is much more than an abandoned building: it is a key piece of our history and of architectural rationalism in the Canary Islands.Its halls housed hundreds of children, becoming a place of contrasts: a project funded by public subscription and, at the same time, a space marked by the strict ideological and pedagogical discipline of the post-war era.

We live in an age of paradoxes. We are more technologically connected than ever, yet it seems that listening to each other is becoming increasingly difficult. In recent months, it's impossible to browse social media, read the news, or even have a dinner party without noticing a worrying trend: the rise of hate speech.

This is a work that almost everyone confuses with a simple children's story, but which is, in reality, one of the most brutal social critiques in literature. Forget the sugar-coated version. Today we deconstruct "Platero and I" by Juan Ramón Jiménez.

Have you noticed that a peaceful comment goes unnoticed, but a furious attack gets hundreds of replies? It’s no coincidence. Social media algorithms aren’t programmed to make you happy

What would you think if I told you that the technology you use today to connect your Bluetooth headphones or surf the Wi-Fi is owed to a refugee actress fleeing Nazism? 

Through a profound and painful narrative, the author analyzes how the internalization of racism and self-loathing can destroy identity and self-esteem. 

During the Nazi era, sport was used by the regime as a propaganda tool to demonstrate the supposed "Aryan superiority." 

Football is pitched as the ultimate tool for integration, but red tape and missing paperwork create an invisible barrier, leaving thousands of migrant children benched and unable to register.

The immortal bond between poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero and musician José Asunción Flores gave birth to Panambí Verá, one of the most beautiful and transcendent guaranias in Paraguayan culture

The silence surrounding reproductive health in several regions of Africa carries a devastating human cost. 

Migration is much more than crossing a border; it is a process of internal reconstruction where resilience is the key to survival. 

This crime novel, written by British author Alexandra Burt, moves completely away from media-centric cases to dive into the darkest corners of human psychology, family secrets, and the dynamics of closed communities.

James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were driving home after investigating the burning of a Black church.