I just spent a couple of days in Geneva, Switzerland, with Karen Tse, Founder and President of International Bridges to Justice.
Karen has been a central figure in the development of Sarah Lovett ‘s and my Dangerous Places Thriller Series. Like Karen and her work at IBJ, our series’ books are adventurous and exciting tales about countries struggling with maintaining the rule of law. Our protagonist has dedicated her life to eliminating torture as an investigative tool by providing a lawyer to any man, woman, or child immediately upon their arrest and protecting those caught and often forgotten in the dungeons of the world’s prisons.
IBJ’s success rate has been both phenomenal and extraordinary. With major programs operating for years to end torture as an investigative tool in over a dozen countries. Their Justice Hub allows access and assistance to many dozen more, worldwide. And now their Youth Charter Defenders have taken on the mantle of specifically protecting children who are arrested from being tortured and abused, as well.
Future installments of this blog will feature an interview with Nathaniel Wong, a brilliant and articulate 18-year-old who has launched this Youth Charter Defender program within IBJ.
Visiting with Karen is always a treat and not only about torture and prisons. She continually asks us to identify and state our intention. as she leads us from one unexpected event to the next. From a visit to an Alpine Buddhist Monastery, high above Geneva, to immersing in an ice-cold flowing river, she brings us face-to face with the challenges in front of us and the solace we seek. Bravery, integrity, compassion, fluidity–these are the qualities Sarah and I admire in the hero of our series: someone fearless (not without fear but willing to meet it), and whose heart is always open to the suffering of those who need help. These values drive Karen’s work and are at the heart of the Dangerous Places Series and its first installment, The Metal Viper. We hope to provide both updates and news of our work in these blogs, and those who are the source and inspiration for it. The Metal Viper is our debut, and we will let you know as soon as we have our pub date.
In the meantime, Karen and International Bridges to Justice deserve our support. You can learn more about them and how to support their effort at IBJ.org.