Viktorya Muradyan & Valeriya Izhyk

The Middle Ground

Education EN ↓ 13 episodes

We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends from Ukraine and Armenia who came to Brussels 5 years ago. In Brussels, institutions may dominate the stage, but behind the curtains, there’s a whole community that matters. We founded The Middle Ground - a unique mix of a talk show and podcast - to open the doors to that community. Let's discover how you can build the life of your dreams in one of the most competitive cities in the world.

Author

Viktorya Muradyan & Valeriya Izhyk

Episodes

13 - Petra Petan: Ex-member of the Commissioner’s cabinet, writer, mother 16.12.2025 28:27

Welcome to the thirteenth episode of The Middle Ground , a talk show and podcast not about politics, but about the people of Brussels. When Slovenian-born Petra Petan shared on LinkedIn that she was leaving her role in the Cabinet of European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni to become a full-time mother, the reaction was overwhelming. Friends and colleagues were stunned. Who, at the height of a succes...

12 - Teun Janssen: European Parliament assistant, defense and security enthusiast, pianist and a cook 02.12.2025 30:29

Welcome to the twelfth episode of The Middle Ground , a talk show and podcast not about politics, but about the people of Brussels. Brussels' cultural mix made Teun Janssen , the Parliamentary assistant, feel less Dutch and embrace the work-related chaos as a canvas for building up his peace. Focusing on defence and Ukraine files, Teun shares that one needs to be the first in the room, the sma...

11- Saim Saeed: Pakistani (not a prince), tax journalist, founder of Walking History Brussels 25.11.2025 31:19

Welcome to the eleventh episode of The Middle Ground , a talk show and podcast not about politics, but about the people of Brussels. Against all odds, Saim Saeed found himself in the Belgian capital. A newly naturalised Belgian–Pakistani, Saim is a tax journalist walking for Bloomberg and the founder of Walking History Brussels , a guided tour that explores Belgium’s colonial past through the monu...

10 - Andrea Bittnerová: LinkedIn influencer, newsletter author, and a proud Czech migrant. 18.11.2025 30:02

Welcome to the tenth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. Andrea Bittnerová is one of Brussels’ most generous LinkedIn voices, known for sharing top locations and weekend gems around the city. A Czech migrant (and proudly so!), event-management expert, and an honest broker of difficult topics, she has spent six years building he...

9 - Tom Moylan: serial multitasker and an Irishman bridging expats and Belgians 11.11.2025 27:18

Welcome to the ninth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. Tom Moylan is one of Brussels’ most familiar voices when it comes to communication, storytelling, and everything in between. An Irishman, strategist, dad of two, and serial multitasker, he’s spent years helping to bridge the gap between locals and expats and pushing for a...

8 - Marjorie Libourel: from making photocopies to becoming an elite matchmaker in Brussels 09.11.2025 29:25

Welcome to the eighth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. Having a difficult childhood and strict French education, our guest, Marjorie Libourel, worked on her trauma, and today, she has an intense and magnetic presence who sees through to people’s true desires and needs. After five years of study at Sciences Po in France and...

7 - Georgia Mourad Brooks: the daughter of the West and East, founder of The Nine, Brussels mom 21.10.2025 31:34

Welcome to the seventh episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. With a background in women’s rights, our guest, Georgia Mourad Brooks, built her career around creating spaces where women can thrive. In 2021, she founded The Nine, Belgium's first female-focused members' club. With British and Lebanese roots, and many lives lived bet...

6 - Ailbhe Finn: Irish human rights defender, investor, and a political think-tank director 16.10.2025 27:54

Welcome to the sixth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. Few people inherit a stock from their grandparents, and even fewer manage to grow that capital over time. Ailbhe Finn did just that. Despite a rough start and graduating during the financial crisis, she learned to embrace risk, not only in her career but also in her finan...

5 - Lise Witteman: investigative reporter, leader, Dutchwoman, and a mom of two 07.10.2025 30:55

Welcome to the fifth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. Few people dig deeper into the corridors of power in Brussels than Lise Witteman. Convinced that democracy cannot exist without transparency, she left The Hague in 2018 to expose the hidden forces shaping European politics. From setting up Follow the Money’s Brussels desk...

4 - Mehdi El Taghdouini: Belgian-Moroccan street photographer and younger brother 05.10.2025 28:36

Welcome to the fourth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. This week's guest is Mehdi El Taghdouini, a Brussels-born street photographer of Moroccan origins. He has turned his hometown into his greatest muse: while most of us just complain about the weather and traffic, he has been out capturing the city’s hidden magic throu...

3 - Kelly Agathos: comedian, improvisor, and an eldest immigrant daughter 23.09.2025 31:20

Welcome to the third episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. This week's guest is Kelly Agathos, the Greek-American performer who founded two standout projects in Brussels: The Schuman Show, an EU-themed info-comedy, and ImproBubble, the city's improvisational theatre club. Kelly lives and breathes performance, comedy, and storytel...

2 - Francesco Cappelletti: advisor to an MEP, violinist, dog dad, and teacher 16.09.2025 28:24

Welcome to the third episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. Our guest this week is Francesco Cappelletti. Born and raised on a picturesque farm in Tuscany, he found his second home in Brussels. Trained as a classical violinist, he transitioned to the world of international relations and politics in Brussels. In this conversation,...

1 - Julius Fintelmann: gen Z journalist, choir singer, and a national security threat in Türkiye 09.09.2025 30:17

Welcome to the very first episode of The Middle Ground, Brussels’ new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels. Our first guest on the blue couch this week is Julius Fintelmann, a 23-year-old journalist and co-founder of The European Correspondent. Once destined to be an opera singer, Julius traded a career in culture to study law and build a truly European journalism...