You're History
Encyclopedia
You're History is a project inspired by Bob Geldof
which challenges some of the world's leading journalists, academics and celebrities to apply the lens of history to enhance a perspective on current affairs
. Its purpose is to make people think and connect wires, to encourage them to question their own place within the world, to acknowledge personal and collective responsibility and to enable them to feel empowered by discussing a range of situations and issues that have been changed by individuals, groups or pressure of public opinion and by the exertion of rights and choices - Human Rights
.
The project was coordinated by Michelle P. Brown
, who is the world's leading authority on the Lindisfarne Gospels
, and by Richard J. Kelly, who is an authority on the English Language, especially its early development in the Blickling homilies
. The project includes such well-known names as Akbar Ahmed, Richard Curtis
, Bob Geldof
, Irene Khan
, John Pilger
, Mary Robinson
, John Simpson, Terry Waite
and Benjamin Zephaniah
.
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
which challenges some of the world's leading journalists, academics and celebrities to apply the lens of history to enhance a perspective on current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
. Its purpose is to make people think and connect wires, to encourage them to question their own place within the world, to acknowledge personal and collective responsibility and to enable them to feel empowered by discussing a range of situations and issues that have been changed by individuals, groups or pressure of public opinion and by the exertion of rights and choices - Human Rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
.
The project was coordinated by Michelle P. Brown
Michelle P. Brown
Michelle P. Brown is Professor of Medieval Manuscript Studies at the School of Advanced Study, University of London. She has previously been Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts at the British Library. She has been a historical consultant and on-screen expert on several radio and television programmes...
, who is the world's leading authority on the Lindisfarne Gospels
Lindisfarne Gospels
The Lindisfarne Gospels is an illuminated Latin manuscript of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the British Library...
, and by Richard J. Kelly, who is an authority on the English Language, especially its early development in the Blickling homilies
Blickling homilies
The Blickling Homilies are the second largest collection of anonymous homilies written in Old English. The Blickling Homilies are written in prose and said to have been written down by possibly two different scribes before the end of the 10th century. This might be one of the oldest collection of...
. The project includes such well-known names as Akbar Ahmed, Richard Curtis
Richard Curtis
Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, music producer, actor and film director, known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, Love Actually and The Girl in the Café, as well as the hit...
, Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
, Irene Khan
Irene Khan
Irene Zubaida Khan is a Bangladeshi human rights activist. She was the seventh Secretary General of Amnesty International until her resignation on 31 December 2009. She was appointed as a member of the Charity Commission of England and Wales on 1 January 2010 but resigned after a controversy over...
, John Pilger
John Pilger
John Richard Pilger is an Australian journalist and documentary maker, based in London. He has twice won Britain's Journalist of the Year Award, and his documentaries have received academy awards in Britain and the US....
, Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
, John Simpson, Terry Waite
Terry Waite
Terry Waite CBE is an English humanitarian and author.Waite was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs in the 1980s. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John...
and Benjamin Zephaniah
Benjamin Zephaniah
Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah is an English writer and dub poet. He is a well-known figure in contemporary English literature, and was included in The Times list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008....
.