2021 was a year full of fascinating interviews
Throughout last year David Brittain our Executive Editor kept on doing what he loves best - meeting and interviewing people with a story to tell, hearing the passion about what they believe in, and a desire to share these passions and beliefs with our readers.
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The videos are all available to view on our YouTube channel. Just click on the interviewee photo to launch your selected video.
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Feel free to leave comments within the channel, tell your friends about any that have particularly resonated with you or have added some extra insight or dimension to your current understanding of the topic under discussion.
As always, let us know what struck a chord - good, bad or just plain indifferent!
January
Andrew Copson
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Andrew is Chief Executive of Humanists UK. He became Chief Executive in 2010 after five years coordinating Humanists UK’s education and public affairs work. Andrew is also current President of Humanists International.
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He is a former director of the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and is currently a trustee of the International Humanist Trust. He has previously served as head of the IHEU delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and has represented humanist organisations at the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
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March
Maryam Namazie
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Maryam Namazie is an Iranian-born writer and activist.
She is the Spokesperson of One Law for All and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.
She is on the International Advisory Board of the Raif Badawi Foundation for Freedom and Euromind; a Laureate of the International Academy of Humanism, National Secular Society Honorary Associate; Honorary Associate of Rationalist International; Emeritus Member of the Secular Humanist League of Brazil and a Patron of Pink Triangle Trust.
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May
Chris Stringer
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Anthropologist Professor Chris Stringer is Research Leader in Human Origins at the Natural History Museum in London.
He is one of the leading proponents of the 'Out of Africa' theory, which hypothesizes that modern humans originated in Africa over 100,000 years ago and replaced archaic humans such as Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis .
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July
Leo Igwe
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This month's interview is with Leo Igwe, and explores the subject of witchcraft.
Leo lives in Nigeria where witchcraft is an issue. He is a champion of exposing so called trials and punishment of women and children, and has suffered the consequences of crossing vested interests, in particular the hugely profitable Liberty Gospel Church.
Leo has suffered death threats, imprisonment, beatings, attacks on his supporters, and even his family. This is clearly a brave and determined man.
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November
Jonathan Romain
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Our first ever interview with a religious leader Rabbi Doctor Jonathan Romain.
The interview turned out to be a fascinating reflection by someone who defends unchanging traditions about kosher slaughter and baby circumcision, whilst at the same time adopting liberal social ideas including assisted dying, ending faith schools, and legalising brothels.
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February
David Warden
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In this month’s interview we talk to David Warden, who is the Chair of Dorset Humanists, Council Member for SCEHN, and an Honorary Member of Humanists UK.
He tells of his somewhat circuitrous
route to becoming a humanist, from initially practising as an Evangelical Christian during his teenage years through to being a founder member of Dorset Humanists, now with a very active membership of 750 people.
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April
Anthony Grayling
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Humanists UK Patron Professor Grayling discusses his latest book The Good State with our Executive Editor, David Brittain.
Professor Grayling explains why our democracy is nowhere near as democratic as we like to think, and how the system gives way to the polarised, and extreme politics of today. He explains why the West is in great danger, and that the invasion of the White House should come as no surprise to political observers.
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August
Peter Dawson
Director of the Prison Reform Trust, Peter Dawson, speaks out about inhuman conditions in Britain’s jails.
Peter has a wealth of experience working in
prisons at all levels and he tells us what they are really like. He reflects on inmates being boxed up for 23 hours a day, and staff being forced to make do in poor conditions.
His verdict is a damning indictment of successive governments' short sightedness, false economies and broken promises, and above all, failures in helping inmates out of crime.
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December
Megan Manson
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This month's interview is with the highly
articulate Megan Manson, who is head of policy and research at the National Secular Society.
Megan explains why she believes that Humanists UK and the National Secular Society are stronger apart, as allies, rather than if they were to merge.
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