The History Hour

Saxophone diplomacy and bulletproof vests


Listen Later

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dr Natalia Grincheva, an expert in cultural diplomacy from Lasalle, University of the Arts in Singapore.

We start by hearing about when US president Bill Clinton was presented with a saxophone on a 1994 visit to Prague and he and the Czech president Vaclav Havel performed together on stage.

Then, India’s first female anthropologist, Irawati Karve.

Twenty years on, the cousin of John Charles de Menezes, describes the day the unarmed Brazilian man was shot dead by anti-terrorism police in London.

Plus, the discovery of the super-strong fibre Kevlar in 1965 which was used in bulletproof vests.

And finally, 50 years on from the premiere of the Broadway hit A Chorus Line, an original cast member shares her memories.

Contributors:

Urmilla Deshpande – granddaughter of Irawati Karve.

Patricia da Silva – cousin of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Baayork Lee – Connie in A Chorus Line

Plus, archive recording of Stephanie Kwolek, and material from the Vaclav Havel Center and the William J Clinton Presidential Library.

(Photo: President Bill Clinton accepts a saxophone as a gift from a Belgian delegation in 1994. Credit: Luke Frazza/AFP via Getty Images)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The History HourBy BBC World Service

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

556 ratings


More shows like The History Hour

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,613 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

378 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,050 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,478 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,802 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,202 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

959 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,884 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,759 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,035 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,088 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

484 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

355 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

589 Listeners

The Forum by BBC World Service

The Forum

267 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,803 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

975 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

413 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

745 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

337 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,150 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,002 Listeners