24 June 2014
"That they may all be one"
A blog on the Premier Lecture by Siobhan Crawford.
28 Too Many Trustee Siobhan Crawford attended the third annual Premier Lecture with the Right Honourable Lord (Paul) Boateng on Tuesday 10th June. Here is her account of an inspiring evening.
On the 19th anniversary of the inception of Premier Radio the Right Honourable Lord Boateng took to the stage to deliver the annual Premier Radio lecture. Born in Ghana Lord Boatang came to the UK when he was 15 following his father being jailed by President Nkrumah. His father was jailed without a trial and it was perhaps this injustice that may have been the force for him to train as a solicitor. Lord Boatang became an MP in 1987 for Brent South, becoming the British High Commissioner to South Africa in 2005. In 2010 Lord Boateng was made a peer, Lord Boateng of Akyem and Wembley.
It was against the background of his time in Africa that Lord Boateng’s lecture was set. Lord Boateng commenced by telling us about his time in Africa and his time with Nelson Mandela, reminding us that Mandela was once considered a threat by the South African government. Lord Boateng told us of his close links to the ANC government and his ongoing work to try and right human rights violations during his time in Africa.
Upon his return to the UK Lord Boateng used his appointment to the House of Lords to highlight the needs of British children and the need to ensure that they do not slip between the cracks.
How does he Lord Boateng believe that we can change society for the better? By all Christians coming together. And by all other faiths coming together. And together every single faith as one entity will change the world for the better and “as one”.
28 Too Many researches FGM and campaigns to end the practice in the 28 African countries where it is practised and across the global diaspora. We work with faith organisations, religious leaders and people of no faith who share our aim of ending FGM. You can support our work by donating to fund our research and keep up to date with our progress by liking our page on Facebook and following us on Twitter.