The legacy of Martin Luther King

Fifty years ago, Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Since then we have seen some progress in terms of civil rights, with, for example, Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States, but we also see continued tensions, violence and oppression, not just in the USA, but elsewhere as well.

What I believe Dr King did manage to do was to create a stronger sense of the possibility of equality, of connection between black and white supported by the will to change the past. His dream gave people a deeper sense of shared purpose, which in turn drove more action, more challenge to the status quo, more change. His dream has yet to be fully realised, but 50 years on we can recognise and applaud his courage in making a stand and inspiring others to do the same.

What do you think? Please tweet @SimonJHayward and let me know.

‘Je suis Charlie’

The values of liberty and equality are connecting millions in the face of terrorism

Watching the four million people march through Paris in response to the Charlie Hebdo attack, I was struck by how the defiant French response has inspired an even wider international response.

Political leaders from around the world joined the French in asserting the right to liberty, equality and brotherhood of all people, whether they be from France or elsewhere. I respect the French resolve to stand up to the terrorists in a wave of public demonstrations where ‘Je suis Charlie’ signs demonstrate their sense of identity with the satirical journalists and their right to free speech. They are living up to the three values of the French Republic, ‘Je suis Charlie’ standing firm when these are under threat.

The French sense of what’s right, and that it is worth defending, is a powerful example to leaders around the world of how defining and protecting what’s really important is an act of leadership that an entire nation can share.