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Holding Hands

John McCarthy reflects, with retired physician Tony Pinching, on the significance of holding hands as an act of unity and love between people. Includes poetry readings and music.

John McCarthy reflects on the significance of holding hands as an act of trust, commitment, unity and love between fellow human beings.

John interviews retired academic physician Professor Tony Pinching who had major involvement with HIV/AIDS and CFS/ME patients. Tony talks about the significance of the first handshake when a doctor meets a patient for the first time, and also about the special place holding hands can have at the end of a patient's life.

Ambassador Mart Tarmak describes the peaceful protest of 1989, which became known as the Baltic Way, when around two million people joined hands to form a human chain spanning 600 kilometres across the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As the people held hands, they sang. These countries were granted their independence from the Soviet Union shortly afterwards.

The programme includes readings of poetry by Sarah Kay and Adrian Mitchell, and Sharon Olds' poem True Love. There's music from Stream of Sound, Ray Charles and Nina Simone, and John Martyn sings May you Never.

Readers: Rachel Atkins and George Irving

Produced by Rosie Boulton
A Whistledown production for ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4.

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 16 Jun 2013 23:30
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Seeing God

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Vanishing Point

See all episodes from Something Understood

Music Played

  • Gustav Ernesaks

    Mu Isamaa On Minu Arm (My Country Is My Love)

    Performers: Combined Choirs, Ants Üleoya

    • Erdenklang.
    • B001PEGI3S.

  • Trad / John Tamms arranged Caroline Price

    Lay Me Low

    Performers: Stream of Sound

    • Time and Tide.
    • SOS06.

  • Ray Charles

    Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand

    • Ray Charles Vol 2.
    • Marathon Media International Ltd..
    • B001O4J1W4.

  • John Martyn

    May You Never

    • The Very Best of John Martyn.
    • Island Records.
    • B001TK3GQU.

  • Richard Thompson

    Hand of Kindness

    • Hand of Kindness.
    • Ryko/Rhino.
    • B001RY2AM4.

  • Nina Simone

    He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

    • The Very Best of Nina Simone.
    • Pacific.

Readings

Title: Hands
Author: Sarah Kay
Publication: Unpublished
This is a performed poem which can be found at
This was Sarah Kay’s Keynote Address at the International Baccalaureate Regional Conference for Africa, Europe, and the Middle East on the β€œCulture of Learning.”


Title: True Love
Author: Sharon Olds
Publisher: Cape Poetry
Publication: The Wellspring in 1996
ISBN-10: 022404351X
ISBN-13: 978-0224043519


Title: Beattie is Three
Author: Adrian Mitchell
Publication: Blue Coffee: Poems 1985 - 1996
Publisher: Bloodaxe Books 1996
ISBN: Out of Print

Broadcasts

  • Sun 16 Jun 2013 06:05
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Sun 16 Jun 2013 23:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4