John Simpson CBE, who was made Doctor of Letters
Sussex honours John Simpson for hard-hitting global news coverage. John Simpson CBE, the BBC's World Affairs editor, spoke about hope in the world after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Sussex for his services to journalism. In his speech after being made an honorary Doctor of Letters at the Brighton Dome this morning (22 January), Mr Simpson said: "I have seen a lot of terrible things - massacres and bombings - but that isn't all there is. "You cannot go to one of these dreadful scenes of brutality without also finding people who are loving and helpful and who want to do the best thing." He told the graduands: "There is an awful lot of hope and, as you go into the world and take your excellent tuition into the world, there's a lot of hope for you too." He was presented for his honorary doctorate by Ivor Gaber, Professor of Journalism in the School of Media, Film and Music at Sussex. Speaking before the ceremony, Mr Simpson said: "I'm absolutely delighted by the honour that Sussex is giving me. It's a magnificent university to be associated with, and it's known throughout the world; so I shall try to make certain that everyone I come in with on my travels knows of my link with Sussex." Mr Simpson was nominated by the University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Farthing, because of his epoch-making reports of global events. During his career of more than 40 years at the BBC, Mr Simpson has reported from the top of the Berlin Wall and from Tiananmen Square during the 1989 uprising.
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