Zeinab Badawi
Zeinab Badawi | |
|---|---|
 Badawi atNobel Week DialogueinStockholm,2016 | |
| Born | October 1959 (age 64) Khartoum,Sudan |
| Nationality | British and Sudanese -dual citizenship |
| Education | St Hilda's College, Oxford SOAS, University of London |
| Occupations |
|
| Employer | BBC |
| Notable credit(s) | World News Todaywith Zeinab Badawi HARDtalk GMT BBC News at Five |
| Children | 4 |
Zeinab Badawi(Arabic:زينب بدوي;born October 1959)[1]is aSudanese-Britishtelevision and radio journalist.She was the firstpresenterof theITV Morning News(later known asITV News at 5:30),[2]and co-presentedChannel 4 NewswithJon Snowfrom 1989 to 1998 before joiningBBC News.Badawi was the presenter ofWorld News Todaybroadcast on bothBBC FourandBBC World News,andReporters,a weekly showcase of reports from the BBC.[3]In 2021, Badawi was appointed as president ofSOAS University of London.[4]
Early life and education[edit]
Badawi was born in October 1959 inKhartoum,[5]Sudan,[6]and has lived in Britain since the age of two.[7][8]Her great-grandfather,Sheikh Babiker Badri,fought againstKitchener's British forces at theBattle of Omdurmanin 1898 and pioneered women's education in Sudan. Badawi's father, Mohammed-Khair El Badawi,[9]was a newspaper editor in Sudan committed to social reform who, when the family moved to the UK, joined the BBC's Arabic Service.[10]Badawi is bilingual and speaks bothArabicandEnglishfluently.
Badawi was educated atHornsey High School for Girlsin North London, before studyingPhilosophy, Politics, and Economics(PPE) atSt Hilda's College, Oxford.At Oxford, Badawi was a member of theOxford University Broadcasting Society.[11]In 1988, she moved back to London to pursue a full-time one-year MA degree at theSchool of Oriental and African Studies(SOAS),University of London,in Politics and Anthropology of the Middle East (her professors wereP. J. Vatikiotisfor politics,Malcolm Yappfor history andRichard Tapperand Nancy Tapper for anthropology),[12]graduating with distinction in 1989.[10]
Journalism and awards[edit]
After graduating from Oxford University, Badawi was a researcher[13]andbroadcast journalistforYorkshire TVfrom 1982 to 1986, during which time she also presented the weekly regional consumer advice showHelp Yourself.[14]After a period at BBC Manchester, she joinedChannel 4 Newsin 1988.[14]Badawi co-presentedChannel 4 Newsfrom 1989 until 1998 when she joined theBBC.[6]
At the BBC, Badawi worked as presenter and reporter forWestminsterlive political programmes for five years. She also worked onBBC radioas a regular presenter ofThe World TonightonRadio 4andBBC World Service'sNewshour.
In 2005, Badawi became the new presenter ofThe WorldonBBC Four,the UK's first daily news bulletin devoted principally to international news. In May 2007, the programme was rebranded asWorld News Todayand is also shown on theBBC World Newschannel.
She is a regular presenter of the BBC interview programmeHARDtalk.In an exclusive interview in May 2009, Badawi interviewed Sudan's PresidentOmar Al-Bashir,the first serving head of state to be charged with war crimes.[10]
Since 2010, in addition to her presenting role on BBC World News, Badawi has presented on theBBC News Channeland theBBC News at Five.[15]
Badawi was awarded an honorary doctorate by theSchool of Oriental and African Studies(SOAS) in July 2011.[16][4]
In May 2014, she was based inJohannesburg,presenting coverage of the South African elections on BBC World News and BBC News Channel.
Since 2013,[17]Badawi has led an annualNobel laureatediscussion in connection with theNobel festivitiesin Stockholm, Sweden. The programme is shown onSwedish television.[18][19]
In 2017, Badawi hosted a nine-part series,The History of Africa,based onUNESCO'sGeneral History of Africa.[20]The documentary series was broadcast in July and August 2017 onBBC World News.
Her first book,An African History of Africa,was published in April 2024.[21][22]It was reviewed inThe GuardianbySimukai Chigudu,who wrote: "Ambitious in scope and refreshing in perspective, the book stretches from the origins of Homo sapiens in east Africa through to the end of apartheid in South Africa. It is informed by interviews Badawi conducted with African scholars and cultural custodians, whose expertise, observations and wisdom are threaded through the book."[23]
Other activities[edit]
- International Crisis Group(ICG), Board of Trustees (since 2023)[24]
- New College of the Humanities,Member of the Advisory Board (since 2011)[25]
- National Portrait Gallery,Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2004)[13][26]
- British Council,Member of the Board of Trustees[14]
- Foreign Policy Centre,Adviser[27]
- Overseas Development Institute(ODI), Member of the Council[28]
- Royal Opera House,Member of the Board of Trustees[29]
- Royal African Society(RAS), Chair (2014–2021)[30][31][32]
Badawi is founder and chair of the Africa Medical Partnership Fund (AfriMed), a charity that aims to help local medical professionals in Africa.[10]
In October 2021, Badawi was appointed as the new President ofSOAS University of London.[4][9]
Recognition[edit]
In November 2009, Badawi was named International TV Personality of the Year in the Annual Media Awards, the international media excellence awards organised by theAssociation for International Broadcasting.[33]
In August 2018, Badawi was awarded thePresident's Medalof theBritish Academy"for her contributions to international political journalism".[34]
Personal life[edit]
Badawi has four children.[8]She lives inBelsize Park,north London.[35]
Works[edit]
- Badawi, Zeinab (14 January 2025).An African History of Africa.Mariner Books.ISBN978-0-06-333541-7.
References[edit]
- ^"Zeinab Badawi awarded Honorary Doctorate by SOAS".soas.ac.uk.Retrieved17 May2022.
- ^British Embassy Lisbon: Zeinab Badawi.Archived25 May 2011 at theWayback Machine
- ^"About World News Today with Zeinab Badawi",BBC, 26 February 2010.
- ^abc"Zeinab Badawi appointed as President of SOAS".SOAS University of London. 5 October 2021.
- ^"BBC World Service - World Agenda - Zeinab Badawi's return to Sudan homeland".bbc.co.uk.Retrieved29 December2022.
- ^abDutta, Kunal (19 December 2009)."BBC appoints two female newsreaders in their 50s".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 7 May 2022.
- ^"International Women's Day: 25 SOAS alumni to be inspired by".SOAS University of London.8 March 2023.Retrieved19 January2024.
- ^ab"Zeinab Badawi".Education & Activism: Women at Oxford.University of Oxford.Retrieved9 July2023.
- ^ab"Sudanese-British broadcaster Zeinab Badawi appointed president of top UK university".Arab News.6 October 2021.Retrieved29 December2022.
- ^abcd"Honorary Fellows & Honorary Graduates | Zeinab Badawi",SOAS,University of London.
- ^Scott Hughes,"CV: ZEINAB BADAWI Presenter, 'House to House'"(interview),The Independent,19 May 1997.
- ^"Zeinab Badawi: 'You go to SOAS and you meet the world'".SOAS University of London. 12 December 2023.Retrieved19 January2023.
- ^abNational Portrait Gallery,Prime Minister's Office, 11 October 2004.Archived8 December 2009 at theWayback Machine
- ^abcZeinab Badawi.British Council.Archived4 August 2009 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Julia Somerville to present on BBC News channel".BBC News. 23 December 2009.Retrieved23 December2009.
- ^"SOAS Graduation Honours Achievements of Leading International Figures",SOAS, 14 July 2011.
- ^"The Nobel Prize presents, Nobel Minds".YouTube.Nobel Prize.Retrieved29 June2024.
- ^"The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2019".NobelPrize.org.
- ^"Nobel Week Stockholm • 2019"(PDF).nobelprize.org.
- ^"Watch on BBC World News: nine-part series based on UNESCO's" General History of Africa "book collection • 2019".fr.unesco.org.30 June 2017.
- ^Zeinab Badawi | An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Civilization to Independence.Penguin Books.Retrieved6 October2023.
- ^Chigudu, Simukai (12 April 2024)."An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi review – an insider's take".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved7 June2024.
- ^Chigudu, Simukai (12 April 2024)."Review | An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi review – an insider's take".The Guardian.
- ^Crisis Group Welcomes Eight New Trustees to its BoardInternational Crisis Group(ICG), press release of 19 January 2023.
- ^Advisory Board,New College of the Humanities.Archived9 June 2011 at theWayback Machine
- ^National Portrait Gallery reappointmentsArchived13 January 2010 at theWayback MachineAugust 2008.
- ^The Future of International Development.Foreign Policy Centre
- ^ODI Annual Report 2002Overseas Development Institute
- ^"About the Royal Opera House".Royal Opera House.
- ^Dele Meiji Fatunla,"Zeinab Badawi is the new chairperson of the Royal African Society",Royal African Society, 1 September 2014.
- ^"Senior BBC Presenter Zeinab Badawi appointed Chair of Royal Africa Society",Kenya London News,2 September 2014.
- ^"Arunma Oteh takes over from Zeinab Badawi as chair of The Royal African Society".The Guardian.Nigeria. 27 July 2021.Retrieved2 August2021.
- ^Julian Clover,"AIB hands out 2009 awards",Broadband TV News,4 November 2009.
- ^"Award-winning journalists, prehistorians and world-leading economists honoured with prestigious British Academy prizes and medals".British Academy.20 August 2018.Retrieved5 September2018.
- ^Prynne, Miranda (10 October 2013)."Angry neighbours of BBC newsreader attempt to block her 'garden room'".The Telegraph.Retrieved29 December2022.
External links[edit]
- Zeinab Badawion theMuck Rackjournalist listing site
- Jasmina Šopova,"'My hyphenated identityis an advantage' Zeinab Badawi "(interview). UNESCO.
- 1959 births
- Living people
- Alumni of SOAS University of London
- Alumni of St Hilda's College, Oxford
- BBC newsreaders and journalists
- BBC World News
- BBC World Service presenters
- British reporters and correspondents
- British television newsreaders and news presenters
- British women television journalists
- British women television presenters
- English people of Sudanese descent
- English television journalists
- English women journalists
- ITN newsreaders and journalists
- New College of the Humanities
- Recipients of the President's Medal (British Academy)
- Sudanese emigrants to the United Kingdom
- Sudanese journalists
- Sudanese radio presenters
- Sudanese television presenters
- Sudanese women journalists
- Sudanese women radio presenters
- Sudanese women television presenters
- Women's education in Sudan