HardTalk
Interview with Esther Hyman
6 July 2007
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On 6th July 2007, BBC News 24 and BBC World broadcast an interview with Esther on their programme, HardTalk.
Esther says: "It was quite a daunting experience; the interview lasted over twenty minutes, and I was unprepared for some of Zeinab's lines of questioning. There were some things I could have expressed better, but all in all I feel that I got my message across, and the emails I received afterwards reassured me that I did justice to Miriam."
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Esther with presenter Zeinab Badawi in the HardTalk studio
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Here are some of the emails we received after the HardTalk interview was broadcast:
I rarely, if ever write messages like this but this morning I saw Esther on HardTalk.
What moved me was her honesty, her humility and her clear articulation of how the loss of Miriam could be turned into a positive, even if tragic, event.
How intimidating it must have been to be on a television show beamed around the world to millions. Many viewers would have understood if Esther had been bitter or cynical. But she was the opposite – she projected calm and realistic optimism.
And she did the very best thing – she made it clear that she and her family harboured no ill will toward Muslims and how much better it would be if we could all consider ourselves one loving human family.
Esther – if you see this message I want to thank you for being a diplomat, an ambassador in the true sense of the word.
Finally, how ultimately symbolic it is that your family chose a charity which helps to eradicate blindness.
If there is a way in which I can help please feel free to contact me. I am a New Yorker living in Switzerland (for many years).
Warm regards
Tom Rosenfield, Switzerland
Dear Esther Hyman,
This e mail is not addressed simply to you Esther, this is for the whole of the Hyman family.
I just watched an interview on BBC News 24, I thought you spoke with wonderful honor and courage regarding your families tragic loss.
I was inspired by your strong positive attitude towards ensuring only good comes out of a something which is tragic and unfortunate.
I would also like to say, as a Muslim your comments regarding the Muslim community also compelled me to write this e mail at this hour. Its great to see that there people out there who look at the good of people rather than the bad.
I hope and pray Allah, The Most High, blesses you and your family,
With Kind Regards
Ali Sheikh, Birmingham
Hi Esther,
I'm extremely overwhelmed by the way you have conducted the proceedings. It's hard to imagine what your family might have gone through by losing such a wonderful person. After so much pain you still have so much kindness in your heart. This is so rare a quality. There is so much this world can learn from you & your family. May God bless you all. This world needs many more of your kind.
Regards,
Riyaz
Hi,
I just want to say that I saw Esther Hyman on BBC HardTalk in Australia, and I thought she spoke beautifully.
She spoke with such honesty, such humility and goodness. She's the type of person I wish there were more of in leadership positions throughout the world. She never, ever took the standpoint of bitterness or revenge, always the most constructive standpoint. I could see that she and her family have achieved a great deal by forming the Miriam Hyman Memorial Fund - they have turned a tragedy into something more positive and in doing so they honour their loved one and, in a sense, they keep her alive and larger than life...
I know this is an email address to request information, and I don't want to intrude, but I do think people should speak out to encourage others when they are doing great things.
Best regards,
Sarah Lynn, Australia
Hello I am from Grenada in the Caribbean i had the opportunity to look at the interview with the Sister of Miriam. She showed a level of maturity, depth and humanity that must be commended. i would like her to know that if more people thought like her, her sister would be alive today. so would be so many other sisters and brothers. Sis i can't remember your name but i admire you as a result i have read some things about your sister. someone 8 hours or more away in another culture race now knows who Miriam was to me she is not a statistic but a real person. all the best in whatever you do. and my condolences to your family.
Best Regards
Hugh Romain, Granada
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Another outcome of the broadcast was that Esther was contacted by Colin Todhunter, an English freelance journalist who lives and writes in India. He subsequently interviewed her and his article, "A Memory in Sight", was published in the Sunday supplement of the Sunday edition of the Deccan Herald, the Sunday Herald, on 22nd July 2007. Thanks to Colin and the Sunday Herald for their interest.
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Monday 13-Aug-2007