Â鶹Éç

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the Â鶹Éç World Service. And today, we’re celebrating international archives week, set up to highlight the importance of protecting the world's historical records.

Our guest is Â鶹Éç curator Joe Schultz who talks about some of the jewels in the Â鶹Éç radio collections. We find out why cellist Mstislav Rostropovich was stripped of his Soviet citizenship in 1978.

Anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela reveals how he survived prison in South Africa. Plus, Pablo Picasso and his fellow artists enjoy a Surrealist summer in 1930s France. And more on the inspiration behind Anton Chekhov's most famous play, Three Sisters.

We hear about the Jordanian king who survived numerous assassination attempts to become one of the Middle East’s longest serving leaders. And finally, Pickles the dog: the four-legged hero who found the stolen Jules Rimet trophy ahead of the 1966 World Cup.

Contributors:

Joe Schultz – Â鶹Éç curator.

Mstislav Rostropovich - virtuoso cellist.

Nelson Mandela – former president of South Africa.

Eileen Agar – Surrealist artist.

Paul Shishkoff – friend of playwright Anton Chekhov.

King Hussein of Jordan.

Jack Pizzey – TV documentary-maker.

Pickles the dog – hero of the 1966 World Cup.

David Corbett – Pickles' owner.

(Photo: Cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, 1950. Credit: Michael Ward/Getty Images)

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