On January 26, 2011, Minnesota Public Radio and the BBC World Service teamed up to bring expatriate Somali views to global audiences in a co-production that marked the 20th anniversary of former dictator Siad Barre’s overthrow. The BBC's program Africa, Have Your Say broadcast live from the UBS Forum in St. Paul, Minnesota as part of a worldwide call-in based in St. Paul and London.
MPR's Tom Crann hosted a panel of young Somali leaders from Minneapolis, the largest Somali community in the United States. The panelists discussed perceptions of their homeland, the prospects for the future of Somalia and the prospects for their future in the diaspora. Together MPR and the BBC fielded text messages, phone calls, and social media messages from live audiences on two continents for an invigorating and heartfelt discussion that illuminated perspectives on a poorly understood and vitally important part of the world.
Photo by Laurie Stern, Minnesota Public Radio
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