LONDON — British, starting from Hollywood stars Idris Elba And Cynthia Erivo 102-year-old judo instructor named King Charles III The New Year Honors List is an annual tradition recognizing people for their contribution to public life in the UK.
Elba, who played a drug dealer in The Wire and a US president in House of Dynamite, was knighted for services to youth after he and his wife Sabrina founded the Elba Hope Foundation to targeting issues such as knife crime, education and poverty.
The actor accepted the honor on behalf of the young people the charity helps.
“I hope we can do more to raise awareness of the importance of ongoing practical support for young people and the responsibility we all share to help them find alternatives to violence,” Elba said.
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, dance duo won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics. in Sarajevo they were also awarded the highest awards: Torvill received the title of lady, and Dean received the title of knight.
Erivo, one of the stars of Wicked, was awarded a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for services to music and drama. And John Hearn, known as Judo Jack, received a British Empire Medal after Guinness World Records recognized him as the world's oldest judo instructor.
Other honorees include writer and comedian Richard Osman, who wrote “Thursday Murder Club” series of books and was declared an officer of the British Empire; retired marathon runner Paula Radcliffe Officer of the British Empire; And 101-year-old D-Day veteran Mervyn Kershwho was awarded the British Empire Medal for his school talks on Holocaust remembrance and his military service.
The history of the British honors system dates back to the Middle Ages, when monarchs gave land, money and titles to those who served the crown. In modern times, this has evolved into a hierarchy of honorary awards awarded by the king on the recommendation of the government.
Modern awards recognize contributions to fields such as government, academia, the arts and sports. While many awards go to politicians, pop stars and Olympic medalists, recipients often include librarians, charity workers and government officials who serve their communities without much fanfare.
In total, 1,150 people received New Year's awards this year.
The most prestigious awards are knighthoods and ladies' titles. Male recipients are entitled to use the honorific “Sir” before their name, and female recipients are entitled to use the title “Dame”.
Below are the three levels of the Order of the British Empire. They are known in order of seniority as a Commander or CBE; Officer, or OBE; and Member, or MBE. Laureates have the right to use the initials associated with their award after their name.
Honors are usually announced twice a year, on New Year's Day and the King's Birthday. They are given by the king or another member of the royal family at ceremonies throughout the year.
