When Sweden’s roads went right
In September 1967, all Swedish traffic had to change the habit of decades and swap to driving on the right-hand side of the road.It brought them into line with most of the rest of Europe except for Britain and Ireland but caused a day of chaos. In 2016, Ashley Byrne spoke to Bjorn Sylven who remembered that day.A Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service. (Photo: First day of driving on the right-hand side in Stockholm. Credit: Keystone-France/Gemma-Keystone via Getty Images)
23 Nov 20229min
First women’s minister in Iran
Iran’s first ever minister for women’s affairs was appointed in 1975. Mahnaz Afkhami was the first person in the Muslim world to hold that position. While she was in that role, the government granted women equal divorce rights, raised the minimum age of marriage to 18 and supported women’s employment with maternity leave and childcare.In 2018, Farhana Haider spoke to her about being the only woman in the pre-revolutionary Iranian cabinet.(Photo: Mahnaz Afkhami at the UN in 1975. Credit: Mahnaz Afkhami)
22 Nov 20228min
The invention of the seat belt
In 1958, the late Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin invented the three-point safety belt for cars.It's estimated to have saved more than one million lives around the world.Rachel Naylor speaks to Nils' stepson, Gunnar Ornmark.(Photo: Nils Bohlin, in 1959, modelling his invention. Credit: Volvo Cars Group)
21 Nov 20229min
Qatar's first female published author
In 1978, Kaltham Jaber published her first book – a collection of short stories. She is an assistant professor and acclaimed writer from Qatar. Her success as an author came just two decades after girls were first allowed to go to school in the oil-rich state. Kaltham became a really important figurehead for women in the country as she campaigned for gender equality. She shares her story with Matt Pintus.(Photo: Kaltham Jaber. Credit: Kaltham Jaber)
18 Nov 202210min
First Emirati female teacher
It was rare for women in what is now the United Arab Emirates to go to school in the 1960s. At the time, the future country was a collection of emirates under British protection. The Sheikdoms were traditional societies. This is the story of a young woman who was among the first to graduate from high school. She went on to become the first teacher there. Nama bint Majid Al Qasimi tells Farhana Haider about her trailblazing experience.(Photo: Nama bint Majid Al Qasimi with her students at Fatima Al Zahra School, Sharjah, 1970. Credit: Shaikha Nama bint Majid bin Saqr Al Qasimi)
17 Nov 202210min
Inventing robot camel jockeys
In 2003, a Qatari engineer came up with the idea for a robot jockey, to replace child jockeys in camel racing.Two years later, the robot was approved for use. The tiny gadgets, which wear caps and hold whips, are now used all over the Middle East. Rachel Naylor speaks to Esan Maruff, who helped develop them.(Photo: Robot jockeys riding camels. Credit: Getty Images)
16 Nov 202210min
Burj Khalifa: Designing the world’s tallest building
The tallest building in the world opened in 2010. There was a glitzy firework display to celebrate the occasion. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is nearly three times the height of the Eiffel Tower. The statement building cemented the reputation of the city as a place for luxury tourism and high-end real estate. Alex Collins speaks to chief architect Adrian Smith about his creative vision and the challenges he faced on such a huge project.(Photo: Burj Khalifa. Credit: Getty Images)
15 Nov 20228min
Formation of the United Arab Emirates
A new country, the United Arab Emirates, was formed in 1971. It’s a federation of seven states that has grown from a quiet backwater to one of the Middle East’s most important economic centres. Laura Jones speaks to businessman Mohammed Al-Fahim about his country’s dramatic transformation.(Photo: Mohammed Al-Fahim as a child. Credit: Mohammed Al-Fahim)
14 Nov 20229min
