Lorenzo Cherin is a member of The Ustinov Prejudice Awareness Forum, where he works as in-house writer and organiser. He has many contributions, articles, on the website of the Forum. Lanechka Fevola has been a contributor, with original art work on the Forum website. The Forum is part of the Ustinov Network, which is continuing the legacy of Sir Peter Ustinov, led with conviction by his son, artist, designer, Igor Ustinov. The Arts And Humanity’s Cause is also developing ideas in association with the Forum, wherever appropriate, on issues of mutual concern.
Link to the site
USTINOV’S UNIVERSE
universal understanding
By Lorenzo Cherin
2020 made an impact on the world like no year in recent or specific recollection. Covid 19 has changed much, but yet little, too. Thinking and practice seems to have got back to its old stale ways, and unambitious thinking, not new exciting ones and forward thinking. 2021 was the Centenary of the birth of Peter Ustinov. The life and work, legacy and wisdom, of this versatile and much loved man, inspires us here, he was best known as an actor, but he was as much an ambassador, a humourist and a humanitarian. He should be celebrated in his home country of origin, as well as abroad. He was, ironically, born in Swiss Cottage, a suburb of London, and later lived in Switzerland, near the UN and Red Cross in Geneva. He worked with both and for a better world, as so many are now.
In specific and supportive ways, USTINOV’S UNIVERSE, the ongoing result of that centenary, has a purpose:
The specific objectives –
1) It is to make people aware of Sir Peter Ustinov, who he was and what he did. It is for “understanding…Peter Ustinov.”
2) It is to make people aware of the work of the Ustinov Network, it’s work in different contexts and countries. It is for “understanding…Ustinov Network.”
3) It is to make people aware of each other, people are at the heart of this. It is for “understanding…each other.”
4) It is to make people aware of world issues, to make sense of what is happening today. It is for “understanding…world issues.”
This is purposeful, but personal, too. I too was born in London, worked there for many years, and it was there, myself then working in the London theatre, that I and my partner, met Sir Peter Ustinov. For some years I have lived, and am based, in Nottingham, England, where Sir Peter was for some time, involved as an Associate Director at the Nottingham Playhouse Theatre.
” Sir Peter Ustinov ‘s Centenary” is the instigation for “USTINOV’S UNIVERSE.” We here celebrate the centenary of the birth of Peter Ustinov, from the country of his birth, shared with the wider world. The plan is that ongoing ,we continue to share and reflect on, the work of Sir Peter Ustinov, while creating new, independent, complimentary projects.
There is a greater need than ever for the arts and humanity to combine. The contributions must be acknowledged, both of past greats and those today who rather, struggle and strive to make a difference, from an artistic base, but with a wider aim. It is debts of gratitude and not dreams of grandeur, that are at the heart of such ideas here. The work of the different elements of the Ustinov Network and recent valuable efforts by Igor Ustinov concentrating on design and build for the developing world, as well as the Ustinov Prejudice Awareness Forum which is a part of that, and which I take part in, makes an important contribution. As did the founder, Peter Ustinov himself.
In 1979, to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Albert Einstein, at a time when the science of weaponry concerned the world, and with the Cold War a threat, Peter Ustinov presented a documentary to mark that centenary . It was called “Einstein’s Universe.” Many years later, in 1997, he presented another documentary, a series called, ” Planet Ustinov.” In it, to commemorate the centenary, this time of an event, he followed in the footsteps of a journey Mark Twain travelled a century before, along the Equator.
And so too, here and now as a celebration of the centenary of the birth of Sir Peter Ustinov, devised from his country of origin, but at a moment of universal concern, for our planet, from already threatening climate change, to the currently threatening Corona Virus, I present this to document and celebrate his centenary and to continue and advance his legacy. This is USTINOV’S UNIVERSE.
“In Continents “- Know When To Stop?
” Writing is tough. What is difficult is to know when to stop. It is a form of incontinence!”
Peter Ustinov
Humourist
This encourages interest in the writing of Peter Ustinov, and thus inspires new writing shared worldwide, in keeping with shared values. There may, with writing, be no desire “to stop,” there might be a non stop stream of consciousness or an organised didactic approach. Non fiction and fiction too, written for publication or production, writing in different forms, as with Peter Ustinov, can be enjoyed. We encourage sharing online, on a wide cross section of subjects, with a significance for our wider culture. Humour must be emphasised, and satire, encouraging interest in Peter Ustinov and his legacy through writing, and expressing ourselves in this way too.
USTINOV’S UNIVERSE: it is that of Sir Peter Ustinov, actor, ambassador, humourist, humanitarian. Yet it is our universe too. It belongs to us all…
“laughter it has always seemed to me, is the most civilised sound in the universe.”
Peter Ustinov
