Shetland star Douglas Henshall celebrates humanity with Robert Burns recording

Actor Douglas Henshall records one of Robert Burns' most famous poems in support of the humanitarian work of DEC.

The recording of A Man's A Man For A' That has been made for the Disasters Emergency Committee, which raises fund for humanitarian relief, to mark the 70th anniversary of the 4th Geneva Conventions.

The conventions were agreed agreed after World War Two to protect civilians caught up in conflict with the principles of this landmark treaty still guiding emergency response work and humanitarian action today.

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Henshall said: “I’m delighted to be supporting the work of the Disasters Emergency Committee here in Scotland and across the UK.

"Over more than 50 years, the DEC has built a formidable reputation in galvanising the British public to respond and bring hope in some of world’s most desperate humanitarian crises. It needs our continued support.”

The actor added that the poem had long been one of his favourites.

“Burns’ prose written more than 200 years ago still rings true to so many Scots and people across the world and can inspire us to remember that wherever we live, from whatever background, we are still bound by our common humanity and need to work together to build a better world,” he added.

Henshall also urged the public to continue to support the DEC’s current appeal for the people of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, where hundreds of thousands of people are still recovering from the devastating cyclones that hit the region earlier this year.

Cyclone Idai swept through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe in the middle of March, killing more than 900 people and leaving three million in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

Henshall added: “Whilst more than £3 million pounds has been raised for the DEC Cyclone Idai Appeal through the generosity of people across Scotland - more than £41 million across the UK - the vast scale of the devastation means much support is still needed to help people recover and rebuild their lives. Please donate if you can.”

Henshall's recording will be shown on Thursday at a debate the DEC is hosting in partnership with the Book Festival.

Among those joining the debate are David Nott, acclaimed frontline trauma surgeon and author of War Doctor, and Lynsey Addario, the Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist.

Both will recount their experiences on the front line of some of the world’s most extreme humanitarian crises over the past 20 years.