I had the stunning news that the Global Hope Coalition, which is overseen by UNESCO, has decided to mark Arian Teleheal’s amazing work with an amazing gesture. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, presented me with an Everyday Hero award at a high profile ceremony at the New York Public Library on Monday, 18 September, on the eve of the meeting of the UN General Assembly.

This is the first time that these Global Hope Coalition awards have been presented, and I am among just a handful of recipients from across the world. I’m honoured to be the only UK citizen, and the only male from the whole of Europe, to be awarded.

The awards aim to break down barriers between people across the world, countering extremism. This means asking ourselves hard questions about what we individually can do to make the world a better place. I have seen fathers ask me to thank doctors thousands of miles away, who they will never meet, for helping their children.

I have seen doctors volunteer their precious time for people they will never see, and whose lands they may never visit, just because we give them that opportunity. I can think of few better ways to bring different people together from across the world.