Shimon Peres

President of the State of Israel

We don't have enemies. There is no country, no religion, which we consider an enemy. Our only enemies are those who reject peace, sow division, and spread hatred.

Richard Branson

Founder, Virgin Group

It shouldn't just be left to politicians and community organizations to tackle the world's problems -- businesses should help, too. Although individually lots of businesses do great things, collectively they could be far more powerful and do much more good.

Rita Lobo

Brazilian journalist, writer and activist

Monday night saw over 200,000 Brazilians in Rio, São Paulo, Brasilia and other smaller cities, rise up and resist the repression they faced last week. Over 200,000 citizens, standing together, willing to take the bullets and make their voices heard. And this time there were no rubber bullets, no tear gas.

Emily Thornberry

Labour's Shadow Attorney General and MP for Islington South and Finsbury

On Monday I wrote to the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, to ask him to consider whether or not the 15-month sentence handed down to Stuart Hall for multiple sexual assaults on young girls was unduly lenient. If he agrees with me that it is, he will refer it to the Court of Appeal who can then decide to increase the sentence. I believe it is his public duty to refer.

Ranvir Singh

ITV Daybreak news presenter

As the plane touched down in Freetown, my thoughts turned to my baby son, at home. I'd come to a country where one in five children dies before the age of five. I'd read that fact over and over again and - as I stepped onto the dusty tarmac in Sierra Leone - a mixture of guilt and relief mingled inside, knowing my own flesh and blood was healthy and safe.

Harry Cooper

A Brussels-based Brit

I find the notion of forcing a group of people to accept a view they do not agree with a horrifying one. I do not believe a church should be forced to marry people they do not want to, even if its policy may seem old-fashioned or bigoted. That change in stance has to come from within the church itself, otherwise it is a disturbing expression of totalitarianism.

Neil Boorman

Writer and journalist at howtobearealman.co.uk

Like so many issues surrounding the apparently tough but actually very fragile male ego, talking about the problem is the most effective but least attractive option. "Oh high Dave, do you fancy a pint? I suffered a crushing blow to my ego last night and my world is collapsing and I really need a shoulder to cry on". No. Doesn't happen.

Mat Ricardo

Award-winning comedy performer and juggler. Fast hands, smart mouth, nice suit.

I've been a professional juggler for almost 30 years. I've worked hard to redefine peoples preconceptions of my artform, and show that it can be as fun, dramatic, beautiful, silly, elegant or thrilling as any other art. And this year, somehow, I've ended up hosting my own West End show.

The Spa Spy

Recommending luxury spa hotels and resorts around the globe

Situated four miles from Cheltenham, in the heart of the Cotswolds, Ellenborough Park is a spectacular grade II listed, Elizabethan manor house and preened gardens nestled in rolling hills and parkland overlooking the race course

Ryan Cheti

A.K.A Mr Lyan, international cocktail expert

I toyed with putting insects in the drinks too, but settled upon the idea of addressing the future sustainability of drinks through other means. This took several approaches. One looked to seasonal and wild goods, but how this could form part of a viable agriculture.

Robin Lustig

Journalist and broadcaster

Here's a little conundrum for you to chew over: it's estimated that over the next decade, there'll be something like 13.5 million job vacancies in the UK, but only 7 million young people will be leaving full-time education. So who's going to fill those jobs?

Victor Chandler

Chairman of BetVictor

The opening race of Royal Ascot 2013 sees, arguably, the most versatile horse in the world Animal Kingdom (2.30) make his British debut on what is likely to be his final start before he embarks on a career at stud; nice work if you can get it.

John L. Adams

Writer and editor of dadbloguk.com

Speaking for myself, I see women, mothers and feminists as colleagues and friends. We can and should all work together to help dads become better parents and raise the profile of fatherhood. Anti-male blog-posts such as the one written by Louise Pennington create a wedge between the genders.

Catherine Lawson

Entertainment Writer and Editor

A man came over to the bench and sighed deeply as he sat down next to us. Dad nudged me."He's wearing my anorak." Sure enough, he was wearing the same anorak as Dad, albeit a slightly less battered version. He nudged the man: "Nice anorak," he said. The man looked up and it was Roy Kinnear.

Ellen Stewart

Celebrity Writer

Since I started working a proper grown up job right near Soho I've come accustomed to a new sort of rift... the East-West divide *gasp*. It seems Londoners just can't find enough ways to hate on each other.

Will Stubbs

Writer at Goodwill Creative, drummer, Hard Rock enthusiast

These are my people. They just don't know it yet. I'm on a packed train out of London, surrounded by black-shirted music fans; all of us bound for Castle Donington and a weekend of the heaviest of all metals.

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir

Lord Mayor of Belfast

Today, the Obamas saw a Belfast transformed by two decades of peacemaking which only bore fruit because of the dogged determination of Irish America. President Obama reaffirmed America's commitment to stand with the peacemakers of Belfast as long as we continue to push forward.

Gordon Brown

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; UN Special Envoy for Global Education

Malala Yousafzai -- the 15-year-old Pakistani girl militants tried to assassinate -- is the first signatory of a new worldwide petition launched today after terrorists, hell-bent on preventing girls being educated, murdered 14 students at an all girls' college in Pakistan.

HRH The Prince of Wales

HRH The Prince of Wales

All of my efforts over the past forty years have been concerned essentially with one central principle - the well-being of the individual. Not the isolated individual. My emphasis has constantly been on the individual within community. People do not thrive without the support of a community so, in my view, if the hope is that people prosper, find happiness and feel that all important sense of satisfaction and belonging, then we have to maintain the fabric of community and not let it become threadbare.

Karren Brady

Businesswoman, Vice Chairman of West Ham FC and a LifeSkills Ambassador

I, like every parent, want my children to achieve more than I can imagine for them. It's why we need to ensure we send them into the working world with their eyes open and some experience under their belt.