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Idris Elbathe critically acclaimed star Luther and electric wirehas been recognized in New Year Honorsreceived a Knighthood In recognition of his dedicated service to young people.
The 53-year-old actor has long been an outspoken advocate for youth empowerment and a prominent campaigner against violence. knife crimeusing his platform to drive major social change.
Sir Idris is a driving force behind a number of influential initiatives, including Don’t Stop Your Future (DSYF), which works with grassroots community organizations to combat knife crime.
With his wife, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, he co-founded the Elba Hope Foundation, an international grant-making charity that invests in projects that “empower through education, economic opportunity and entrepreneurship.”
Speaking about the honour, Sir Idris said: “I receive this honour on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition and resilience drive the work of the Elba Hope Foundation.
“I hope we can do more to raise awareness of the importance of ongoing, practical support for young people and the responsibility we all share to help them find alternatives to violence.”
In 2024, he furthered his commitment to tackling youth violence, publicly calling for an immediate ban on machetes and so-called zombie knives.
This initiative led to a meeting with Mr. Prime Minister Keir Starmer New anti-knife crime coalition formed.
He also comes into contact with Sir Keir and the King in the BBC documentary Idris Elba: Our knife crime crisisIn an hour-long programme, he explores the root causes of the rising trend in knife crime through conversations with young offenders, bereaved families, youth workers and police.
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A ban on the sale of zombie knives has been implemented in some parts of the UK since August 2016, with a more comprehensive ban to be introduced in September 2024.
To further expand the scope of its philanthropic work, Sir Idris’s foundation is launching Creative Futures in 2024 in partnership with The Prince’s Trust.
The program offers free courses designed to give young people the skills and confidence they need to pursue a career, training or entrepreneurship in the creative industries.
The collaboration has personal significance for the London-born actor, who himself was supported by The Prince’s Trust as a teenager and has maintained a close relationship with the charity throughout his career.
These courses are specifically targeted at young people who are not currently in work, education or training, providing them with pathways into areas such as music, drama and art.
In addition to his extensive humanitarian work, Sir Idris has also had a distinguished acting career, known for his roles in DCI John Luther and Stringer Bell. electric wireand his image in “Nelson Mandela” Mandela: The long road to freedom.
He also voiced characters such as Knuckles The Echidna in “The Echidna”. Sonic the Hedgehog movies and appeared in major franchises, including playing Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Bloodsport in the DC Extended Universe.
His creative career extended into directing, where he made his film debut Yadi In 2018, he started a successful career as a DJ under the nickname DJ Big Driis or Idris, while also working as an R&B singer.