The Documentary Podcast
BBC World Service
A window into our world, through in-depth storytelling from the BBC. Investigating, reporting and uncovering true stories from everywhere. Award-winning journalism, unheard voices, amazing culture and global issues.
From political upheaval in Bangladesh to the plight of undocumented migrants in the US to life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, The Documentary investigates major global stories.
We delve into social media, take you into the minds of the world’s most creative people and explore personal approaches to spirituality. Every week, we also bring together people from around the globe to discuss how news stories are affecting their lives.
A new episode most days, all year round. From our BBC World Service teams at: Assignment, Heart and Soul, In the Studio, OS Conversations, The Fifth Floor and Trending.
Categories: Society & Culture
Listen to the last episode:
In Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, queues of people of all faiths visit a Greek Orthodox Church on the first day of each month to make a wish. Emily Wither spoke to devotees who shared their hopes and desires, as they stood patiently in long lines. No one knows exactly how the tradition started, but visitors take a gold key and descend the stairs to the underground Byzantine chapel to visit an ancient spring believed to have miraculous and spiritual powers. Once their wish comes true, they return the key to the church, who pass it on to others wishing for good luck.
Previous episodes
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4543 - Heart and Soul: Istanbul’s church of wishes Fri, 27 Sep 2024
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4542 - Global Dancefloor: Tbilisi Mon, 02 Sep 2024
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4541 - India's wrestling school for girls Thu, 25 Jul 2024
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4540 - Bonus: The Inquiry - How are the Taliban governing Afghanistan? Thu, 26 Sep 2024
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4539 - BBC Trending: An (online) storm in a Philippine rainforest Wed, 25 Sep 2024
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4538 - Bonus: The Climate Question Wed, 25 Sep 2024
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4537 - Assignment: Reproductive rights: A divided flock Tue, 24 Sep 2024
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4536 - In the Studio: Erdem Moralıoğlu Mon, 23 Sep 2024
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4535 - The new Germans Sun, 22 Sep 2024
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4534 - The Fifth Floor: The silent death of an anti-Putin pianist Sat, 21 Sep 2024
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4533 - BBC OS Conversations: Talking to someone with suicidal thoughts Sat, 21 Sep 2024
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4532 - Heart and Soul: I became a Muslim after the Taliban kept me hostage Fri, 20 Sep 2024
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4531 - Stories from the New Silk Road: Space Thu, 19 Sep 2024
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4530 - BBC Trending: Woman, life, surveillance Wed, 18 Sep 2024
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4529 - The great dolphin release Wed, 18 Sep 2024
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4528 - Assignment: Ageing without a safety net in Malaysia Tue, 17 Sep 2024
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4526 - In the Studio: Lenin Tamayo and Q-pop Mon, 16 Sep 2024
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4525 - Solutions Journalism: The African 'Babelfish' Sun, 15 Sep 2024
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4524 - The Fifth Floor: Exam nightmares Sat, 14 Sep 2024
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4523 - BBC OS Conversations: Are we still in love with dating apps? Sat, 14 Sep 2024
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4522 - Heart and Soul: Indigenous healing on the party island of Ibiza Fri, 13 Sep 2024
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4521 - Trending: Can we live without our phones? Thu, 12 Sep 2024
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4520 - Flying High Thu, 12 Sep 2024
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4519 - The Midwife’s Confession: Eye Investigates Tue, 10 Sep 2024
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4518 - Assignment: Ivory Coast's cocoa crisis Tue, 10 Sep 2024
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4517 - In The Studio: Tuan Andrew Nguyen - The healing power of art Mon, 09 Sep 2024
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4516 - Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary Sun, 08 Sep 2024
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4515 - The Fifth Floor: Pakistan's internet mystery Sat, 07 Sep 2024
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4514 - BBC OS Conversations: What's it like to have mpox Sat, 07 Sep 2024
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4513 - Heart and Soul: Synagogue for sale Fri, 06 Sep 2024
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4512 - Bonus: CrowdScience - How do fish survive in the deep ocean? Thu, 05 Sep 2024
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4511 - West Bank: Settlers, guns and sanctions Tue, 03 Sep 2024
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4510 - Assignment: The 'ghost city' of Cyprus Tue, 03 Sep 2024
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4508 - In the Studio: Laurie Anderson Mon, 02 Sep 2024
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4507 - Three Million: 8. Road to the past Sun, 01 Sep 2024
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4506 - The Fifth Floor: Ukraine's 'Memory Cafés' Sat, 31 Aug 2024
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4505 - BBC OS Conversations: Three years of Taliban rule in Afghanistan Sat, 31 Aug 2024
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4504 - Heart and Soul: Afghanistan 20 years on Fri, 30 Aug 2024
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4503 - Courting success: A journey to Paris 2024 Thu, 29 Aug 2024
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4502 - Bonus: The Inquiry - What does Hezbollah want? Wed, 28 Aug 2024
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4501 - Assignment: The struggle for Jerusalem’s Old City Tue, 27 Aug 2024
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4500 - In the Studio: Architect Daniel Libeskind Mon, 26 Aug 2024
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4499 - The next Paralympians Sun, 25 Aug 2024
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4498 - The Fifth Floor: What really happened in Bakhmut? Sat, 24 Aug 2024
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4497 - BBC OS Conversations: Women's safety in India Sat, 24 Aug 2024
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4496 - Heart and Soul: Corruption in the Curia Fri, 23 Aug 2024
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4495 - Solutions Journalism: A better start Thu, 22 Aug 2024
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4494 - Invisible souls Wed, 21 Aug 2024
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4493 - Assignment: Ukraine - on the front line Tue, 20 Aug 2024
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4492 - In the Studio: Ad Minoliti Mon, 19 Aug 2024