Annie Lennox Receives Honorary Degree

Annie Lennox received an Honorary Degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from Edinburgh University yesterday (Wednesday). A spokesman for the university said "Annie Lennox is just as famous these days for her humanitarian work as for her years of singing and songwriting.

"She is arguably one of the most outstanding Scottish singer/songwriters since the 1980s and has used her fame to campaign for human rights."

Lennox added "It is an incredible honour to be acknowledged by Edinburgh University in this way. In another incarnation I would have loved to have taken a degree in anthropology or psychology but, as a moderate renegade, my university has turned out to be the one of life.

"I hope this might inspire anyone who has ever thought that they were useless not to draw that conclusion – especially if they are a woman over the age of 45."

In a separate posting on her official site, Lennox said "Yesterday was just extraordinary... almost like being in a dream. Everyone at the University was so kind and hospitable, I almost had to pinch myself. They gave me a gift of the most beautiful cashmere scarf, in the tartan of Edinburgh University. I didn’t even know there was such a thing...now I’m wearing it with pride!!"

The following video, produced by the University of Edinburgh, highlights the honor and ceremony.