Religion, Speech, Vulnerability: A Transatlantic Conference

Bringing together leading experts from politics, philosophy, and law from both the USA and Europe, this conference will explore a range of pressing normative issues regarding the interactions between religion, speech, and political and social vulnerability. The conference follows on from highly successful predecessors held in 2023 and 2024.

Places are limited, so please register if you wish to attend, by completing the form here:

https://forms.gle/EZMpkGr3cNH4zVRV8

In this timely lecture, Professor Timothy Garton Ash examines the pivotal moment Europe faces amid shifting global dynamics. He explores how Vladimir Putin's aggression, Donald Trump's challenges to transatlantic alliances, and Xi Jinping's assertive policies compel Europe to reassess its role on the world stage. Garton Ash delves into the concept of "Zeitenwende", a turning point, highlighting the urgency for Europe to navigate these complex geopolitical landscapes and redefine its strategic direction.

The Insights for Action seminar series explores how researchers and practitioners within and beyond Oxford are using research insights to drive social change. In this seminar, we will discuss how to consider both local and global engagement in our pursuit of systemic impact, the importance of place-based approaches to build resilient communities, and how insights from local engagement can help us think about global impact.

Join the Provost David Isaac in conversation with His Highness Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the current Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of the Malaysian state of Selangor.

Prince Amir is a philanthropist, youth empowerment advocate and has a passion for sports. In 2016, Prince Amir set up an NGO, Selangor Youth Community that works in partnership with the King’s Trust International to provide opportunities for youth development and is a Royal Patron of the Raja Muda Selangor Foundation.

Join broadcaster and journalist Evan Davis as he chairs a debate using the freedom of speech ‘tips’ developed by Worcester in collaboration with colleges across Oxford. As well as student speakers, Evan will be joined by Halima Begum (Chief Executive, Oxfam GB) and Paul Mason (journalist and commentator).

On 13-14 May, over 130 countries came together in Berlin for the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial to discuss the future of peacekeeping and to make concrete pledges to fund and support it. This panel will look at the outcomes of the Ministerial in the wider context of current international political and financial turbulence. It will consider:
- How geopolitical tensions are impacting UN peacekeeping
- What specific challenges the UN is facing and whether and how it can adapt to them
- How key conflicts can be addressed going forward

We are excited to announce that this year’s speaker for the prestigious Tanner Lecture on Human Values is the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. The title of his lectures will be ‘Human Rights: Cooling a Planet on Fire.’

Mr Türk has dedicated his career to advancing universal human rights and protecting vulnerable populations, including refugees. Previously, he served as Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the UN Secretary-General’s Executive Office.

As part of a conference on the role of the media in the peace process and coverage of ongoing legacy issues, John Alderdice will convene a panel of senior journalists and academics.

The annual Oxford-Georgia Forum serves as a dynamic platform for fostering dialogue and advancing partnership initiatives between Georgia and the United Kingdom. Bringing together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, the forum draws on a broad range of academic disciplines, including political science, international relations, anthropology, sociology, history, literature, archaeology, cultural studies, economics, and business.

This workshop examines the impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on global and regional security. The event will open with a roundtable exploring interactions between Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel in the context of global instability. In the afternoon, we will first consider the role of the EU and NATO in securing Ukraine’s borders, as well as explore Ukraine’s responses to rising cybersecurity challenges. We will then examine the domestic dimension of the full-scale war, addressing civil-military dynamics during wartime, challenges of force generation, and veteran politics.