Romanes Lecture 2016 - The Commonwealth of Nations
The Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland QC, will discuss The Commonwealth’s distinctive contribution to areas of pressing global concern, such as climate change, countering violent extremism, and eliminating violence against women and girls. She will describe how The Commonwealth’s hallmark characteristics of connectedness, consensus and goodwill are bringing ‘soul’ to international affairs.

From its beginnings in the late 19th century, The Commonwealth has evolved through an era of decolonisation and independence. It is bound by much more than governments, with deep links in education and civil society. Today it is home to 2.2 billion citizens, almost two thirds of them under the age of 30.

The Romanes Lecture is the annual public lecture of the University. A most distinguished public figure from the arts, science or literature is invited by special invitation of the Vice-Chancellor. The lecture was created in 1891, following an offer by John Romanes of Christ Church to fund an annual lecture, and the first lecture was given in 1892 by William Gladstone.
Date: 5 December 2016, 17:45 (Monday, 9th week, Michaelmas 2016)
Venue: Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street OX1 3AZ
Speaker: Patricia Scotland QC (Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations)
Organiser contact email address: events.office@admin.ox.ac.uk
Host: Professor Louise Richardson (Vice-Chancellor, University of Oxford)
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: http://ox.ac.uk/romanes
Cost: Free
Audience: Public
Editor: Olivia Allen