Buckingham Debate Union Welcomes Lord Peter Lilley for Discussion on the Future of Free Speech
The Buckingham Debate Union was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon. Lord Peter Lilley to the University of Buckingham for a special event exploring “The Future of Free Speech in a Divided Society.”
The evening brought together students, staff, community and guests for a thoughtful discussion on freedom of expression, democratic debate, political and social polarisation, and the importance of maintaining open dialogue within a healthy society.
We were also honoured to welcome Cllr Fran Davies, Mayor of Buckingham, and Cllr Robina Ahmed, Deputy Mayor of Buckingham, who joined the University community for the evening.
Drawing on his extensive experience in Parliament and public life, Lord Lilley shared his reflections on the challenges facing free speech today and the importance of allowing different perspectives to be heard and debated.
The discussion was chaired by Mark Seddon and was followed by an audience Q&A, giving students and members of the University community the opportunity to engage directly with Lord Lilley and explore the issues raised during the conversation.
The Buckingham Debate Union would like to express its sincere thanks to Lord Peter Lilley for giving his time to the University and for engaging so generously with our students.
We would also like to thank David Cole, Interim Vice-Chancellor, for his encouragement and continued support; Tracey Gascoigne for her invaluable assistance with the organisation and hospitality surrounding the event; and Mark Seddon for expertly chairing the discussion.
Our thanks also go to the Mair Tyson and Izaiah Essue of Buckingham Debate Union Committee and everyone who contributed behind the scenes to making the evening possible.
Finally, special thanks to Emmanuel Ejiobi of econtents.media for covering the event and capturing the evening through photography.
The Debate Union looks forward to continuing to bring distinguished speakers and challenging conversations to Buckingham, providing students with opportunities to engage directly with important ideas and leading figures from public life.
Thisaga Dewjan Kadupitiya - President of Debate Society