Talks
Part of the Club? Journalism Today
By Elliott Goat With journalism as a profession undergoing an intense period of upheaval and self-reflection, Grapevine Events, in conjunction with the Frontline Club, brought together some of the industry’s most prominent editors on Thursday 11 September to discuss the major issues affecting journalism today. Bringing out the big guns @amolrajan @AlexGAMiller @emmatimes2 #ftf Ian […]
ISIS and the Battle for Syria
The uprising in Syria began as a battle between Syrians and the regime of Bashar al-Assad, but the picture in the country now is much more complicated. As fighting between the Syrian opposition and al-Qaeda affiliated groups intensifies we will be bringing together a panel to offer a picture of what is happening on the ground in Syria. We will be looking at groups involved, how they have developed and their power and influence in the country and further afield.
Egypt’s New Roadmap
A year after his victory in Egypt’s historic first free election Mohamed Morsi has been ousted. Since his removal from power by the military on 3 July tensions have soared on the streets of Egypt. With events developing at great speed we will be taking stock of what has happened and asking what this means for Egypt’s future.
The Trade Off: Individual Privacy and National Security
Privacy of the individual, secrecy of the state and national security have been in sharp focus in past weeks due to the leak of material from the US’s National Security Agency (NSA). We will be joined by a panel of experts to ask whether it is possible to strike a balance.
Syria Conflict: Developments on the ground and on the international stage
As fierce fighting continues in Syria, the death toll according to the United Nations has now reached at least 93,000 and the number of refugees fleeing the country has exceeded 1.5 million. We will be joined by five journalists who have covered the situation in Syria extensively since the uprising began in early 2011. They will be discussing recent developments, on the ground and on the international stage, and asking what changes we could see in coming months.
America’s Shifting Foreign Policy
As Barack Obama enters the second year of his second and final term in office, he faces considerable foreign policy challenges. Join us as we dissect Obama’s foreign policy ambitions, exploring the shifts in focus and how they are playing out. Will he achieve his second term goals? Can he successfully pull focus to Asia or will the conflict in Syria direct attention back to the Middle East?
Iran After Ahmadinejad
Following the presidential election in Iran, we will be bringing together a panel of experts to deliberate the results and what they mean for the future of the country. In association with BBC Persian Service, we will be taking an in-depth look at Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, exploring his affiliations and policies at home and internationally.
Reconstructing Haiti
On 12 January 2010 the deadliest earthquake ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere hit Haiti, claiming between 230,000 and 300,000 lives. We will be joined by a panel of experts from the humanitarian aid community and reporters who covered the earthquake and the subsequent reconstruction efforts, to examine why – after three years and $15.3 billion – the country is still in crisis.
In conversation with Paul Conroy – Under the Wire: Marie Colvin’s Final Assignment
Paul Conroy will be joining us in conversation with international editor at Channel 4 News, Lindsey Hilsum, to talk about Under The Wire. Offering a testimony of war reportage, and a personal account of the final assignment he embarked on with Marie Colvin, one of the foremost journalists of our generation.
Critiquing the media’s approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict
This event is organised by Middle East Monitor (MEMO).
Book Launch of Memo to the Editor
The author Ibrahim Hewitt, the Middle East Monitor’s senior editor, will be joined by former BBC Middle East Correspondent, Tim Llewellyn and foreign leader writer for the Guardian, David Hearst. They will be discussing media reporting on the Palestine-Israel conflict, looking at key events in the last decade and the way in which they were portrayed by Western media.
Insight with Wendy Law-Yone: A Daughter’s Memoir of Burma
Ed Law-Yone, was founder of The Nation newspaper and a major player within the political elite in Burma until the military coup of 1962. He was imprisoned and eventually became an exile in the US where he died in 1980. He did not live to see the Burma he dreamed of but he entrusted his daughter, Wendy Law-Yone, to tell his remarkable story. She will be joining us in conversation with the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall to talk about the unique portrait of Burma she discovered in his manuscripts.
Attacks on the press: Stamping out impunity
Across the world everyday journalists face injuries, kidnappings and death in the line of their work. In the majority of cases the perpetrators are not brought to justice and this evading of punishment often leads to self censorship by other journalists. Reporting on corruption, crime, conflict, politics and human rights is crucial in society, but how can we better protect the journalists doing this work?
With Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and A Day Without News?.
Russia’s surveillance state
The surveillance culture in Russia is well documented. In the digital age as we see more protests on the streets of Moscow and elsewhere the FSB (the successor to the KGB) are developing new surveillance technologies. We will be joined by those involved in a new project called Russia’s Surveillance State and other experts to discuss the surveillance practices in Russia and how they are developing.
Writing Revolution: The voices from Tunis to Damascus
From Cairo to Damascus, Tunisia to Bahrain, Writing Revolution brings together some of the best new writing born out of the profound changes shaking the region. We will be joined by the editors and two of the contributors to talk about their work and how it has been shaped and influenced by the historic events unfolding around them.
The case of the US vs Bradley Manning
In February this year Private First Class Bradley Manning pleaded guilty to sending restricted documents to Wikileaks in violation of military regulations, making him the source of the largest intelligence leak in US history. Ahead of his trial in June we will be examining the charges he faces and the implications if he is found guilty.
North Korea: Sabre-rattling or imminent threat?
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has announced that it has entered into a ‘state of war’ with the US and the Republic of Korea (ROK). The US defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, has declared that DPRK poses “a real and clear danger”. Is this a war of words or could talk of war precipitate a full-blown military conflict?
Reflections with Alex Thomson
Newly crowned RTS Television Journalist of the Year, Alex Thomson was described as “without question one of the UK’s leading correspondents”. He will be joining Vin Ray in conversation to reflect on a career that has seen him spend 22 years at Channel 4 News covering 20 wars across the Gulf, the Balkans, Africa and Afghanistan, as well as presenting the programme.
First Wednesday: Pakistan goes to the polls
As Pakistan gears up for critically important elections, we are joined by a panel of experts who will be discussing the significance of this election and analysing the candidates, their alliances and policies.
Analysing Kenya’s election results
Despite being wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, on Saturday Uhuru Kenyatta won election as Kenya’s new President. Join us as we discuss what Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory means for Kenya?
Presidential elections in Iran: Crackdowns and power struggles
On 14 June, Iranians will go to the polls to vote in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s successor. As debate around the elections begins to heat up we will be joined by a panel of experts to talk us through the power struggles and the state of opposition movements.
Is it a disaster if the cameras are not there?
Organised by ShelterBox
Join us for a panel debate, chaired by Clive Jones, Chair of the Disasters Emergency Committee (and ITV News) with Sarah Whitehead of Sky News, DFID’s Dylan Winder, and Ross Preston, Head of Operations for international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox.
Two years of revolution: Bahrain’s uprising and Britain’s position
This event is organised by Bahrain Pro-Democracy Group in UK and Sayed Alwadaei, political activist in UK.
A special seminar to coincide with the second anniversary of Bahrain’s 14 February Revolution.
It is the longest and most peaceful revolution, yet the least covered by the Western media. When the youth of the Gulf island of Bahrain decided to join the Arab Spring on 14 February 2011 they were responding to the call for change that had resonated in the corners of the Arab world. Two years later, they have remained faithful to their revolutions, slogans and human values.
First Wednesday: Syria crisis – Diplomatic shifts and developing dialogues
A year after Marie Colvin was killed in Homs, the war in Syria is still raging and has cost the lives of more than 60,000 people. Following new US Secretary of State John Kerry’s first foreign tour, we ask if he can deliver on his vow not to leave the Syrian opposition “dangling in the wind”.
On the media: Unprepared, inexperienced and in a war zone
As more and more freelance journalists choose to cut their teeth in the field rather than in local newsrooms, we will be joined by a panel of journalists and editors to discuss what precautions need to be taken to keep them safe. Should they be deterred from heading straight to conflict zones, or should the training, insurance and guidance be more freely available?
Chavez’s legacy
Provoking adoration and revulsion in equal measure, Hugo Chavez is a leader like no other. In his new book, Comandante, acclaimed journalist Rory Carroll sheds light on the inside story of Chavez’s life and his political court in Caracas. He will join the New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson and others to ask, after more than 13 years in power, what Chavez’s legacy will be.
The future of British military engagement with the media
In light of more than ten years of conflict overseas, we examine the nature of the engagement between the British military and the media. As we see changes in the British military, the media, and the nature of conflict zones, how will this relationship develop?
Congo Dreams: Hopes and prospects for the future
This event is in association with the Royal African Society and will be held at Conway Hall.
This event is in association with the Royal African Society and will be held at Conway Hall.
The recent fighting involving the M23 rebel group that has put eastern DR Congo back on the front pages has reached a fragile ceasefire. We will be looking at the implications of recent developments and the prospects for the current peace process.
Transformations in Egyptian Journalism since the January 25 Revolution
This event is organised by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. Followed by a drinks reception.
In this launch event for her new book, Naomi Sakr looks at recent transformations in Egyptian journalism, exploring diverse approaches to converged media and the place of participatory cross-media networks in expanding and developing the country’s body of professional journalists.
FULLY BOOKED On the frontline: Refocusing on Afghanistan
October this year will mark 12 years since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan and with the 2014 deadline looming join us with author and award winning journalist Christina Lamb, Afghan American author Tamim Ansary and others, as we look ahead at the path to troop withdrawal.
FULLY BOOKED Insight with Anne Applebaum: Iron Curtain
American journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anne Applebaum will be joining us at the Frontline Club in conversation with author, journalist and columnist for The Times, Oliver Kamm to talk about the journey taken in her new book Iron Curtain and the lessons that can be learned from that brutal period in history.