Please enter via the West Gate, just off the Sanctuary and next to Westminster Abbey gift shop. The Abbey is accessible via the Underground stations, Westminster (Jubilee, District & Circle Lines) and St. James’s Park (District and Circle Lines).

A bag search will be in place. Please ensure you arrive in good time for this. Please note that large backpacks or suitcases are not allowed in the Abbey, and there are no left luggage facilities.

Wednesday, November 26

A call to words: An evening exploring poetry in wartime

Join us for an immersive exploration of the value of war poetry.

By Westminster Abbey Institute

Date and time

Location

Westminster Abbey

20 Deans Yd London SW1P 3PA United Kingdom

Agenda

6:00 PM

Doors open

6:30 PM

Event begins

8:00 PM

Reception

About this event

Event lasts 2 hours

How does poetry help us reckon with war? This evocative evening explores the enduring value of war poetry.

From the poets of the Second World War to the words being written today, this live performance and conversation reveals how poetry can resource, renew, and give voice to those who face conflict and its legacies.

From the Front Line to the Home Front, actors and speakers bring to life the power of language to capture the experience of war and shape remembrance. Featuring theatre and film director Josie Rourke.

Josie Rourke is a theatre and film director. Josie was the artistic director of the Bush Theatre (2007-2011) and the Donmar Warehouse (2012-2019) and in 2018 made her feature-film debut with the Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated film Mary Queen of Scots. Josie is a Vice President of The London Library and is a member of Westminster Abbey Institute's Council of Reference.

Organized by

Westminster Abbey Institute

Westminster Abbey is one of the world’s great churches, with a history stretching back over a thousand years. Its place on Parliament Square with the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary on the other three sides gives it a unique opportunity to offer compassionate, reflective and challenging space and time to those who serve the nation.

Westminster Abbey Institute aims to nurture and revitalise moral and spiritual values in public life and service. It seeks to replenish and sustain public servants of all faiths and none, and to celebrate and animate public service as a force for good. The Institute draws on Westminster Abbey’s resources of spirituality and theological learning, rooted in its daily worshipping life and broader Christian tradition, to convene discussion, nourish reflection and inspire regeneration.