Join us for the 40th Anniversary International Peace Lecture, hosted by the University of Manchester's Department of Politics.
For forty years, this renowned series has brought together leading voices to reflect on the challenges and possibilities for global peace. It was first established in 1985, inspired by University staff protesting against the siting of nuclear weapons at Greenham Common.
Since then, the lecture has stayed true to its founding purpose:: "to reaffirm our hope, belief and determination that there shall be a future, while providing an opportunity to explore how we and our children might bring it about."
This year, we are honoured to welcome Madeleine Rees OBE, Secretary General of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, as our keynote speaker.
The lecture will examine the efforts made over the past forty years to enhance women’s rights, especially in conflict-affected regions, and highlights notable successes. It will also assess how recent conflicts illustrate the continued marginalisation of women’s voices and the threats to hard-won achievements. Furthermore, the session will explore how gender-related struggles connect with larger social justice issues, offering thoughts on future research and advocacy directions.
The lecture will run for approximately 45 minutes, followed by a Q&A session and a networking reception.
About the speaker:
Madeleine Rees, OBE is a British human rights lawyer and Secretary General of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. She has led major efforts in anti-discrimination law, gender justice, and post-conflict human rights, including work with the UN in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her efforts against human trafficking were portrayed in the movie The Whistleblower. She was awarded an OBE in 2014 for her contributions to women’s rights and international peace.
