Coventry’s RISING Global Peace Forum will go ahead next week despite the latest Coronavirus lockdown.
Organisers of the internationally-recognised event, taking place from November 11 to 13, have decided to move the whole event online in light of the government’s new restrictions.
The annual event, now in its fifth year, was due to have been held as a ‘virtual hybrid’ event at Coventry Cathedral and live-streamed online to reach its global audience with only UK-based speakers and around 50 delegates in physical attendance.
The revised plan means that the whole event will now take place online and without any face-to-face gathering in the Cathedral.
The ‘Culture of Peace’ theme of this year’s event recognises that as well as being the UK’s only City of Peace and Reconciliation, Coventry will be the UK City of Culture for 2021.
The Forum will also be the main event in the run-up to the 80th anniversary of the bombing of the Cathedral in 1940 on November 14, which led to the City of Peace and Reconciliation status.
Professor Mike Hardy, chair of RISING, said: “This year’s RISING Global Peace Forum has so many great speakers lined up that we were determined not to let the Covid-19 lockdown prevent us from sharing their inspiring ideas.
“It has a more important role than ever in promoting peace at a time of huge global uncertainty and by being held online, will be more accessible and therefore able to attract a larger audience from around the world.”
Speakers include writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch, who has recently fronted BBC Two’s Enslaved with Samuel L Jackson, Judge Shira Scheindlin, who famously ruled on police use of stop and search in the US, commentator Will Self, and Daniel Bruce, CEO of Transparency International UK.
Professor Sir David King, former government Chief Scientific Adviser and Special Representative for Climate Change, will also deliver the Lord Mayor’s Peace Lecture on the environment and Covid-19 on November 12.
The Forum is free to access and to register, visit
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rising-20-the-culture-of-peace-tickets-79314510837
RISING is a partnership between the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, Coventry Cathedral and Coventry City Council.
For more information, visit www.rising.org or email RISING@coventry.ac.uk