BBC Northern Ireland talks international affairs and diplomacy as part of Mount Stewart Conversations
BBC Northern Ireland will host a series of BBC talks, discussions and events on the subject of international affairs and diplomacy as part of the inaugural Mount Stewart Conversations on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September.
Published: 9 September 2016
BBC Northern Ireland will host a series of BBC talks, discussions and events on the subject of international affairs and diplomacy as part of the inaugural Mount Stewart Conversations on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September.
Under the theme of International Affairs And Diplomacy – And Why All Of This Matters, BBC NI has invited a prestigious line-up of contributors to share their views on international affairs and relations. These BBC NI events will look at the ongoing work of diplomats and Ministers, the role of summits in times of political conflict and explore how cultural diplomacy and technology are creating new links with communities around the world.
The BBC’s Mark Carruthers, William Crawley and Mark Devenport will host the events. Guests include: Dr John Bew, biographer of Lord Castlereagh and Reader in History and Foreign Policy at King’s College, London; Edward Young, former David Camerson scriptwriter and co-author of Choose Your Weapons with Douglas Hurd, about British Foreign Secretaries; broadcaster and political documentary maker Michael Cockerell; former Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Lord Howell; former Irish Ambassador to the US, Noel Fahey; historian and journalist Ruth Dudley Edwards; and former diplomat Francis Campbell.
The BBC events across the weekend will run alongside the larger Mount Stewart Conversations event, organised by the National Trust to reflect Mount Stewart’s long associations with international affairs.
Saturday 17 September with Mark Carruthers
Mark Carruthers will host Lord Castlereagh – Linking Past and Present on Saturday 17 September. Taking place in the Central Hall at Mount Stewart from 2.30pm-4pm, this event will see John Bew and Edward Young discuss Lord Castlereagh’s career as British Foreign Secretary. Later that afternoon at 4.30pm, Mark will be joined in the festival’s Main Marquee by Michael Cockerell, Ruth Dudley Edwards and Francis Campbell for the Diplomats, Diplomacy and Television event. Looking at how BBC programmes have taken audiences behind the scenes in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, this event will look at how diplomacy is presented by the media and viewed by the public.
Sunday 18 September with William Crawley and Mark Devenport
On Sunday 18 Septmber, William Crawley hosts proceedings throughout the day. In Summits and Summitry - Making History at 11am in the Central Hall, historian, author and broadcaster David Reynolds will discuss his series Summits which looked at pivotal meetings between international political leaders. At 1pm, also in the Central Hall, Michael Cockerell and Edward Young will take part in the Being Foreign Secretary – Personalities and Politics, discussing some of the big characters who have held the post over the past 200 years.
At 1pm in the Main Marquee former Chief of Staff to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair Jonathan Powell will chat with Mark Devenport about the relevance of Machiavelli’s ideas for today’s politicians and diplomats in Lessons From Machiavelli? Statecraft, Diplomacy and Persuasion. Then, at 2.45pm William will host a discussion on Diplomacy Now and in the Future with Lord Howell, former British Ambassador Dame Glynne Evans and Noel Fahey in the festival’s Main Marquee.
The BBC events are free of charge and can be applied for at bbc.co.uk/tickets. Due to the expected high level of demand for tickets and limited space, tickets will be limited to two per applicant and admittance will be on a first come, first served basis.
Further details and booking information for events taking place at the wider Mount Stewart Conversations Festival is available from the National Trust website.
JM
