Battle of Ideas @ The Barbican Centre

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by Bryony Harrison (subscribe)

Freelance writer and poet from London; if you would like to read my poetry, please check out my book, 'Poems on the Page', available from goo.gl/Ta4oAX.

Event: 20/10/2012 - 21/10/2012

Get Across Your Ideas

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The Battle of Ideas is an annual two-day festival of intellectual debates and thought provoking discussions. It has been organised by the Institute of Ideas and is being held at the Barbican Centre on the 20th-21st October.

The event looks at issues facing society today and encourages freedom of thought and open mindedness. There will be over eighty seminars given by high profile speakers from around the world, with discussions on equality, morality, media, law, and science.

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The drinks reception will be at 6.45pm at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama on Saturday with a welcome speech by Claire Fox and jazz music by the Sam Braysher Trio.

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This year's programme includes exciting keynote debates such as: What is wrong with equality?, Capitalism: kill or cure?, The illusion of free will, and Gas galore? Fracking and the future of energy. For the full time table, look here.

In the run up to the festival, a number of satellite events will be hosted around London. These include:

Campaigning documentaries: fact or faction? - 7pm-9pm at Shoreditch House on Thursday 4th October.

Directors such as Hugh Hartford and Joe Wade will question whether documentaries should allow for subjective opinions or if they should be entirely impartial.

Riots and revolutions: Europe's young radicals? - 6.30pm-8.30pm at Foyles Charing Cross on Monday 8th October

Speakers include writers, Neil Davenport and Mary Fitzgerald, discussing the 2011 summer riots, and looking back at past riots in Europe.

Defence of Subjects - 7pm-8.30pm at Hamilton House, Mabledon Place on Thursday 11th October

A panel of experts will look at the proposed overhaul of the education system, focussing on the curriculum and examination process.

As well as seminars, Foyles Festival Bookshop will be in the Barbican stocking books written by the speakers and holding author signings. There will also be an Ideas Market, with stalls run by different organisations.

The event will end with a wrap party in the Barbican bar at 7pm on Sunday.

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