Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Day Fifteen

The first day of the third week of the Oxford Tradition was certainly jam-packed with excitement.  After Major and Minor classes, many of which were taken outside to make the most of the glorious sunshine, the students were able to enjoy a full programme of activities for the rest of the day.  

At 4.30pm, Tony Benn - politician, former Cabinet Minister and current President of the Stop the War Coalition - spoke in the inspirational setting of the Oxford Union Debate Chamber. Benn is, undeniably, one of the most high-profile speakers on the Oxtrad programme; indeed, his speeches on a number of topics are famed for their interest and insight.  Benn spoke about the political and social relationship between the US and the UK - a particularly pertinent subject for our programme - and was very well received by students and faculty alike.  

After dinner, the students were treated to yet another fantastic speaker in Helen Chapman, a top London lawyer.  For those interested in a career in law, or simply current affairs in general, Helen's talk was very insightful, whilst also full of humorous anecdotes enjoyed by a captivated audience.  

The day ended with a showing of the film Syriana, a thriller focussed on petroleum politics.  This subject is clearly highly salient in the current global climate, making for a great film enjoyed by all (George Cloony and Matt Damon certainly helped as well...).  

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