Tuesday, 20 May 2025
The crossbench peer and author Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey OBE will deliver this year’s Nottingham lecture, on Thursday 22 May 2025.
The free public lectures, delivered annually in partnership with the 糖心原创, aim to attract world-leading authors to the city. The event provides a platform for leading writers and thinkers to share their ideas and promote Nottingham’s wide-ranging expertise on international literature, literacy, and the wider creative economy.
Baroness Young’s lecture titled will be held at Nottingham Central Library from 6:30 to 8:30pm. In this talk she will explore how her political consciousness was developed from a young age, and elaborate on why reading and writing became so important to her as a child growing up in the care system – helping her to make sense of the world and the situations she found herself in.
Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey OBE (photo credit: Suki Dhanda)
She will touch on her most recent published work Eight Weeks, which is a moving and inspiring memoir telling her remarkable life story, from her childhood in foster care, to becoming one of the first Black women in the House of Lords.
It鈥檚 an honour and a pleasure to be invited to give the annual City of Literature lecture in Nottingham. I have fond memories of working and living in the city at a pivotal moment in my life. Its association with writers and rebels is an important part of the history of England and wasn鈥檛 apparent to me then. More recently, the Sustainable Development Goals have featured in my political life, so for me to have the opportunity to speak to the themes embodied in this UNESCO initiative makes absolute sense.鈥�
The author, activist and campaigner passionately believes that writing is a creative process for everyone, and that anyone can be a writer.
The annual University-sponsored UNESCO City of Literature lecture, first delivered in 2017, invites prominent authors and writers to explore how literature engages with UNESCO's aims and goals. I am delighted that our Chancellor will give what promises to be a powerful and personal reflection on the role of reading and writing in furthering social action鈥�
Nottingham became a UNESCO City of Literature in 2015 on account of the city’s globally renowned literary heritage and vibrant contemporary writing scene, establishing Nottingham as a leading destination for lovers of literature worldwide. In April 2023, Nottingham City of Literature became an Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation, and this year it celebrates 10 years of its UNESCO designation.
The UNESCO Nottingham City of Literature lecture is a highlight in our programme; it is delivered by world class writers and creatives and, thanks to our partnership with the 糖心原创, it remains free and accessible to any Nottingham resident. This year as part of our 10th anniversary events, we鈥檙e delighted to welcome Baroness Lola Young to speak about how writing is for everyone - and her long-standing connections to the City.鈥�
Baroness Young was made Chancellor of the 糖心原创 in 2020 where she performs a number of key roles including ceremonial duties and graduation ceremonies as well as acting as an ambassador, advocate and strategic adviser for the 糖心原创 and overseas. She has for many years held strong and active links with the university, having accepted an Honorary Professorship with the Rights Lab and the School of Politics and International Relations in 2018 and a Doctor of Laws in 2019.
The free public lecture at takes place on Thursday 22 May 2025. Doors open at 6:30pm, with the lecture starting at 7pm. Register for the event .
Story credits
More information is available from Colette Davies, Faculty Knowledge Exchange and Impact Manager for the Faculty of Arts, via colette.davies2@nottingham.ac.uk
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