SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL
MEMORIAL LECTURES
Over the years we have had the privilege to host this annual event and invite a series of eminent speakers from political economic and cultural worlds.
Past speakers have included: The Rt. Hon. Baroness Thatcher, former British Prime Minister; The Rt. Hon. Lord Kinnock, former Vice-President of the European Commission; The Rt. Hon. Lord George, former Governor of the Bank of England; The Rt. Hon. Lord Hurd of Westwell, former British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; and The Rt. Hon. Lord Patten of Barnes, former European Commissioner for External Relations, last Governor of Hong Kong and Chancellor of Oxford University.
The speakers gave a lecture on their topic of choice, generally but not always a European theme.
PREVIOUS LECTURES
BARONESS HALE OF RICHMOND
20th NOVEMBER 2023
THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY AND SOME OF ITS ENEMIES
Baroness Hale is the former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom 2017 – 2020 Cross bench Member of the House of Lords Honorary Professor of Law at University College London Visitor of Girton College Cambridge
President Jean-Claude Juncker
30th May 2022
“Jean-Claude Juncker’s Address on a Changing Europe at the 75th BLS Anniversary”
This year, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the BLS, Jean-Claude Juncker, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg and President of the European Commission, will speak on the subject: “A Changing Europe: Full Circle?”.
Jean-Claude Juncker has served in many governmental posts, most notably as Luxembourg’s Prime Minister (1995-2013), President of the Eurogroup (2004-2013) and President of the European Commission (2014-2019).
By the time he left office as Prime Minister in 2013, Jean-Claude Juncker was the longest-serving head of any national government in the European Union (EU) and one of the longest-serving democratically elected leaders in the world, with his tenure encompassing the introduction of the euro currency, the European financial and sovereign debt crisis, the 2015 European migrant crisis and the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the EU (Brexit).
This event, facilitated by BLS Patron Patrick Santer, also includes introductory speeches by Louise Benjamin (President of the BLS), the British Ambassador to Luxembourg Fleur Thomas, Guy Dockendorf (Fondation Nationale de la Résistance – FONARES) and Patrick Santer.
LORD PATTEN OF BARNES
18th May 2021
spoke on-line on the subject of
“CHINA AND THE NEW GLOBAL BALANCE”
Lord Patten is Chancellor of the University of Oxford and former European Commissioner for External Affairs. He was the Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992 and the last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997.
The on-line lecture was held jointly with the Bridge Forum Dialogue as well as our usual partners at the British Embassy, the Oxford University Society of Luxembourg and La Fondation Nationale de la Résistance (FONARES).
The Questions and Answers session was hosted by Sir Nicolas Forwood, Patron of the British-Luxembourg Society.
LORD GREEN OF HURSTPIERPOINT
17th October 2019
WHITHER EUROPE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RISE OF ASIA
Lord Green, as Stephen Green, is a former Chairman and former Chief Executive of HSBC Holdings plc. As Lord Green he was Minister of Trade and Investment in the UK Government.
LORD HURD OF WESTWELL
9th May 2012
Former Foreign Secretary
PROFESSOR VERNAN BOGDANOR
20th March 2009
’Churchill and Europe’, by Vernan Bogdanor, CBE, FBA, professor of Government, Oxford University
SIR DAVID BREWER
2nd October 2008
‘The UK & European response to the ascent of China’, by Sir David Brewer Kt CMG, Lord Lieutenant of Greater London & Former Lord Mayor of London
SIR STEPHEN WALL
23th November 2005
‘Tomorrow’s Europe: Will we let Churchill down?’ by Sir Stephen Wall, former Advisor to British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the European Union
RT. HON. NEIL KINNOCK
30th September 2004
Rt. Hon. Neil Kinnock, Vice-President of the European Commission
LORD ROBERTSON OF PORT ELLEN
29th September 2003
Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, Secretary General of NATO
LORD JENKINS OF HILLHEAD
9th October 2002
‘Writing about Churchill’, by Rt. Hon. Lord Jenkins of Hillhead O.M., Former President of the European Commission and author
RT. HON. CHRISTOPHER PATTEN
10th October 2000
The Rt Hon Christopher Patten, CH, European Commissioner for External Relations
RT. HON. JOYCE QUIN
27th April 1999
‘Britain in Europe’, by The Rt Hon Joyce Quin, MP, HM Minister for Europe
GEORGE ROBERTSON
31st March 1998
‘A safer Europe – the case for optimism’, by George Robertson, Secretary of State for Defence
SIR MARTIN GILBERT
6th March 1997
‘Churchill in Europe – Yesterday and Today’, by Sir Martin Gilbert, CBE
RT. HON. DOUGLAS HURD
14th March 1996
‘Europe Looks East’, by The Rt. Hon. Douglas Hurd CBE MP, Deputy Chairman, NatWest Markets
EDDIE GEORGE
21st February 1995
‘Economics of Emu’, by Eddie George, Governor of the Bank of England
LORD OWEN
11th March 1994
‘Yugoslavia: the lesson for the European Union’, by The Rt Hon The Lord Owen, Co-Chairman of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia (in the presence of the Grand Duke)
SIR LEON BRITTAN
8th February 1993
‘Europe and the Wider World’, by Sir Leon Brittan, member of the European Commission, responsible for External Economic Affairs and Trade Policy
LORD MACAY OF CLASHFERN
24th January 1992
‘Diversity in Unity – European Laws’, by The Rt Hon The Lord Mackay of Clashfern, The Lord High Chancellor (in the presence of the Grand Duke)
LORD CARRINGTON
1990
‘Europe – Relations East/West’, Lord Carrington, QC, MP
LORD ROLL OF IPSDEN
16th March 1989
‘1992 – and after’, by Lord Roll of Ipsden, KCMG, CB (in the presence of Henri, Grand-Duc Héritier)
SIR GEOFFREY HOWE
8th March 1988
‘Europe: Agenda for the Nineties’, by The Rt. Hon. Sir Geoffrey Howe, QC, MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (in the presence of the Grand Duke)
GENERAL SIR JOHN HACKETT
26th March 1987
‘Mankind’s Threat to its own Survival’ by General Sir John Hackett, GCB, CBE, DSO, MC, Author of ‘The Third World War’, ‘The Profession of Arms’ (in the presence of the Grand Duke)
PROFESSOR MICHAEL HOWARD
8th November 1985
‘Winston Churchill and the Making of Europe’ by Professor Michael Howard, CBE, MC, Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford (under the patronage of the Grand Duke)
LORD RICHARDSON
13th December 1983
‘From Recession to Recovery: Finding the Passage’, by The RT. Hon. The Lord Richardson, KG, MBE, TD (in the presence of the Grand Duc héritier)
FRANCIS PYM
25th October 1982
‘International Institutions: Riding the Storm’, by Francis Pym, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
LORD CARRINGTON
27th October 1981
‘The Foundations of Peace in Europe’, by The Rt. Hon The Lord Carrington, KCMG, MC, British Secretary of state for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (in the presence of the Grand Duke)
RT. HON. MARGARET THATCHER
18th October 1979
‘Europe: the Obligations of Liberty’ by The Rt Hon Margaret Thatcher, MP, the British Prime Minister (in the presence of the Grand Duke)
SIR CHRISTOPHER SOAMES
16th November 1977
