Events Worth Talking About

Conversations that Matter

‘Conversations that Matter’ is a series of public talks and events around the topic of mental health and wellbeing which are free and open to all.  This series opens in April and runs through until December.  Mental health and wellbeing is a topic which affects us all, it is a topic which can be emotive and inspiring and one which requires thoughtful discussion.  The speakers, who are all leaders, experts and influencers in their respective fields, will reflect on the vital issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing in contemporary society. This series hopes to be a catalyst for careful and considerate discussion surrounding sometimes difficult topics.

This series opens on Thursday 19 April 2018 with a talk by author, journalist and Supersize vs Superskinny TV presenter Emma Woolf on ‘The Secret to Happiness’.

Other speakers on the programme include Natasha Devon MBE with ‘A Beginners Guide to Being Mental’ and Dr Dominique Thompson who will be asking, ‘What’s Next for Student Mental Health?’.

Further topics in the Conversations that Matter series include: 
•    ‘Spirituality and Mental Health – Old Friends or New Partners?’, a talk by Revd Professor Alistair Ross which will explore the ways in which spirituality can enhance how we connect to ourselves.
•    ‘Mind, Body and Oars: Taking on the Toughest Rowing Race on Earth’, a talk presented by Yorkshire Rows, a team of four Yorkshire mothers who are the first women to row across the North Sea and who also hold a record for rowing the Atlantic.  

Beyond the Vote

This exciting festival will be held on campus and in the city over three days in the summer (6-8 July 2018). Entitled ‘Beyond the Vote: A festival of women’s words and deeds’, this event aims to explore the ways in which women participated in civic life in York and beyond, before and after the historic (yet limited) extension of the franchise in 1918.

As part of the festival:
•    York Explore Archives, the Bar Convent and other city institutions will be hosting exhibitions, archival displays and tours, bringing to light the work, words, and legacies of women in York's history.
•    With the kind support of the Vice-Chancellor, the Environment and Grounds Team will unveil a new reflective garden on campus inspired by female horticulturalists Gertrude Jekyll and Ellen Willmott. 
•    York St John University is also proud to support exciting talks, workshops, and opportunities to learn more about local history and issues affecting women’s lives and rights, as well as a talk from York Central MP, Rachael Maskell.
•    ‘Beyond the Vote’ will culminate with a Sunday evening gala featuring a panel of nationally recognised professional women working across different sectors, who will come together to debate some of the challenges currently facing various women in 2018.  The Sunday Gala will also feature an auction with prizes donated by several businesses in the city and the proceeds from this event going towards a ‘Women in Politics Aspiration Fund’ specifically aimed at enabling YSJU students to take part in visits to Westminster, engage in Insight Days and develop their skills by undertaking work experience which they may not ordinarily be able to access.

Ebor Lecture Series

This popular, free lecture series seeks to pool wisdom across fields of politics, economics, contemporary culture, religion, spirituality and globalisation.  The Ebor Lectures promote discussion and public conversation between theology and a range of diverse communities.    

The year 2018 marks the centenary of the end of World War I; communities and individuals across the world will be commemorating and remembering those who survived, fought or died in the war.  To mark this commemorative year, this Ebor Lecture Series will focus on ‘Peace and Reconciliation’.  Expert speakers will cover a range of topics, from resolving conflict in Ireland to mending troubled relationships.  Speakers Mariana Cantacuzino, founder of The Forgiveness Project, a compilation of stories and resources from and for those who have rebuilt their lives following hurt or trauma and Lord Bhikhu Parekh, political theorist and Labour member of the House of Lords, who will speak on ‘Secularism and Neutrality of Political Space’- a discussion of conflicts in a multi-religious society. Julie Nicholson, writer and ordained Anglican priest, will present her lecture, ‘Crossing Spaces’.  drawing on her own experience of the death of her eldest daughter in the London bombing on 7th July 2005 as she explores the choices people make following bereavement and the struggle for forgiveness. 

The Ebor Lectures is a collaborative project between York Minter, York St John University, The Yorkshire North & East District Methodist Church, The Order of Carmelites and The C. & J.B. Morrell Trust.  This lecture series invites anyone with an interest in contemporary society to tell their stories and create further discussions between communities.