PRESS RELEASE
No: 824/2015
Date: 6th November 2015
Leading Historian to Deliver the Festival’s Gibraltar Lecture
Leading historian Dr Peter Frankopan has joined the line-up for this year's Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival, which opens on Thursday.
Frankopan delivers the prestigious Gibraltar Lecture on his new book The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, which argues that the focus of world history is shifting east. In his latest book, ‘The Silk Roads’ he argues that a region stretching from eastern Europe across central Asia and into India and China is taking centre stage in international politics, commerce and culture. And the change is now shaping the modern world. The region is not well known in the West but is where civilisation began. It is where the major religions were born and where the Silk Roads witnessed the passage of ideas, goods, disease and death. Frankopan says the Silk Roads are on the rise again.
Frankopan is a senior research fellow at Worcester College, Oxford, and director of the Centre for Byzantine Research at Oxford University. He has lectured at Cambridge, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, NYU, King’s College London and the Institute of Historical Research. He is also author of The First Crusade.
Frankopan will be introduced by the Chief Minister of HM Government of Gibraltar, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC.
The Chief Minister said “Dr Frankopan has a hugely distinguished academic record. He works mainly on the history of the Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Russia and on relations between Christianity and Islam. He brings such a breadth of learning to our Festival and I am delighted that he has accepted out invitation to give the Gibraltar lecture."
Minister for Tourism The Hon Samantha Sacramento added "The Gibraltar Lecture has become a highlight of the Festival and we are delighted to welcome Dr Frankopan to the Rock and indeed honoured that the Chief Minister is to introduce the lecture. Dr Frankopan adds yet more prestige to a Festival that celebrates our unique history and heritage."
The inaugural Gibraltar Lecture was delivered by Antony Beevor in 2013 on the Spanish Civil War. Last year’s Gibraltar Lecture was given by Lord Peter Hennessy on The State of the Nation – The Future of British Politics.
HM Government of Gibraltar • 6 Convent Place • Gibraltar GX11 1AA t +350 20070071 f +350 20076396 e [email protected] w gibraltar.gov.gi
Tickets for the Festival are available online at www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com or at the Garrison Library Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm
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