January 7, 2014

Conference to Commemorate 70th Anniversary of D-Day Landing at National World War II Museum of the United States

The Churchill Centre and the Churchill Society of New Orleans are pleased to partner with the National World War II Museum to bring you the 31st International Churchill Conference, April 3-5, 2014, during the 70th anniversary year of Operation Overlord, the D-Day invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944. The Theme of the conference is “Churchill: Fighting and Writing.” Conference sessions will be held in the Loews Hotel New Orleans, and registration will include free admission to tour the Museum and to watch the award-winning 4D cinematic experience narrated by Tom Hanks, Beyond All Boundaries. To register for the conference, please CLICK HERE.

The French QuarterFor early arrivals on Wednesday, April 2, the local committee is hosting a special reception to be held in the Fenner Home, the house in the lovely Garden District of New Orleans where Confederate President Jefferson Davis died. During the following 3 days, ample time has been set aside for all participants to tour the National World War II Museum, as well as to tour the French Quarter, the Garden District and other sites in this beautiful, French heritage city of jazz and creole cuisine.

An optional pre-conference tour of the Museum’s weapons vault is being offered. “Call of Duty” is a unique experience, limited to the first 60 people, to visit the Museum’s vault and to handle weapons used by Allied and German soldiers during the war.

2024 International Churchill Conference

Join us for the 41st International Churchill Conference. London | October 2024

More

The conference sessions begin with a fascinating roundtable discussion examining the planning and run-up to Operation Overlord moderated by Dr. Nick Mueller, President of the National World War II Museum. Discussants include Warren Kimball, representing FDR; David M. Glantz, military historian and editor of The Journal of Slavic Military Studies representing Stalin; and Piers Brendon, British author and historian, representing Churchill.

Capt. Alex PerkinsAnother fascinating roundtable discussion will feature Alexander Perkins, great-grandson of Sir Winston, Afghanistan veteran and retired Captain of the Scots Guards, speaking with Con Coughlin, Executive Foreign Editor for the Daily Telegraph and author of Churchill’s First War, on the subject of “Afghanistan: 1897 and 2014.” Alex recently led a petition drive to provide citizenship for Afghans who worked as interpreters with the British Army. Moderating this session will be Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives in Cambridge. 

We are delighted that Churchill’s granddaughter and Perkins’ mother, The Hon. Celia Sandys, will also join us this year. She will speak on “Churchill: The Power of Words.” Other speakers include Peter Clarke, Nigel Hamilton, James W. Muller, David Roll, and Michael Shelden.

National World War II MuseumBasic registration is $450 for members and includes the opening Welcome Reception, all conference sessions, two luncheons, Friday reception and dinner, and free admission to the Museum. The optional closing night Gala Dinner will feature a New Orleans menu prepared by Chef John Besh in the Museum’s Freedom Pavilion underneath aircraft that flew in the war: a B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell, and a P-51 Mustang, among others. Registration materials soon will be sent out and posted on the Centre’s website.

Full-time teachers and academics at middle school, high school and college level may register at a reduced price of $100 that includes all conference sessions and luncheons. Arrangements have also been made to provide complimentary registration to all conference sessions and luncheons for up to 50 students (high school and college). Requests for a special student complimentary ticket must be made no later than March 15 by phone (1-888-WSC-1874) or email ([email protected]).Churchillians for Dinner with a Flying Fortress