April 8, 2015

Space Still Available for Panel Sessions on 28–29 May.

The 32nd International Churchill Conference is attracting incredible numbers. While this does mean that some of the dinners and special sessions are now full, there is still space available for the main sessions on Thursday and Friday, 28–29 May. We are honored to announce an important addition to Thursday’s panel about “Churchill & Islam.” Imam Ahmed Abdel-Rahman al Mahdi, grandson of the Mahdi, will be adding a unique and different perspective to our proceedings. Another late addition to the conference will be on Friday with Professor Hal Klepak discussing his new research about Churchill and Cuba. For more information about the conference and to register, please CLICK HERE.

The Keynote Speaker for the 32nd International Churchill Conference is Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London and author of the highly popular book The Churchill Factor. Additionally, there will be the opportunity to bid on a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill by noted artist Basia Hamilton that will be auctioned at the conference. Basia has painted many members of the Royal Family as well as the Churchill family. In 2009 she created this portrait of Sir Winston (23″ x 25″) using pastels on board. This is an exciting opportunity to own a painting by an artist whose sitters included the Queen Mother and Pope John Paul II.

Broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby will discuss with historians Sir David Cannadine and Margaret Macmillan “Why Celebrate Churchill’s Life?” Each of the three panelists has written much about Churchill in their various books. Dimbleby’s father, Richard, reported on the British Army in Egypt during the Second World War and provided the narration for the BBC broadcast of Churchill’s State Funeral fifty years ago.

Other panels will include discussions about Churchill’s involvement with the Dardanelles campaign, his love for animals, and his hobby of painting. In addition to the exciting talks, the conference will be highlighted by dinners at Blenheim Palace, Ditchley Park and the Heythrop Park Hotel, which will also be conference headquarters. Events culminate with a Blenheim Memorial Concert on the final evening. This promises to be one of the most eventful conferences ever put on by The Churchill Centre.