TALKS AND LECTURES
Jeremy Hunt began with a story about an experience he had in politics concerning the white helmet workers of Syria , who help with search and rescue for civilians , and how he assisted them . In his first week as Foreign Secretary , he had a meeting with Donald Trump and Theresa May . As awkward silence filled the table , Mr Hunt decided to highlight the importance of evacuating these people to safety , and subsequently many were offered a safe haven in the UK .
After this personal story , the attention turned to a group of Lower Sixth students who had prepared questions about conflict , economics and sociopolitical issues within the UK . A couple of the questions inquired about the abolition of private schools and how the government makes decisions promoting economic growth while maintaining ethical standards . This last question focused specifically on the recent sanctions on Russian investment in the UK economy .
The talk concluded with questions from the floor , allowing students , parents and teachers to put their own questions to the Chancellor of the Exchequer . These questions ranged from how AI could affect politics to how Mr Hunt himself finds his own happiness in everyday life .
Overall , it was a surreal experience to have Jeremy Hunt , the Chancellor of the Exchequer , speaking in the Pamoja Hall .
Maya Goodrich , Lower Sixth
TIM MARSHALL Geopolitics – the Future of Geography
What are the implications of China ’ s claim on the South China Sea and the nine-dash line ? How did Russia ’ s topography and the Great European Plain contribute to the conflict in Ukraine ? How long will it be until we are colonising space and space becomes militarised ? These were all concepts discussed by Tim Marshall in his visit to Sevenoaks last September .
A small group of Upper Sixth students had the privilege of attending a workshop with Tim , where we focused on the ideas brought up in his best-selling books The Future of Geography and The Power of Geography . I was particularly interested in attending , having co-led the school ’ s Geopolitics Society . During the workshop , I learned about geographical determinism and how geographical conditions can be seen as the determining factor in human society and culture . Many students were very excited to meet Tim , bringing him copies of his book to sign . It was an amazing experience , as almost all of us geographers have read his books and featured his ideas in our university personal statements .
14 ACADEMIC REVIEW