Lewes Speakers Festival

LEWES MAIN FESTIVAL

Friday 8th May 2026
10.00 The Ukrainian Hearts – Ukrainian cooks from the Lewes community share the traditions behind one of Ukraine’s most beloved dishes in a small, hands-on workshop making authentic borscht from scratch.
12.00 The Ukrainian Hearts – Ukrainian cooks from the Lewes community share the traditions behind one of Ukraine’s most beloved dishes in a small, hands-on workshop making authentic borscht from scratch.
15.30 Anne-Laure Le Cunff – cognitive neuroscientist, shows how small, curiosity-driven experiments can replace rigid goal-setting to create a more fulfilling way to work and live.
17.00 Sumit Paul-Choudhury – former Editor-in-Chief of New Scientist, makes the case for optimism as a practical tool for progress.
18.30 Jeremy Hunt – former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary, explains why a dangerous world still needs a confident, influential Britain.
20.00 Prof Bill McGuire – leading volcanologist and climate scientist, explains how Earth’s deep past reveals the scale of climate change now unfolding—and why our actions today will determine the future of the planet.

Saturday 9th May 2026
9.50 Dr Fola Yahaya – AI expert and founder of Strategic Agenda, offers a clear and engaging introduction to artificial intelligence, explaining how it works and how we can prepare for the changes it will bring.
11.20 Ian Williams – award-winning, popular journalist and foreign correspondent, returns to update his analysis of China’s state-driven economy and how its rise continues to reshape global business, politics and power.
12.45 Corinne Fowler – Professor of Colonialism and Heritage leads a thought-provoking walk through Lewes exploring how apparently tranquil English landscapes are intertwined with Britain’s imperial past.
12.50 Andrew Bayliss – Associate Professor of Ancient History at the University of Birmingham, explores how Sparta rose to become Greece’s most feared power.
14.20 Jason Burke – Guardian international security correspondent and leading foreign reporter, examines how militant movements from the radical 1970s reshaped global politics, security and extremism in ways still felt today.
14.45 Yuliia Fedorenko – finance professional and certified Cashflow trainer leads a three-hour interactive simulation game based on Cashflow 101, exploring investing, assets, risk and how to escape the “rat race” through strategic financial decisions.
15.45 Corinne Fowler – Professor of Colonialism and Heritage leads a second guided walk revealing how Lewes landmarks connect to global histories of empire, trade, migration and resistance.
15.50 David Torrance – historian and House of Commons Library researcher, brings the 1926 General Strike to life, exploring how Britain came to the brink of upheaval and how the crisis reshaped the nation’s politics for decades.
17.20 Prof Leah Ruppanner – leading sociologist and Director of the Future of Work Lab, reveals why the mental load continues to exhaust women