University celebrates lectures success

Edinburgh University lecture series Our Changing World has celebrated the end of its third year with nearly 10,000 audience members and more than half a million downloads.

Professor Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, recently closed this year’s series as she spoke to 1200 people in the McEwan Hall about placing human rights at the heart of climate change policy.

With 9900 tickets distributed for free over three years, it has established itself as one of the university’s most popular public events. Like the 26 lectures before it, the event was fully subscribed. Previous high-profile speakers include journalist Jon Snow on the changing face of media, emeritus professor Aubrey Manning on the world’s rising population, and Professor Mona Siddiqui on religion and secularity.

The 2013 Our Changing World series will begin in September next year.