CWGC hosts major international event to debate ‘The Role of Commemoration in Diplomacy’

Attendees representing nations from across the Commonwealth and CWGC host nations gathered in London this week to hear a distinguished panel discuss the relationship between Commemoration and Diplomacy.

The event, a partnership with the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and hosted in RUSI’s Whitehall Headquarters, was attended by diplomats and government representatives, commemoration organisations, academics, and a host of other experts.

With the World Wars falling out of living memory, commemoration organisations work to ensure that the memory and stories of casualties do not fade. We work across the globe to do this, and the event considered the relevance and importance of this activity in supporting the diplomatic endeavours of governments.  

A keynote speech given by The Lord Ricketts GCMG GCVO, former Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee and Government National Security Advisor, was followed by a panel discussion.  CWGC Director General Claire Horton CBE was joined by The South African High Commissioner His Excellency Jeremiah Mamabolo, the UK Ambassador to Italy and former Ambassador to France the Rt. Hon Lord Llewellyn of Steep OBE, Secretary General of the Volksbund Dirk Backen and Professor Beatrice Hauser. The proceedings were introduced by CWGC’s Vice Chairman Vice Admiral Peter Hudson CB CBE. 

It was a fascinating discussion, involving enthusiastic engagement and questioning from the floor. All participants were agreed that commemoration plays a critical role not only as a reminder of human cost of war, but also in helping nations heal the wounds of past conflicts and address the geopolitical tensions of the present.

Following the morning event, an afternoon invitation roundtable explored some of the issues raised in greater depth. A summary of the morning and afternoon sessions will be published in the early summer. 

Watch a recording of: ‘The Role of Commemoration in Diplomacy’

See our previous RUSI conference: The role of Commemoration in the 21st Century