Festival of Debate returns to Sheffield with packed lineup covering climate, democracy and inequality

The series, which takes place over three weeks, is the largest annual politics festival in the UK.

On its website, the Festival said: “The Festival of Debate creates opportunities to bring people together to share new ideas and lived experience that can help shape our understanding of the world.

“We collaborate with a huge range of partner organisations – some local, some international. They include grassroots campaign groups, voluntary and community groups, universities and think tanks.

“It seeks to create a place where we are connected to each other, to our communities, to the institutions and new ideas that shape our lives and to conversations that start change.”

Gary Younge, Brian Eno, General Levy and Kwajo Tweneboa are some of the big names on the lineup for this ninth edition of the non-partisan festival which starts tomorrow on April 12 and runs until May 26.

There will be more than 60 events – most of which are free – across three strands which are democracy, inequality and climate. These will be held in venues around the city and beyond including Central Library, The Diamond, The Leadmill and Crucible Theatre.

Topics covered include the future of geography, fixing the railways, drug reform, Wikileaks, the housing crisis, the history of race, a climate and nature hustings, dying, intersectional ageing and General Levy’s journey in music.

Find the full programme on the festival’s website here: https://festivalofdebate.com/.