Alastair Donald
co-convenor, Battle of Ideas festival; convenor, Living Freedom; organiser, European Free Speech Network
Alastair is associate director of the London based Academy of Ideas where he co-convenes Battle of Ideas festival. He is currently developing plans for a European Free Speech Network to aid collaborative efforts across the continent to build a public culture of free speech.
For the educational charity Ideas Matter, he is convenor of Living Freedom, an initiative for young people to renew freedom through education and debate. Alastair is author of Letter on Liberty: The Scottish Question, and co-editor of two books, The Lure of the City and The Future of Community. As a founding member of mantownhuman, he co-authored Manifesto: towards a new humanism in architecture which featured in Penguin Classics 100 Artists’ Manifestos.
Follow Alastair on X: @MaximumCities
RELATED SESSIONS
Saturday 17 October, 09:45 Assembly Hall, Church House
Battle of Ideas festival 2026 Welcome Address
Saturday 17 October, 10:15 Harvey Goodwin Suite, Church House
Podcast Live: The Life Sci Fantastic – weight-loss jabs: the end of willpower?
Saturday 17 October, 10:15 Wash House Café, The Abbey Centre
Should we put Britain first? The ‘national interest’ question
Saturday 17 October, 10:15 Hospitality Suite, Church House
From quiet quitting to #lazygirljobs: workshy Britain?
Saturday 17 October, 12:15 Parker Morris Hall, Abbey Centre
From metro mayors to Manchesterism: a devolution revolution?
Saturday 17 October, 12:15 Abbey Room, Church House
Let me convince you: Britain needs a US-style free-speech First Amendment
Saturday 17 October, 13:45 Harvey Goodwin Suite, Church House
Podcast Live: This Isn’t Working – are women to blame for ‘woke’ workplaces?
Saturday 17 October, 14:45 Temple Room, Church House
Stop the press! Media is biased… or is it?
Saturday 17 October, 16:45 Assembly Hall, Church House
Should we tolerate the intolerant?
Sunday 18 October, 11:00 Temple Room, Church House
Hedgerows vs highways: the urban / rural divide
Sunday 18 October, 11:00 Harvey Goodwin Suite, Church House
Podcast Live: Planet Normal – News and views from beyond the bubble
Sunday 18 October, 12:45 Harvey Goodwin Suite, Church House
Podcast live: Spectator’s Coffee House Shots
Sunday 18 October, 13:45 Harvey Goodwin Suite, Church House
Podcast Live: The State of It – reports from the coalface of British politics
Sunday 18 October, 13:45 Assembly Hall, Church House
Free speech for me and not for thee? the red lines in free expression
Sunday 18 October, 13:45 Hoare Memorial Hall, Church House
Should we scrap The Equality Act?
Sunday 18 October, 17:15 Hospitality Suite, Church House
Assisted death to sexual freedom: autonomy and its discontents
Sunday 18 October, 17:15 Harvey Goodwin Suite, Church House
Podcast Live: Take Me Home – Growing up in the Culture Wars
Saturday 31 October, 12:35 Balderin Sali
Populism: giving the people a voice?
Saturday 31 October, 12:35 Balderin Sali
Antaako populismi kansalle äänen?
Saturday 31 October, 15:20 Balderin Sali
Europe’s free-speech crisis: launching the fightback
Saturday 31 October, 16:15 Balderin Sali
Itsenäisyys – onko kansallisvaltiolla enää merkitystä?
Saturday 31 October, 16:15 Balderin Sali
Independence: does the nation state still matter?
Saturday 31 October, 17:30 Balderin Sali
Antaako sananvapaus meille oikeuden arvostella ja loukata toisia?
Saturday 31 October, 17:30 Balderin Sali
Free speech: should we have the right to be offensive?