13 November 2017
Seventeen members of the Lower Sixth travelled to London to attend the Annual Presentation for Sixth Formers organised by the RSAA and SOAS on Asian Affairs. As usual, the line-up of speakers was impressive. The lectures are designed to heighten awareness of Asia rather than being specifically aimed at the sixth form curriculum. There were five lectures in total during the course of the day: a diverse range of topics were covered.
The current Ambassador of South Korea gave a succinct account of recent economic developments in South Korea and future possibilities for Britain in a post-Brexit world. He gave a fairly chilling insight into the nature of relations with their neighbour north of the border. The former Managing Editor of BBC documentaries posed the question: ‘The British Empire in India, a good or bad thing? Another lecture examined the challenges and opportunities of collating and managing Tibetan Buddhist Monastery art collections. We also heard a fairly chilling account relating to IS and Security in the Middle East and possible new developments that might take place now that IS has lost territory in the region. On a much lighter and optimistic note, we were guided through the diverse wildlife habitats of Iran (it’s not all desert!) and the successful conservation measures that are taking place there. A smorgasbord of lectures.
