On 6 October, the Sixth Form had the privilege of welcoming British author, broadcaster and commentator John Kampfner to Cokethorpe for the second Enlightenment Lecture of the academic year.
John spoke about his latest book, Braver New World: Countries Daring to Do Things Others Won’t, sharing his experiences from visiting ten countries while researching the book. With great optimism, he explored the remarkable innovations that these countries have introduced to tackle the challenges they face.
From Taiwan’s health service to Finland’s education system, John’s examples provided a fascinating insight into the different ways countries are approaching some of the complex issues of our time. The breadth of his experiences and the positive perspective he brought to the subject captivated the Sixth Form audience and prompted plenty of thought.
Following the lecture, John opened the floor to questions, leading to a particularly engaging discussion. Students asked a range of thought-provoking questions, covering topics from John’s personal experience of the fall of the Berlin Wall to how Britain could tackle some of the challenges it faces today.
The lecture concluded with some wonderful advice for the Sixth Form: to be resilient, imaginative and curious. His message demonstrated the importance of adopting a Scholar’s mindset and echoed the Cokethorpe Scholars’ motto: “Dare to be curious.”
Reflecting on his visit, John said: “I enjoyed my time tremendously with the students: they were inspiring, they had great ideas, and they renewed my hope for the next generation.”
The lecture was a valuable opportunity for our students to engage directly with an experienced author and commentator, hear about ideas and innovations from around the world, and explore some of the major questions facing society today.
Sam (U6, Harcourt)
The Enlightenment Lectures form an important part of the Sixth Form experience at Cokethorpe, giving students the opportunity to encounter new ideas, hear from leading voices and develop the curiosity to look beyond the classroom.
