Spring 2026 Impact Programme

As the seasons start to change, we’re taking a hard look at the changing world order, with a particular focus on Reimagining Democracy and Justice as part of our Solutions Agenda.

This includes Mishal Husain and Rana Dasgupta discussing the future of our nation-state system (02/03, 6pm) and, in the run up to International Women’s Day, an exploration of women-led communities: how they live, think, and govern (04/03, 6pm). In collaboration with The Institute For Public Policy Research, we ask Has the Left Forgotten How to Dream? in an evening featuring Lea Ypi and Tom McTague (09/03, 6pm). In addition, we’re expanding the discussion around rights and radical justice, looking at issues from personal revolutions with Nova Reid and award-winning human rights lawyer Nani Jansen Reventlow (17/03, 6pm), to a panel in collaboration with the Prison Reform Trust (31/03, 6pm).

We kicked off the year with a briefing on the state of the world through the lens of defence – and as spring gets underway, we’ll explore the pursuit of peace.

Former US negotiator Robert Malley talks to Paul van Zyl about the hopes of the Oslo Peace Process and the horrors and delusions which have followed (11/03, 6pm). Thant Myint-U considers the legacy of his grandfather U Thant, Burmese diplomat and UN Secretary-General, and the future of global diplomacy. Founder and director of Forensic Architecture Eyal Weizman provides architectural and territorial analysis of Gaza to show the relationship between coloniser and colonised (11/05, 6pm, page to follow). The duo behind this extremely moving TED talk, Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon,are with us later in May to share their remarkable journey across the Holy Land and beyond to demonstrate that peace is achievable, not just between Palestinians and Israelis, but throughout the world (27/05, 6pm, page to follow).

Inclusive Economies is another priority theme for us this spring, as we explore Financing the Future of Neighbourhood Transformation(03/03, 6pm),while Hettie O’Brien offers an eye-opening investigation into private equity (13/05, 6pm). John Fullerton’s Regenerative Economics: Revolutionary Thinking for a World in Crisis (01/04, 6pm, page to follow) leads us nicely towards another of our themes, Regenerating Climate and Nature. This features in the programme through: monthly Climate Tech Time events, Lindsay Branham and Gemma Mortensen on the wisdom and healing kinship of trees (27/04, 6pm), and a searing conversation between Arthur Snell and Peter Frankopan on surviving the new geography of climate change (18/05, 6pm).

2026 is the National Year of Reading and we’re partnering with our friends at Hay Festival again, celebrating reading for pleasure and all the ways that can behove our wellbeing and purpose-driven work (10/03 6pm).

We are also partnering with the Climate Fiction Prize to discuss the power of fiction in helping us engage with the realities of climate change (18/03, 6pm), and at the end of April, one of the writers shortlisted for the prize, Sarah Hall, talks to Gurnaik Johal about how the natural world is a character all of its own in their novels (30/04, 6pm)

Conduit Book Club favourite, Sabrin Hasbun, is joined by broadcaster and novelist Reeta Chakrabarti for an evening of faraway places and family stories (08/03, 6pm) and, speaking of stories, Zakia Sewell and Jeremy Deller delve into the importance of folklore and mythmaking in Britain’s national identity (31/03, 6pm). With St George’s Day approaching, we’ll be examining this identity more through the prism of populism, with the next in our series of Purpose Debates (20/04, 6pm, page to follow).

Thanks to all those who have contributed to our member-led events already this year. We will continue to build on this in the Spring, with upcoming dates featuring Steph French and House21 member Unni Turrettini (06/05, 6pm), a screening of Zara Balfour’s beautiful film Children of the Snow Land (07/04, 6pm), events with Nigel Dacre and his team at The Media Society (28/04, 6.15pm, page to follow) and a whole raft of members taking part in our Truth Based Marketing panel with Andy Marshall (19/05, 6pm, page to follow).

And there are even more events waiting in the wings! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Lily, Asha and Paula