This talk is the latest in the School’s ongoing and successful Political Insights series, and was attended by students on our BA (Hons) Languages and International Relations, BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations, MA International Relations, students from other programmes in the School and members of the general public.
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences popular Political Insights Series allows students to hear from and discuss with experts in the fields of international relations, diplomacy and politics. Typically, speakers are non-UK diplomats or those otherwise working in international organisations and politics beyond the UK who are able to share an international perspective on some of today’s most topical matters with Greenwich students.
Dr Carl Wright is Secretary-General Emeritus and Board member, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, CLGF which he established in 1995. He has extensive experience working at senior professional level within the Commonwealth, EU, UN and other intergovernmental organisations and previously held the diplomatic post of Assistant Director, Commonwealth Secretariat with special responsibility for Southern Africa programmes. More recently he has led official delegations at COP26, COP27 and COP29 UN Climate Conferences on behalf of the Canterbury Climate Action Partnership. This event was co-organised with the United Nations Association, Blackheath and Greenwich branch.
Dr Matthew Jones - Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations and Programme Leader for Greenwich's International Relations degrees - who organised the event notes that “these talks serve an important function in a student’s academic journey. Not only are the talks insightful, but they provide students with an opportunity to interact with experts and professionals in the field of international relations and politics.”
Dr Cécile Laval - the Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences – notes that the Political Insight Series is “an invaluable opportunity for our students. This initiative not only enriches their academic journey but also equips them with practical insights, expands their professional networks, and strengthens their employability profile. Engaging with this series positions our students to confidently project themselves into their future careers, making it a cornerstone of their success.”
Chermae Nicola de Leon, a final year student on the BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations programme who attended the event says:
Dr Carl Wright’s talk as part of the ‘Political Insights’ series highlighted his experiences attending COP29 alongside topics discussed during the conference that are important yet understated in the media. This shed a more optimistic light regarding climate action in general, but also gave me some redirection in my own research on COP29 to explore multi-level action and bottom-up approaches to tackling climate change. One of the most important aspects of the political insights series for me is having the opportunity to ask industry experts questions that can help broaden our understanding of their field or address concerns we might have.
Christel Fernandez Lecanda, a second-year student on the BA (Hons) Languages and International Relations programme says:
The Political insights series is very helpful. As students, we get to network and also listen to experts on contemporary global issues. It is also a great way to ask questions and receive informed answers from people who have dedicated their life to this line of work.
Planning is underway for the next event - watch out for details of this and future events in this fascinating series from the School of Humanities & Social Sciences!
International Relations courses
- BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations - Dr Matthew Jones, Programme Leader
- BA (Hons) Languages and International Relations - Dr Matthew Jones, Programme Leader
- MA International Relations - Dr Radu Cinpoes, Programme Leader
