Who's Going to be Speaking

We are proud of the excellence of the diverse and interesting guest speakers who address our monthly meetings.   Not only do they provide opportunity for learning and discussion on a wide range of topics, but they keep us up to date with what is happening in our ever-changing city and world.

Here are details of our speakers for the next couple of months in 2024:

MARCH 2024

 

Monday, March 11th

Carl Nixon
on
"My Life as a Professional Writer"

Carl is the author of four novels, a collection of short stories, and seven plays for adults.  His novels have been published in New Zealand, Germany, France, Taiwan and China, Egypt, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

He was born in Christchurch where he still lives with his wife and two children.  He has a Master of Arts Degree in Religious Studies from the University of Canterbury and a Diploma of Teaching.  While at university Carl was a founding member of the Court Jesters improvisional troupe based at the Court Theatre.

Carl has twice won the Sunday Star Times Short Story Contest (1997, 1999).  He also won New Zealand's top short story prize, the Bank of New Zealand Katherine Mansfield Contest, in 2007.

Carl was the 2006 Ursula Bethell Creative Writer-in-Residence at the University of Canterbury.  He has been awarded two Creative New Zealand grants, plus the Beatson Fellowship in 2011.    He represented New Zealand at the Frankfurt International Book Fair in both 2012 and 2013.  In 2018 he was the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellow in France.

Carl's most recent novel The Waters was published in 2023.

APRIL 2024

 

Monday, April 8th

Douglas Pratt
on
"The Current Conflict in Gaza"

Professor Douglas Pratt, is a retired professor of Religious Studies whose speciality is Christian-Muslim relations, and contemporary religious issues, including extremism.

The invasion of Israel by HAMAS has led to a massive Israeli response and further emphasised polarisations of attitude, judgement and support internationally.  But is taking sides in this conflict a just and appropriate thing to do? Is it entirely a case that one side is the oppressor, and the other the oppressed? That one is the victim and the other the victimizer?  Or could each be both?!  And, how might this situation be resolved?

This talk will explore some of the key historical and ideological aspects that will give a fuller context to understanding the current war in Gaza.