Description
What does freedom of expression mean in 2025? From hate speech and identity politics to digital censorship and protest bans, the boundaries of free speech are more contested than ever.
This timely event explores the forces shaping public debate today: the line between speech and harm, the influence of tech platforms, and how power and privilege shape who gets heard.
Join our panel as they ask: Are our freedoms under threat? Who decides what can be said – and what must be silenced? And how do we safeguard free expression while building a fairer, more inclusive society?
About the Speakers
Burhan Sönmez
Burhan Sönmez is the author of six novels. He is president of PEN International and a Senior Member of Hughes Hall College and Trinity College, University of Cambridge. His novels have been translated into forty-eight languages and received international prizes, including the EBRD Literature Prize and Vaclav Havel Center Award. He was born in Turkey and grew up speaking Turkish and Kurdish. He worked as a lawyer in Istanbul before going to Britain for political reasons and living there in exile for several years. He has been on the judging panel of various events, including Inge Feltrinelli Prize and Geneva International Film Festival and written for press such as La Repubblica, Der Spiegel and The Guardian. He has translated the poetry book of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake into Turkish. Having written five novels in Turkish, he began to write in his mother tongue, Kurdish, with his last novel Lovers of Franz K. He lives between Cambridge and Istanbul.
Dr Myriam François
Myriam François, is an English journalist, filmmaker and writer. Her work has appeared on the BBC, Channel 4 and Al Jazeera. She is the founder and CEO of production company MPWR productions, which specialises in documentary films which centre on minoritised voices.
Tasneem Chopra
Tasneem Chopra OAM is an Australian cross-cultural consultant, celebrated keynote speaker, writer, and champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
With academic credentials including a Bachelor’s in Psychology & Sociology (Swinburne University) and a Master’s in International Development (La Trobe University), Tasneem serves as an Adjunct Fellow at Victoria University, was appointed inaugural Ambassador for Women of Colour Australia and awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2020 for services to community diversity leadership.
About the Chair
Peg Alexander
Peg Alexander is a Leeds based award winning broadcaster, presenter, and journalist across TV, radio, podcasts and events. A colourful, warm, optimistic northerner, she’s all about the world we live in and life in general – people, politics, the planet, and cake. She‘s a regular on shows including Jeremy Vine on 5 and previously Steph’s Packed Lunch, and is often heard on national radio putting her twopenneth in.
Broadcasting is her 2nd career. Before moving into the media she was a charity CEO and was senior in public policy. She was also founding Director of Bradford’s UNESCO status as the world’s first City of Film. She now combines both careers.
She’s written 2 books – one on how to keep weight off long term and is currently finishing a travel-inspired memoir.
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