The Leeds Salon is a public discussion forum founded in February 2009. The Salon organises discussions around political, cultural and scientific issues, with the aim of challenging any orthodoxies along the way, defending and developing the legacy of the Enlightenment and, above all, providing a space where free speech can take place. Find out more.
next salon
Wednesday 9 October 2024
Technology is Not the Problem – We Are
For the first of two satellite events as part of Battle of Ideas 2024, we welcome back author and broadcaster Timandra Harkness to discuss her new book, Technology is Not the Problem. We all know that our every move is tracked online, while data about every aspect of our lives is used to profile and target us. Why, despite this knowledge, do we willingly yield […]
forthcoming salons
Wednesday 23 October 2024
Fighting Censorship: Freedom in the Arts
For our second of two satellite events as part of Battle of Ideas 2024, we’ve invited Freedom of the Arts co-founder Denise Fahmy to discuss how FITA’s 5-year project is going a year in and the possible impacts of the change of government. Cancellation in the arts is now a familiar occurrence, from artists themselves being kicked out for their views, artworks being taken down […]
salon & school debating news
The Womble Bond Dickinson / Leeds Salon Years 10&11 Debating Competition 2024
The Final of The Womble Bond Dickinson / Leeds Salon Years 10&11 Debating Competition 2024 took place Thursday 21st March at Womble Bond Dickinson’s Leeds offices between Abbey Grange CofE Academy, Cardinal Heenan Catholic High, Guiseley School and Mount St Mary’s Catholic High, debating whether we should accept the risks inherent in contact sports and weather billionaires owning media companies is bad for democracy.
Cardinal Heenan were declared 2024 Champions after an excellent final decider versus Abbey Grange on weather monuments to controversial historical figures should remain.
Prize Sponsors were Royal Armouries Museum (Leeds), and award-wining multi-media technology company Tectonic Interactive, and the Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied (IDEA) Centre of the University of Leeds who all contributed to the packages of prizes awarded to the winning team, runners-up and 3 individual prize winners: ‘Best Individual’ Iris Podesta, Guiseley School; ‘Highly Commended’ Korede Ayileka, Cardinal Heenan; and ‘Commended Individual’ Dan Garfield, Guiseley School.
FINAL details can be seen here.
Prize Sponsors
