The 2008 ESU World Members’ Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland was a most successful, informative and entertaining convocation of ESU members from all over the World – from 33 countries. Seventy members of the ESU of the US, representing 21 Branches and 11 members of the Board of Directors, formed a significant delegation among the 250 member attendees from around the world. The opportunity for so many and such a diverse group of ESU members to meet and enthusiastically communicate in English throughout the four-day conference, September 15 to 18, underscored and validated the success of the event, but the full agenda of vibrant meetings and speaker presentations in such beautiful, historic and dramatic settings was also enormously informative and hugely entertaining.
Sunday, September 14, prior to the opening of the World Members’ Conference, John Duncan, Director of ESU Scotland, led American delegates on a historical walking tour of Edinburgh’s New Town including a visit to “The Call” commemorating the Scottish-American soldiers of World War I. The English-Speaking Union of the United States, and particularly its Philadelphia Branch, contributed a great deal of the funds to erect this monument. Each year the ESU Scotland holds a memorial service at the statue. Following the walking tour, National Patrons attended a reception, co-hosted by the ESU US and ESU Edinburgh Branch, to meet their Scottish counterparts and a number of international ESU leaders. The reception took place at the Royal Overseas League House, which has spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle .
On Monday morning, September 15, the American ESU members met informally at ESU Scotland Headquarters to hear activity reports from the Board and staff, and discussed issues that have arisen since our last annual general meeting and those that will be dealt with in the AGM in Chicago, October 28 – 30. New Orleans Branch President, Dr. E. Quinn Peeper, and a contingent from his Branch presented a formal invitation - complete with powerpoint show and the distribution of Mardi Gras bead necklaces – to the 2009 Annual General Meeting in New Orleans, November 5 – 8, and Harriet Margolis, member of the Philadelphia Branch, was awarded the National Merit Award for her service to her Branch. Attending National Board Members met for an informal, working lunch as well.
Later on Monday, representatives to the International Council Meeting met at the Scottish Parliament building. The ESU US representatives to the International Council were National Board Members Natalie Pray and Dolly Kohls. At that meeting, applications by groups in Cyprus, Albania, Iceland and Yemen were approved toward formation of ESUs in those countries. That evening the World Members’ Conference officially began with an opening dinner and reception at Our Dynamic Earth, a spectacular permanent interactive exhibition of the world’s geography and climates. ESU Chairman William R. Miller OBE delivered the keynote address at that dinner, commenting on the progress he has witnessed in the creation of global understanding through English through his tenure as Chairman of the ESU US and Chairmanship of the International Council. A copy of his speech is attached.
Esteemed visitors to the Conference, which began in earnest on Tuesday, September 16th, were HRH The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh KB KT and The Rt. Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP, First Minister of Scotland. Prince Philip, President of the ESU of the Commonwealth, attended a showcase debate by teenaged students and then circulated among all Conference delegates during lunch. Mr. Salmond presented a talk with questions and answers chaired by Jon Dye, Chairman ESU Scotland.
Three panel discussions pertinent to the governance and expansion of the English-Speaking Union world-wide were held during the course of the proceedings: Starting a new ESU and reviving ESU Branches was addressed by Mr. Alp Mehmet, Former British Ambassador to Iceland; Mrs. Orkhon Gantogtokh, Executive Director ESU Mongolia; Ms. Riina Altpere, Executive Board Member ESU Estonia; and Mr. Brian Monteith, Deputy Chairman ESU Scotland. A discussion on challenges facing the ESU was chaired by Alice Boyne, ESU President and Executive Director, with presentations by Mrs. Valerie Mitchell OBE, Director-General ESU of the Commonwealth; Dr. Verner Bickley MBC, Chairman ESU Hong Kong; and Mr. Masamichi Hanabusa, Chairman ESU Japan. A panel addressing ESU work with young people moderated by Miss Suzanne Ensom, Assistant Director ESU Scotland, included Mr. Robert Marrs, Speech and Debates Officer, ESU Scotland; Mr. James Probert, Head of the Centre of Speech and Debate, Deputy Director of Education, ESU of the Commonwealth; Mr. Christopher Broadwell, Deputy Director, ESU of the United States; and Mrs. Margarita Mudrak, President, ESU St. Petersburg.
The line-up of terrifically interesting and, quite often, delightfully amusing speaker presentations included Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, who is currently Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge and Sir John Bond, one of the world's leading businessmen, Chairman of Vodafone, and former Chairman of HSBC. Both Sir John and Sir Richard are alumni of the ESU US Secondary School Exchange program and spoke about how their years abroad impacted their lives and how the ESU fits into a changing world.
Professor David Crystal, the author of over 100 books, and the world's most distinguished expert on the history, development and future of the English language and who has often been a speaker at our Branches, presented a riveting and often hilarious program of historic and contemporary views into the components and usages of the language. Professor Stanley Wells, renowned Shakespeare scholar and prolific author and Dr. Paul Edmondson of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, gave a superbly crafted, comic dialogue extracted from Prof. Wells’ book, Is it True What They Say About Shakespeare?
To provide a cultural and historic overview of Scotland and Edinburgh, the locale of the Conference, Professor Sheila Dow of Stirling University spoke on the Scottish Enlightenment. So much of the modern world we live in springs directly from the extraordinary flowering of genius that took place in Scotland in the 18th Century, when thinkers such as David Hume and Adam Smith made Edinburgh the "Athens of the North."
Illustrating the richness of the Conference’s programming, leading art historian Dr. Elizabeth Cumming spoke about the history and art of the Mansfield Traquair Centre, Edinburgh 's "Sistine Chapel", lined by the soaring arts and crafts style murals of Phoebe Traquair. This lecture prepared guests for their evening’s reception in that astonishing building. The Rt. Hon The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen KT, GCMG, Hon FRSE PC, former Secretary-General of NATO and UK Defense Secretary, gave an insightful talk on the future of the transatlantic relationship. Sir Robert Worcester, an ESU of the Commonwealth Governor and head of MORI, the UK's most respected polling organization, talked about the spread of democracy and the English language’s role in that process.
Two speakers brought their personal dedication to creating understanding through English to light, as they described their work. Professor Christopher Mulvey of Winchester University, spoke about the English Project, the plan to create the world's first museum dedicated to the story of the English language and Dr. Jane Davis gave a stirring address about her non-profit organization, dedicated to introducing and encouraging reading to disadvantaged and disenfranchised groups in society. Additionally, Sir Christopher Meyer, former British Ambassador in Washington and current Chairman of the UK Press Complaints Commission, reflected on his experiences as an ESU Evelyn Wrench Speaker in the United States and interacted freely with the animated and amused audience as he spoke about the use and misuse of media and communications.
In the evenings, receptions and dinners at Edinburgh’s remarkable venues gave Conference goers additional time to form bonds and to continue the discussions initiated by the programs during the day. A most gracious event at the National Gallery of Scotland, sponsored by Glenfiddich, allowed delegates to privately enjoy a rare collection of the world’s greatest art while sipping whiskey cocktails, and the closing gala 90th Anniversary Dinner and Ceilidh in a beautiful dining room at Edinburgh’s enormous Murrayfield Stadium was preceded by a surprise performance by a full pipe and drum ensemble.
The ESU World Members’ Conference was invigorating, informative, enlightening – and most entertaining, a rewarding exercise in Creating Global Understanding through English.
10/4/08
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