POLIS panel debate: The Future of Iraq: the media and public response to the Iraq Commission July 24, 2007

Speakers: Professor Mary Kaldor, Baroness Margaret Jay
Chair: Krishnan Guru-Murthy

"Following a series of hearings, Channel 4 will air the findings of the Channel 4/ Foreign Policy Centre Iraq Commission in a special programme presented by Jon Snow on Saturday 14 July 2007. The Commission, the equivalent of the US Iraq Study Group, is an independent, cross-party Commission set up to produce recommendations on the future of Britain's role in Iraq.

The POLIS event will be the first public debate on the findings of the Iraq Commission. Through incorporative panel debate, it will gauge the response of the press and the public, many of whom will have already viewed the Channel 4 programme or read the report. It will ask what role the public and press have in carrying out the Commission’s findings. This will be the backdrop for a wider debate about how the conflict in Iraq has been reported and will continue to be reported, whether the media has facilitated sufficient and healthy public debate, whether the government has listened, and, ultimately, what the story of Iraq will be in the long run.

Baroness Jay was formerly Lord Privy Seal, leader of the House of Lords and minister for Women. She is currently chair of the Overseas Development Institute, and chair of the Iraq Commission. Professor Mary Kaldor is director of the Centre for the Study of Global Governance at the LSE. Krishnan Guru-Murthy has reported from around the world, and is the main presenter of Channel 4 News at Noon."

This event is being held in partnership with Channel 4 and the Foreign Policy Centre.

This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Information on attending on event homepage.

Official Website: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/LSEPublicLecturesAndEvents/events/2007/20070709t1712z001.htm