Geoff Stagg, from the Embassy of New Zealand, came to talk to us about that wonderful country. We learnt about new Zealand ́s natural beauty as well as its Kiwi lifestyle and unique Maori culture. It is a relaxing place with a very good quality of life and great for those who want to get close to nature. Its fantastic natural spots are a major attraction for those who love outdoor pursuits. City life is also attractive because of its “livable” cities like Wellington or Auckland.

" The Holocaust is the pinnacle of human evilness, the culmination of our lowest point as a species. Eleven million innocent people were systematically murdered, all less than 80 years ago – an event in living memory.

This presentation will take you through my own personal journey through the nadir of mankind. Having studied the Holocaust for many years, including both a degree and a Master’s specialising in the subject, it is a journey that has involved many diverging paths.

I will talk about just some of the key points, those that I think are both most important and interesting. Firstly, a question I am constantly asked, why study the Holocaust? What motivates me, or anyone else, to study something so fundamentally depressing?

Following from that I will look at different aspects of how the event is remembered. The humanisation of those involved is immensely important and I will try to emphasize the very human nature of the event. After that the focus will turn to how it is remembered in different ways and by different societies. This will firstly involve looking at different ways communities – Germany, France, etc. - and the different ways they recall the same event. And after this we will look at some of the more important (or famous) figures such as Anne Frank and Oskar Schindler – and the significance of their legacies.

This will not be a history lesson, and indeed most of what is studied will refer to modern day society rather than the past. "

One hundred years ago, the United States was a country full of economic prosperity, jazz music, luxury, innovation, gangsters, creative writing, never-ending parties and immigration. It was also a time in which many people started to reflect on how wealth, power and individualism were slowly changing the social and human values of the contemporary societies. In this Small Talk session we explored the so-called ‘Roaring Twenties’ by examining one of the most representative and insightful novels written during this fascinating historical period: ‘The Great Gatsby’ by Scott Fitzgerald.