What they said about Battle of Ideas 2006
'The Battle of Ideas is like a huge intellectual fair where a bewildering number of thinkers set out their stalls. Having sampled what's on offer, you'll be sure to find plenty to take back home to chew over at greater length.' Julian Baggini, editor, The Philosophers’ Magazine 'As one ages and develops mature tastes; fine wines, fine food and fine minds remain life's greatest pleasures. The finest minds I've encountered over the last year were at the Battle of Ideas. I'm not only talking about the panels of speakers but the supreme quality of the contributors from the floor.' Michael Baum, professor emeritus of surgery, University College 'The Battle of Ideas brings out the closet intellectual in all of us. Amidst a climate of conformism, diluted opinions and superficial discussions, how refreshing to be able to express yourself without the PC parlance of 'agreeing to disagree', or fear of making a fool of yourself! Debating ideas without concern for further action encourages both panellists and the audience to engage in creative and innovative thinking. The Olympic and totallng debates I was involved in demonstrated how winning the argument about sport is inseparable from trying to engage with the arguments elsewhere, about education, lifestyle, arts and politics. That's why I think sport's involvement in the Battle of Ideas is crucial, for sport as a sector to move forwards it needs to understand the context in which it operates.' Paul Bickerton, coach development officer 'The 2006 Battle of Ideas did what it said on the tin: prejudices were punctured, common wisdom was questioned and original thinking honoured. The saying was coined in George Brock, Saturday editor, The Times 'The Battle of Ideas is inspirational and unique - not to be missed' Dr Jim Butcher, 'I can't think of another organised event which I've been to where Ideas were allowed to flow so freely. It provided a unique opportunity to listen to other peoples' perceptions on a variety of subjects. I met an eclectic mix of people - all of whom were well informed. I think many people - especially politicians - could get a lot out of attending an event such as this.' Nigel Calvin, Strategic Planning & Communication Directorate, Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council 'I found the whole day stimulating and enjoyable, including the gaps between debates, when I had some interesting conversations. One expects an event of this kind to attract a few bores and loonies but I didn't notice any - the quality of contributions from the audience was especially impressive.' Wendy Cope, poet 'I found the programme and the choice of speakers for the Professor Sir Bernard Crick, emeritus professor of politics 'I found the 2006 Battle of Ideas one of the most intellectually stimulating events I have attended this year. The nature of the topics, the quality, variety and contrast of the inputs and the buzz of the truly open debate, all combined to provide a great weekend, which both challenged and developed my own thinking.' Monica Deasy, Director, Standards, Qualifications & Research 'The Battle of Ideas as you would hope is a fantastic idea in itself. I found the debate to be very stimulating and challenging in a thought provoking way. It was really good to hear the range of ideas on the Olympic Games and sport in general and for me to be able to present my thoughts and ideas outside of the constraints of everyday working life. You really can’t beat a good, honest, intelligent debate and I look forward to next year’s event.' Matthew Delaney, regional director, Sport England - 'One of my students wrote to me that the battle of ideas was fantastic and I couldn’t agree more. Where else can young, and not so young, people go to debate the pressing issues of our times? Nowhere. The battle of ideas is the only place to turn the wheels of critical thinking. For anyone who wants to make a difference the battle of ideas is as important as oxygen and I can’t wait for my next breath in 2007.' Dr Stuart Derbyshire, senior lecturer, school of psychology, 'It was fascinating how many sessions at the Battle of Ideas started with the panellists agreeing with each other, but ended up with serious intellectual combat. It was great at to be able to debate legal issues with both academics and practitioners, but it was even better when the historians, philosophers, novelists, journalists and convicts joined in. The thing that was most challenging about the Battle of Ideas was the high standard of the speakers - from the floor!' John Fitzpatrick OBE, senior lecturer in law and director of the Kent Law Clinic, 'Having set the hurdle high in 2005, the Eliot Forster, vice-president of development, Pfizer 'It was great fun, the debate was really stimulating, and I made several new contacts which opened up ideas for future work. I’m looking forward to next year’s Kate Green, chief executive, Child Poverty Action Group 'In the era of corporate newspeak and government by press release, the Battle of Ideas stands out as an attack dog for intellectual rigour, passion and ferocity. It is a forum for freethought- where the unsayable is said, but sound reasoning wins the day. It seems to me a vital way to turn on the 'yoof' to debating- nervous at speaking, I emerged reinvigorated with a fresh sense of my convictions, aided and abetted by interference from the floor.' Emily Hill, journalist, spiked 'It was great to see so many who were keen to contribute to a series of debates about legal issues and to do so from a social rather than a narrow legal perspective.' Jon Holbrook, barrister, 'John Stuart Mill famously said all opinions should be heard, that the false ones will give us a greater understanding of the true ones. He should be providing this endorsement for the Battle of Ideas. It's true to his ideal.' Ted Honderich, Grote Professor Emeritus Philosophy of 'The Battle of Ideas 2006 played to a packed house at every seminar. The programme was extremely well put together and the event subjects and speakers were stimulating and thought provoking. It is rare than one gets the opportunity to meet and debate ideas with intellectual people from all walks of life. Too often we stay within our own sector which offers little external influence. Well done to all involved, I will definitely attend the 2007 event.' Maxine J Horn, CEO, British Design Innovation 'The Battle of Ideas 2006 was an exciting enclave of free speech, robust debate and political aspirations in a climate increasingly hostile to the questioning of authority and accepted ideas. I hope it marked the beginning of important debates we need to have about our common future, where fully-fledged, positive campaigns can be devised to start rebuilding a truly progressive political movement in the Lee Jones, committee member, Pro-Test; DPhil student, 'The format for the Battle of Ideas works because it avoids the repetition of the arid mainstream. It proves that all shades of political opinion can still be discussed in an atmosphere of vibrancy and respect. What the weekend showed is that far from a clash of civilisations happening is that in reality we are all debating the central question of what constitutes an acceptable civilisation for the 21st century. We made some progress this year, we'll make even more next year.' Sajjad Khan, editor, New Civilisation magazine 'cScape would like to congratulate the Rob Killick, CEO, cScape 'It is exhilarating to discuss current issues with a friendly, informed and lively audience to whom ideas really are a matter of debate.' Professor Adam Kuper, professor of social anthropology, 'What an extraordinary weekend of intellectual combat and interaction. It was totally exhausting and over far too quickly! Perhaps the best thing for me (besides some of the speakers) was the presence of a large number of inquisitive, intelligent and well-informed opinionated young people. This really was a participative event where the audience was in many instances, more important than many of the impressive speaker panels. How refreshing to go to an event which is not stage-managed and does not use the dumbed-down tools of corporate culture like PowerPoint as props to disguise the absence of original thinking. The biggest dilemma for me was how to split myself between concurrent sessions – a dilemma I suspect that will get worse next year. Perhaps the organisers could provide some sort of counselling during the event? I’ll be back regardless.' Dr Norman Lewis, Director of Technology Research, Orange UK plc 'The Battle of Ideas provides an opportunity for free thinking people to come together to debate and share ideas. It is good that in this day and age there is still a forum for free debate.' Daryn McCombe, president, King’s College Students’ union 'At a time when debate can be stifled due to the fear of causing offence and restrictions on free speech, it was heartening to take part in a weekend of no holds barred discussion, where ideas had to be argued for on merit and new orthodoxies, from workplace stress to environmentalism and child protection policies, were put through rigorous examination. The Battle of Ideas is fast becoming the must attend conference of the year.' Dr Ken McLaughlin, senior lecturer in social work, 'Given the current desert provided by the thinking of our present politicians, the Battle of Ideas is a welcome oasis for those concerned with innovative and stimulating concepts for a more constructive and less sterile future.' Michael Mansfield QC, human rights and criminal barrister, Tooks Chambers 'One of the great unsung traditions of this country - open, lively, adversarial but civilised debate. The Battle of Ideas has brought new life and new prominence to it.' Minette Marrin, columnist, The Sunday Times 'Great questions from a knowledgeable and enthusiastic audience; a fascinating panel of speakers and topics that really matter led to masses of food for thought.' Chris Meade, director, Booktrust 'I was amazed to see so many people turning out at ten on a Sunday morning. The mainstream political parties throw up far too few opportunities for real debate. This sort of apolitical format where everyone seemed genuinely interested in hearing the arguments was something of a novelty. Long may it last.' Fiona Millar, journalist 'The Battle of Ideas 2006 brought together a wildly eclectic mixture of people from all walks of life and across the political spectrum. What everyone had in common was a real thirst for ideas and a willingness to argue over the most important issues of the day. It's easily the most stimulating and intelligent public event in the Munira Mirza, writer, broadcaster and researcher 'The Battle of Ideas is not just about adversarial intellectual combat - it is also a meeting of minds on a whole range of subjects from innovation to the environment. Highly stimulating!' Professor Jeremy Myerson, co-director, Helen Hamlyn Research Centre and director InnovationRCA, Royal College of Art 'The Battle of Ideas does exactly what it says on the tin: it provides a space for people to do battle over the big issues of our time. And in an era when so many view heated debate as a potentially incendiary device, a threat to our "fragile minds", we need such a space more than ever.' Brendan O'Neill, Deputy Editor, Spiked 'The Battle of Ideas is a thoroughly engaging, lively and topical debating forum. Both original in its format and content there is no other opportunity to discuss key issues that impact on politics, governance, culture, ideas etc. in such as an informal yet highly challenging way. The audience diversity, their lively and informed opinions, keep speakers on their toes and most importantly maintain the lively, dynamic atmosphere throughout the 2 day event. It’s so refreshing to be part of a proper debate, where people share passionate views, the facilitators seek out and prompt opinionated discussion and ultimately everyone has had a great opportunity to encourage the art of great debate.' Sebastian Paul, marketing and communications director, Arts & Business 'Without the Battle of Ideas it is hard to imagine how I could work out what I think about so many issues that confront us today. When holding debates has become very fashionable, it is surprising how few voices are prepared to stand up and be heard. Over the weekend I heard more than a few brave voices. Released from the niceties of the censorious climate we live in, both speakers and the audience addressed some of the taboos and shibboleths of our times. Of course daring to be heard invites an immediate and sometimes heated response. But by providing an arena in which ideas are respected by holding them to account, the Battle of Ideas provides a much needed space in which we can test ideas out - sometimes to destruction. That is why I never fail to learn something from each debate I attend.' David Perks, Head of Physics, 'The Dr Raj Persaud, Consultant Psychiatrist, the 'I think what impressed me about the gathering was that people were keen to talk about matters seriously but not sombrely; anyone preaching that we were all off to hell in a hand cart was treated with polite but proper scepticism.' David Petch, commissioner, Independent Police Complaints Commission 'An excellent event - very well organised. Crucially the seminars I attended as member of the panel and then as audience member were distinctive for encouraging challenging but open debate in a non sectarian atmosphere. A very useful and enjoyable exercise which made me think - what more can you want!' 'As a novice as both a presenter and an attendee at the Battles of Ideas 2006, I really enjoyed both activities. The desire of so many to share ideas and experiences is a refreshing antidote to the more dour academic conferences I usually frequent! In addition, the behind the scenes organisation before, during, and since the conference has been exemplary. I look forward with anticipation to a repeat visit next year.' 'A really valuable and stimulating event. The debate in which I took part was excellent and the organisation was exemplary.' Professor Michael Reiss, Director of Education, Royal Society 'Questions I have never thought about and answers I would never think of - a very stimulating afternoon.' David Robinson, senior advisor, Community Links 'I was expecting, or perhaps simply fearing, blank faces, bland responses and big silences. Instead the audiences were intelligent, thoughtful, eloquent and eager to grab the mike. The Battle of Ideas sounds like it ought to be feisty - and it is.' Alyson Rudd, Times journalist 'A great airing of views. Exactly what debate and diatribe should be about in these challenging days.' Professor Phillipe Sands QC, author, ‘Lawless World: 'I felt this year that people were learning how to forget about university debating societies and were learning how to relax into actually talking about issues, as if thinking were more important than answers, which it is.' John Ralston Saul, essayist and novelist 'I really wasn’t sure what I was letting myself in for, agreeing to be on a panel of eminent speakers discussing the pros and cons – and indeed the whole concept – of ‘pupils taking over the classroom?’, not knowing who would be in the audience on a fine autumn Sunday in London, whether indeed there would be an audience, with so many other interesting sessions to tempt people along. I was so glad I did! The sizeable and highly participative audience – properly provoked by the panel – ranged, and raged, over so many important ideas, and responded to each other with respect and challenge. A real highlight for me was encountering the eloquence and passion of Hannah Couchman, the young woman on the panel representing school students – someone to watch out for as a future mover and shaker.' Professor Lesley Saunders, policy adviser for research, General Teaching Council for 'The Battle of Ideas is that rare thing: a debate on genuinely open questions. Without posturing, point-scoring, or platitudes, both the speakers and the audience--and especially the audience--stake their claim for what they believe is right, but mindful, always, that somebody else could be right, too.' Professor Richard Schoch, Queen Mary, 'This event was a "must attend". The debate was lively and well organized; the audience was excellent and engaged; and some of the conventional wisdom surrounding CO2 emissions and global warming discussed in a rational and sensible manner - in contrast to the shrill and ill-informed discussion that so often takes place on this controversial subject. At a time when much of the nation and its media has been comprehensively dumbed down, it is reassuring to find a forum where informed argument reigns supreme.' David Soskin, CEO, Cheapflights.co.uk 'For two days, my cerebral cortex was allowed free rein. I could think without restraint, speak freely and be changed by persuasive arguments. Only coma was forbidden.' Professor Raymond Tallis, emeritus professor of geriatric medicine, 'Challenging, controversial and often contrarian, the Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner '2006 was my first time. I didn't know quite what to expect and I wasn't disappointed. The format and topics were well-thought out, with just the right mix of adversarial excitement and variety of perspectives to make the experience engaging.' Professor Geoffrey Wadge, Environmental Systems Science Centre, 'People attended in impressive numbers and this evidence of a general enthusiasm for public discussion can only be a cause for optimism as plans are made for the Battle of Ideas 2007.' Professor Garry Whannel, author, Media Sport Stars: Masculinities and Moralities 'Once again, the Battle of Ideas was a triumph: interesting people, awkward discussions, edgy debate, critical arguments, appreciative audiences, seamless organisation, inspiring surroundings, late nights, knowledgeable speakers, fresh ideas, fresh coffee and a breath of fresh air. Only 51 weeks until the next one. Can't wait.' Austin Williams, director, Future Cities Project 'The level of debate puts everything else in the shade. The incisive way in which people direct discussions from the chair ought to be a model for fumbling facilitators worldwide. The enthusiasm and energy of the organisers are ahead of that displayed in the best-financed corporate events. I bought six books from one expert publisher, too... Onward and upward to 2007!' Professor James Woudhuysen, professor of forecasting and innovation De Montfort University
Professor John Peysner, Professor of Law, Lincoln Law School and Honorary Visiting Professor, City University, London
Heather Piper, Senior Research Fellow,
What they said about the Battle of Ideas 2005
'The Battle of Ideas was the most substantial and invigorating event - or to be more accurate, monumental collection of events - that I can recall attending. Some attendees wrestled with the sheer speed and diversity of the sessions, and wished that certain issues could be discussed at greater length, but to my mind this was one of the best things about the weekend. Had proceedings slowed down every time something interesting came up, then we would have merely had the Battle of Idea. I look forward to an even more packed agenda at next year's Battle of IDEAS.'
Sandy Starr, science and technology editor
'At 10am on a Saturday morning I thought I'd be welcoming a determined vanguard of about 35 people. The first lesson I learnt about the Battle of Ideas weekend was that there were a good couple of hundred people waiting to start skirmishing with ideas. We hoped that people who came to the conference would meet ideas that they hadn't encountered before and that they would feel that they had been able to join an invigorating conversation. I could see it happening all around me so I just hope that everybody felt they got a result. If you didn't, join the debate next year.'
George Brock, Saturday Editor, The Times
'What a fantastic event: a packed house, intelligent people, challenging debate, a no-holds barred approach and thought-provoking results. If this is really going to be a regular event in the calendar - which I can only hope that it will - let me book my ticket now.'
Austin Williams, director, Future Cities Project
'The Battle of Ideas this year was yet another high energy, thought provoking and engaging event from the Academy of Ideas. Opinion differed and debate was lively. It was also a rare opportunity to meet a genuinely diverse range of people, and I've blocked my diary for the 2006 event already!'
Dr Eliot Forster, Vice President of Development, Pfizer Global Research and Development Europe
'For an inaugural festival to attract 750 people and keep them talking hard for a whole weekend is no mean achievement. The education debates tackled both some new and some perennial challenges with vigour and insight.'
Carol Adams, Chief Executive, General Teaching Council for England
'The first Battle of Ideas festival has demonstrated people's willingness and capacity to participate in sophisticated debate, on the key international issues of the day, in a far more dynamic way than the talking-head style of discussion that passes for debate in much of the media today. The potential for the Battle of Ideas is virtually limitless - nothing less than re-invigorating public sphere debate as a whole. '
Phil Cunliffe, co-convener, SAID working group
'This event provides a unique opportunity to bring together different perspectives and look at Rodney King's key question 'Why Can't We Just Get Along? As we have seen by the sheer scale of this event the answer is complex, challenging and critical to securing good race relations in this country. I look forward to next year's event and to see just how far we've come in building an Integrated Britain.'
Trevor Phillips, chair, Commission for Racial Equality
'The 2005 general election campaign summed up the narrowness of discussion and lack of ambition in our political culture. The 2005 Battle of Ideas was the perfect antidote: energetic, argumentative and unafraid of tough questions and big themes. It reminded us that democracy needs passionate and informed arguments between every shade of opinion if it is to thrive.'
Ian Christie, Green Alliance and New Economics Foundation
'A brilliant two days, full of arguments we really need to have; and hopefully a springboard for more.'
Bob Brecher, reader in moral philosophy, Brighton University
'I had a fantastic time at the BoI. It's not often you get the opportunity for whole days of high-level, honest-to-goodness debate. I'm already looking forward to next year's!'
Alex Gourevitch, writer and lecturer
'I have attended numerous such conferences on the continent, especially in France, but I was especially delighted that you and your colleagues showed that there is a market for intelligent debate in this country as well. Your choice of speakers and themes was excellent, as was attested by the astonishingly high level of attendance.'
John Laughland, writer and commentator on European Affairs
'It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to engage publicly in committed debates across a range of subjects on some of the key moral, political and cultural questions of our age. The Academy of Ideas are to be applauded for putting their money where their mouth is and creating a space for public, intellectual deliberation.'
Patrick Turner, writer and lecturer on youth and drugs
'The Battle of Ideas 2005 was invigorating, absorbing, and highly educative - delicious and nourishing food for thought, which already makes me hungry for the Battle of Ideas 2006.'
AC Grayling, professor of philosophy, Birkbeck College, University of London; writer and commentator
'NESTA thought the inaugural Battle of Ideas was fantastic. It was great to hear young voices and mix with the creative thinkers of today and tomorrow. There was a buzz about the whole weekend - a real celebration of interdisciplinary thought. It also helped us to achieve our own aims, one of which is to encourage the uncensored exchange of creative and new ideas and to ensure they reach key practitioners and policy makers. Well done the Battle of Ideas we all look forward to next year!'
Venu Dhupa, Fellowship Director, NESTA
'The BOI was an oasis of inspiration in a wilderness without much. The audience was clearly thirsty for discussion and participated enthusiastically, challenging the panels of experts and enjoying the very real battle that were being fought.'
Brid Hehir, nurse and lead for patient and public involvement at Camden Primary Care Trust
'I could say though, that I thought the choice of debate topics was spot on - avoiding the usual clichéd subjects, and looking beneath the superficialities to some really important issues in health that don't often get aired with the public. The debate I was involved in certainly made me think, and I hope it made everyone else think too.'
Simon Crompton, medical editor, Body&Soul, The Times
'The enthusiastic audience for Battle of Ideas proves that the dumbing down in public life is enforced from above rather than demanded from below.'
Nick Cohen, Observer columnist
'The Battle of Ideas was more about ideas than a battle, even if there was plenty of provocation all round. A vital, dynamic, much-needed event unafraid to grapple with the big issues around innovation, education , community and so on.'
Jeremy Myerson, Professor of Design Studies, Royal College of Art
'You couldn't have spent a better weekend than at the Battle of Ideas Conference. If you thought intellectual life was dead and buried in Britain, think again. What an event. And it wasn't just the exciting range of topics that made this such a splendid occasion but the opportunity to meet people from so many walks of life, sixth formers and professors, artists and media pundits, members of Parliament and members of the public. O Lively, challenging, great fun. Roll on next year's conference.'
Gary Day, principal lecturer in English, De Montfort University; THES columnist
'At last a high-profile forum exists, outside the quangos and vested interests of Government mechanisms, for debate by concerned parties over the ravages being wrought upon our education and culture mechanisms. Populist slogans and right-on solutions were resoundingly unmasked by excellent speakers with current professional experience, their warning shots a fusillade in the direction of the complacency, complicity and compliance of those who are trivialising our cultural landscape. Bringing together these voices offers a lifeline to learning, and it is vital that this informed chorus of debate continues to turn its glare upon our state institutions in future Battles of Ideas, beginning in 2006. This is a Battle that our ruling class would prefer was not happening - which is why it must.'
Piers Hellawell, professor in composition, Queen’s University of Belfast
'The Battle of Ideas provides a genuinely open forum for debate and dissent. No wonder it is such a success: it allows people to speak in ways which are simply not allowed elsewhere.'
Mary Evans, professor of women’s studies, University of Kent
'The Battle of Ideas helped us [the QES] get the measure of an important debate [phonics] that hitherto we could only guess the size of. We now have a much clearer idea of the task ahead.'
Ciaran Guilfoyle, Queen’s English Society
'Thank you for inviting the NY Salon to participate in the Battle of Ideas. It was so refreshing to attend a festival with such a high level of debate and with a genuine desire to clarify important political issues - certainly worth the trip from the Big Apple! We were inspired by the level of interest in our session ("Divided America?") and the quality of the audience participation - all of which helps deepen our understanding of the US discussion. We are already thinking of next year...more on that later!'
Jean Smith, Director, NY Salon
'The showcase debate created wonderful intellectual competition between the two schools and once again was the catalyst for deep research by sixth formers into key issues that will confront them and their future world. The event itself threw many into the maelstrom of fundamental issues and allows for greater reflexivity and potential for change.'
Richard Stubbs, teacher, Thomas Tallis school
'I thought the team did a really good job with pulling together very attractive panels of speakers, where it really looked as though something of an insight might come out of them, instead of treading the more well-worn paths of debate. In fact, speaking at this event marked a first for me in recent years – I had a bit of a clarifying insight from the discussion towards the end of my session and I went home and read avidly about it for half the night. Rather than feeling, as so many talks do, like a piece of work that was now done, it felt like the beginning of a fresher train of thought on my subject.'
Tracey Brown, director, Sense About Science
'I can only say I wish there was more of what I saw over the weekend during Battle of Ideas. More typical at least in the United States if there is even a discussion on ideas at all, is a monologue of an idea with little room for cross-examination. London seemed exceptional to me in that for the most part the questions were pointed and, from the future of China to the examination of illegal narcotics, the discussion was diverse. Instead of watching row on row of mount banks blasting their views, there seemed to be genuine exchange and hopefully the learning that can come with it. I felt lucky to be part of it all.'
Alexander Kippen, political journalist and consultant
'BoI is fairly unique in that there is a real engagement from both the speakers and the audience. There is a sense of a common pursuit of some of the really key questions. I really enjoyed it and look forward to next year's festival.'
David Chandler, senior lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster
'The Battle of Ideas debate on Europe was one of the best I have seen. It escaped from the absurdities of the extremes and the artificial clichés of party politics. For the rest my only complaint was that there was not enough time for all the ideas, nor enough space for all the people. Next time more of both, please.'
Robert Cooper, Director General for External and Politico-Military Affairs, General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union
'There is no doubt that the Battle of Ideas is the place to be for anyone who wants to genuinely debate and interrogate the key problems facing contemporary society.'
Ellie Lee, lecturer in social policy, University of Kent
'There aren't many places where you get a cheer for defending abstract thought in education. I'll be coming back next year.'
Dave Perks, head of physics, Graveney School
'I much enjoyed the first Battle of Ideas which seemed full of energy and excitement.'
Colin MacCabe, chair of the London Consortium
'The Battle of Ideas had all the hallmarks of the Academy of Ideas – full of vigorous but enjoyable intellectual engagement in an environment that embraced challenges to the clichés and tired dogmas of our day'
Martin Summers, director of symposium on Brave New World
'Professor Ray Tallis, speaking at the Battle of Ideas 2005 said that 'two minutes of intelligent discussion' could do away with fashionable nonsense promoted by postmodernists and others. Unfortunately, he added, it has not been available in the humanities departments of universities for many years. At the Battle of Ideas you get not a mere two minutes but two whole days of 'intelligent discussion'. If you want to know what intelligent discussion should be like in a true university come along to the Battle of Ideas in 2006.'
Dennis Hayes, president elect, NATFHE
'The first Battle of Ideas festival was the most stimulating intellectual feast I've been to in a very long while. What a refreshing change to witness robust debate, with the gloves off, instead of the mealy-mouthed exchanges that have colonised so many other fora. Long may it continue!'
Dylan Evans, senior lecturer in Intelligent Autonomous Systems, University of the West of England
'Getting people from various countries with very different political backgrounds and experiences together on a platform and engage them in a constructive discussion about how to shape our future rarely happens – not at all in Germany any more. But we learnt: this is rightly part and parcel of the "humanist" project, the Battle of Ideas is promoting. More then 20 Novo readers and editors came over and enjoyed the conference - many more were inspired by the positive TV coverage we had in Germany about BoI. In 2006 we will organize our own debates - and we will come back to London in autumn - that's for sure.'
Thomas Deichmann, chief editor, Novo magazine
'A great forum to wrestle with ideas'
Tessa Mayes, author and journalist