Professor David Lewis delivers keynote at Locarno Film Festival Diplomacy Day

LSE International Development's Professor David Lewis recently delivered the closing keynote at Diplomacy Day, a special event at the Locarno Film Festival that brought together voices from diplomacy, philanthropy, civil society, business, academia and culture to explore the future of international cooperation.

The event was organised by the Locarno Film Festival in collaboration with Fondation Botnar and the Wyss Academy for Nature, with support from the Diplomatic Club of Geneva.

Diplomacy Day invited speakers from a range of sectors to reflect on how international cooperation can better recognise relationships, agency and diverse perspectives in addressing global challenges.

Professor Lewis concluded the day with a keynote lecture titled Stories That Sustain Cooperation: Culture as a Bridge for Future Partnerships. His presentation explored the role of arts, culture and storytelling in fostering cooperation across different communities and sectors.

Reflecting on the value of cultural approaches to global challenges, Professor Lewis argued that storytelling can create space for different ways of understanding shared problems and imagining collective responses. By bringing diverse perspectives into conversation, culture can help build the trust and understanding needed for future partnerships.

The discussion formed part of a wider programme examining how international cooperation can adapt to an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Participants highlighted the importance of collaboration across disciplines and sectors, and the potential for cultural engagement to strengthen dialogue and collective action.

Further information about the event, speakers and discussions is available from the Wyss Academy for Nature's coverage of Diplomacy Day at the Locarno Film Festival: Read the event summary.

Photo: Professor David Lewis delivering his keynote lecture at Diplomacy Day, Locarno Film Festival.