Olof Palme Memorial Peace Lecture 2024

The Leeds annual Olof Palme Memorial Peace Lecture was first established in 1987 by then MEP for Leeds, and former Leeds councillor, Michael McGowan, in memory of Olof Palme, a peace campaigner and outspoken opponent of apartheid in South Africa. Olof Palme attended as a student activist a conference in Leeds University in the 1950s. These lectures have been held to remember his work for promoting peace and security in the world. Olof Palme became Prime Minister of Sweden in 1969. He was assassinated in Stockholm in 1986.  

The lectures are organised by a small committee working with Leeds CND, Leeds Peace Links and Leeds Beckett University.

The Peace and Justice Project brings people together for social and economic justice, peace and human rights in Britain and across the world and was founded by Jeremy Corbyn in 2021.

Since its launch, the Peace and Justice Project has grown local, national and international campaigns. We connect people, communities and organisations through events and discussions on vital issues such as climate action, new economics and refugee protection.

With more campaigns to be launched in future, the Peace and Justice Project will continue to work with labour and social movements and provide platforms to those campaigning towards a future that works for the many, not the few.

The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds is the home of the UK’s national collection of arms and armour and is free to visit. Explore the Royal Armouries Museum’s five floors of galleries. Over 4,500 objects on display in our purpose-built museum. Discover how arms and armour have shaped society, art, and culture throughout history.

Every weapon has the capacity to be used for good or ill. Every nation and every community has been shaped to a greater or lesser extent by force of arms and the rights and freedoms of their peoples have been won, lost or regained through conflict. Through research, education and events and year-round free admission, the Royal Armouries seeks to put the long view provided by the UK’s national collection of arms and armour to the service of working together for a more peaceful future.

6pm Museum opens
6.30pm Lecture
7.30pm Q&A
8pm End
8.30pm Museum closes