The festival and free speech

For 30 years the Oxford Literary Festival has been committed to freedom of speech, debate and diversity, maintaining a tradition of courteous dialogue, allowing for contentious and difficult subjects to be publicly discussed and examined.

The Oxford Literary Festival is a place where intellectual curiosity is nurtured and standards are set. It is conceived as a platform for dialogue, where the big ideas of the world can be freely debated in an intellectual but congenial atmosphere. Attendees are given access to some of the world’s leading thinkers, and the opportunity to question and debate with them. In an era when there is an increasing desire to shut down free speech, the festival is a platform for free expression.

Over the decades we have welcomed speakers of every faith, and none; politicians and political thinkers of every persuasion; representatives of every minority and special interest group; as well as Nobel, Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners; former presidents and premiers and leading figures in every field of literature, philosophy, the arts, science, technology and the environment, and human endeavour.

Each year, the festival stages a series of international programmes to celebrate the literature and culture of those countries or continents. These have included India, Africa, USA, Ireland, Spain, Italy and China. We believe that offering a diverse range of speakers, writers and thinkers is the key to promoting authentic representation of other cultures. The multicultural character of the city and the university in Oxford provides a fitting backdrop. We see ourselves as a global and multicultural resource.

For decades the festival has been subject to threats of boycotts, platforming, protests, disruptions and even physical violence. 

Despite facing threats of boycotts, platforming, protests, disruptions, and even physical violence over the years, we are greatly encouraged by the support of the thousands of festival attendees each year, who come to hear dissenting voices on every topic, ask questions, meet the speakers, and form their own opinions.

This tradition of open dialogue and free expression is one we are committed to preserving and maintaining.

Our Values 

We believe free speech and expression are the foundations of a civilised society - vital to democracy - which must be nurtured, protected and preciously guarded for all, in defence of a tolerant and free society.

The pursuit of knowledge - what it means to be human - is one of the great gifts to humankind and is the cornerstone of the festival. The search for truth, intellectual enquiry, to question, to learn from others and hear views that are not our own through civilised dialogue - flourish at the festival through its rich programme of talks and discussions on every conceivable topic. 

We believe in the inclusion of diversity of ideas, in bringing together voices from many perspectives. That discussion and views, no matter how hard they may be to hear, come from a sense of generosity and respect. In a live experience - the power of face to face engagement cannot be underestimated. It helps to create mutual understanding in the way online cannot. Sitting in communion with others, thinking deeply, asking questions of speakers is an opportunity to form and test views. Without violence and intimidation and within the law.

The festival through its programming provides the opportunity to be informed of what is happening in the world - to be aware, to know – without knowledge and wisdom how do we protect our freedoms.

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” ~ Benjamin Franklin