Dr Rowan Williams © Matthew Horwood Photography
Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury and one of the UK’s most respected public thinkers, will deliver this year’s Illtyd David Human Rights Memorial Lecture at Swansea University.
The free event is open to all and will take place on Thursday 9 October 2025, at the Richard Price Lecture Theatre, Singleton Campus, from 5pm.
This lecture honours the legacy of Dr Illtyd David (1894–1982), a pioneer of adult education and an early advocate for what we now call Human Rights. Inspired by his experiences in the United States a century ago, Dr David dedicated over six decades to adult education and public service in south-west Wales, shaping progressive debates on justice, equality, and international cooperation.
The evening will begin with an introduction by Professor Edward David, explaining the significance of Illtyd David’s tour of the USA in 1925. There he discovered fellow advocates of workers’ rights and of women workers’ education. He met some of the major civil rights activists of the day, including the charismatic leader of the NAACP, William Du Bois, and attended the NAACP Convention in Ku Klux Klan-ruled Denver. These experiences informed his later research and teaching and inspired a legacy of human rights lectures over 40 years in Swansea University.
A drinks reception will follow, before the main lecture.
Dr Rowan Williams’ lecture, titled ‘Human Rights and Human Solidarity’, will examine the tensions and limitations of the language of rights in today’s world. Dr Williams will ask whether the concept of rights sometimes distracts from the deeper moral and social bonds that hold communities together. His address will challenge audiences to reflect on the foundations of human dignity and the responsibilities that underpin a just society. A Q&A session will follow, offering attendees the opportunity to engage directly with Dr Williams.
To mark this centenary there will also be an online exhibition titled ‘From Singleton to USA 1925- Making of a Human Rights legacy’.
During the coming academic year there will be additional public events exploring contemporary human rights challenges, reflecting Swansea University’s ongoing commitment to social justice, education, and public engagement.