Natalie Dormer, Rejjie Snow and Sadiq Khan among guests to visit Hist and Phil

The Phil and the Hist will welcome the biggest names from television, STEM and literature

Guests set to visit College’s debating societies have been revealed, with Natalie Dormer, Rejjie Snow and Sadiq Khan announced as among those set to speak.

This year the University Philosophical Society (the Phil) will see some of the biggest names in music, television, STEM and human rights visiting the Graduates Memorial Building. These guests will all receive the Gold Medal and Honorary Patronage, while also speaking to the society.

The Phil will welcome English grime rapper Dizzee Rascal, who has seen five number one chart hits during his career. Model and businesswoman Kate Moss is also set to visit the society this year.  

Professor John O’Keeffe, neuroscientist and Nobel Prize winner for medicine will also receive honorary patronage from the society this year, alongside famous mathematician Terence Tao and astronomer Emily Levesque, who’s research focuses on stars in cosmology. Peter Higgs, of Higgs Boson theory fame, and Ada Yonath will also join the society’s science based guests.  

The Phil will also welcome various bands to the society this year, with English indie rock band Everything Everything visiting this year. Dublin funk rock group Republic of Loose, who have been separated since 2014, have also accepted an invite from the society. Alt J and Michelle Visage, will also be among the musical guests speaking at the society this year.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who has held his position since his election in 2016 is also expected to visit the Phil. Pro choice activist and President of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards, as well as composer Howard Shore, playwright Sebastian Barry, artist Peggy Hou and actor Colm Wilkinson will also visit the Phil this year.

The College Historical Society (the Hist) will also welcome many guests, with Game of Thrones Star Natalie Dormer at the top of its list. The English actress is also a member of the cast of Picnic at Hanging Rock, and a star of the movie series The Hunger Games.  

The society will also welcome many STEM based guests, with Sir Martin Poliakoff, fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences expected to speak. Sir Poliakoff is also know for his Youtube channel, The Periodic Table of Videos, which currently has over one million subscribers.

Dionne Warwick, five time Grammy award winner, will also speak. Warwick has also enjoyed a career as a tv personality, and is a global ambassador for the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture organisation.

Creators of the “Welcome to the Night Vale” podcast, Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, will also visit the Hist.

Waterford Whispers creator and editor Colm Williamson, author of Brooklyn, Colm Tóibín, and Ardal O’Hanlon, who played Father Ted’s Dougal will appear at the society.

EU Commissioner for Competition, and Danish politician for the Danish Social Liberal Party, Margrethe Vestager will also speak.

Dates for the speakers’ appearances at both societies have not been released yet.

Peter Kelly

Peter Kelly is the current Assistant Editor of Trinity News. He is a Junior Sophister Law student, and a former Deputy News Editor.