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29/01/2009, 11:55
THE ORWELL PRIZE
‘What I have most wanted to do... is to make political writing into an art.’
George Orwell, Why I Write
The Orwell Prize is Britain’s pre-eminent prize for political writing. Since 1994, it has awarded
two prizes each year – one for the book, and one for the journalism – which comes closest
to George Orwell’s ambition ‘to make political writing into an art’. In 2009, a special prize for
political blogs was added to celebrate the blogging of George Orwell’s diaries.
The economic crisis that we are living through is, in part, a product of a failure of understanding. So the
aim of the Orwell Prize to make political ideas clear and engaging is more relevant than ever. But politics
can also be tremendous fun, and this year we’re delighted to be organising a whole strand of events at
the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival.
We’ll be looking back - Richard Blair, Orwell’s son, will be talking about his father in public for the first
time. We’ll also be marking the 70th anniversaries of Orwell’s novel, Coming Up for Air, his famous essay
on Charles Dickens and the start of the Second World War, and the 60th anniversary of Nineteen
Eighty-Four.
But we’ll also be looking forward, with some agenda-setting debates on the Chinese influence in
Africa, the future of Afghanistan, the ideas of the Conservative Party, and Western relations with
Russia with some of the leading figures in their fi elds. Why not join us, and join in
Monday 30 th March
Tuesday 31 st March
Orwell vs Dickens – who is the greater writer | 4pm | Marquee
1984 and Civil Liberties Debate | 4pm | Marquee
Wednesday 1 st April China and Africa Debate | 10am | Blue Boar Lecture Theatre
Afghanistan Debate | 4pm | Marquee
Thursday 2 nd April
Friday 3 rd April
Saturday 4 th April
Sunday 5 th April
Screening: 1984 (1984 film), Q&A with Mike Radford | 4pm | Blue Boar lecture theatre
Richard Blair in Conversation with D. J. Taylor | 4pm | Marquee
2009 and 1939: How do we avoid political crisis after economic crash | 4pm | Marquee
What is the big Conservative idea | 4pm | Marquee
Russia Debate | 6pm | McKenna Room
The Orwell Prize was founded by the late Sir Bernard Crick, using royalties from
his biography of Orwell. It is now overseen by the Orwell Trust, Political Quarterly
and the Media Standards Trust, and supported by Reuters and A. M. Heath. For
more information, please email gavin.freeguard@mediastandardstrust.org.
www.theorwellprize.co.uk