Evolving Society

Enjoy a walking tour around the riverfront of the Ouse as we showcase York’s highlights and illustrate the role of the river in York’s World Heritage bid.

Come along and join the fabulous Pride Parade March from York Minster through the city centre streets to the Knavesmire.

Join Isabel Berwick, host of the award-winning Financial Times ‘Working It’ podcast, for advice on navigating the world of work, now and in the future.

York Pride returns to the Knavesmire with a vibrant afternoon of entertainment and family-friendly activities. Why not come along and celebrate inclusivity and diversity?

Ahead of the 2024 Olympics taking place in Paris this summer, our expert speakers, including double Olympic Champion Dame Kelly Holmes, explore elite sports.

Join Victoria Wells of the University of York and the Campaign for Pubs and celebrate the value of pubs to our local areas and communities.

Join writer John Robb for a comprehensive history of goth music and culture, as he explores the origins and legacy of this enduring scene.

Join sociologists Kath Bassett and Mary Laing for the launch of a podcasted-walk of York’s historic city centre which promises new perspectives on familiar places via a sociological lens.

Writer Tomiwa Owolade presents a bold new framework for understanding race in Britain today, arguing too much of the current conversation is viewed through the prism of American ideas.

Discover how the sporting world is harnessing the power of statistics to gain a competitive advantage with Jessica Hargreaves and Ben Powell of the University of York.

Richard Hawkins and Philippa Ryan of the Centre for Assuring Autonomy discuss whether we can trust AI to behave safely all the time.

Prepare to see our city with fresh eyes as Kath Bassett and Mary Laing of the University of York invite you to look at your surroundings through a sociological lens on a guided tour.

Harriet Gray of the University of York shares examples of public artworks and monuments, and asks if the UK needs a new memorial to gender-based violence.

During York’s Pride weekend, find out what it was like to be part of the UK’s first Pride march in London with York trailblazer Stuart Feather.

Discover how our sense of touch impacts how we consume journalistic content - especially in the digital world - with Sarah Cooper of York St John University.

Journalist Katie Barnes traces the evolution of women's sports as a pastime and a political arena, where equality and fairness have been fought over for generations.

Join in the conversation as speakers with experience and expertise of working with York people on debt and financial issues explore the challenges facing those seeking and providing advice.

Are war and inequality inevitable, because evolution made men competitive and dominant? Writers Nancy Lindisfarne and Jonathan Neale challenge you to think again about ‘true’ human nature.

Discover how maps have affected societies, influenced politics and economies, and impacted the environment, as writer Mike Duggan uncovers their incredible power.

Prepare to see our city with fresh eyes as Kath Bassett and Mary Laing of the University of York invite you to look at your surroundings through a sociological lens on a guided tour.

Join writer and researcher Peter Forshaw as he decodes the key practices, figures and symbols of alchemy, astrology, mysticism, magic and divination.

Hear a story of sisterhood and the fight for feminism in the age of the Taliban from the former team captain of the Afghanistan women's national football team Khalida Popal.

Philosopher Helena de Bres uses the curious experience of being a twin as a lens for reconsidering our place in the world. Can reflecting on twinhood help all of us?

What role can religion play in challenging various forms of prejudice and distrust and helping to build inclusive and diverse societies? Hear from an expert panel at York St John University.

Why are York and Münster twinned? What does that mean anyway? Hear from York Münster Twinning Association representatives and local schools about recent, present and future activities.

Come along to an interactive session exploring how can we reimagine our resources and civic assets for public and common benefit, fit for the times we are in.

Following its renovation, the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral reopens this year. Using this event as the starting point, our panel of experts reflects on how to preserve our heritage.

Join us as we address the challenges of wealth inequality and consider a radical reimagination of ‘wealth’. Our interactive session is supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Join subject expert Pippa Stacey to learn how businesses and individuals can recognise the power of the disability community and help build a world that's more inclusive for all.

Join BBC Security Correspondent and bestselling author Frank Gardner as he discusses his life, career and latest book with Elly Fiorentini of BBC Radio York.

Discover the transformative impact of graphic design on the lives and perspectives of people with dyslexia at a hands-on workshop led by University of York student Pragya Jain.

Join us for a challenge against the clock as competing finalists each have just three minutes to outline the power of their research in the annual York Three Minute Thesis competition.

Join an interactive workshop to explore what the future of energy in York could look like and discover how the Solar City York project aims to use York’s rooftops for clean, green energy generation.

Find out how the gendered nature of language shapes societal associations about the character of leadership, particularly who is and what it means to be a ‘good’ leader.

Writer Ellen Atlanta delivers an exposé of toxic beauty culture in our digital age and explores how it’s harming women.

From cardiovascular disease to viruses, from cancer to mental illness, journalist Layal Liverpool delves into the reasons racial health disparities exist and reveals that diseases are not ‘great equalisers’.

Ancient historian and author Jean Menzies discusses how Greek myths are being reclaimed and reimagined by LGBTQ+ writers and readers to explore modern day queer joy and queer struggles.

Hear the stories of the Indian men and women who were brought to the Caribbean to work on sugar and cocoa plantations during the period of Indian Indentureship.

Reimagine later life, rediscover play and rebuild relationships together at a workshop designed to bring different generations together.

What would a Trump victory mean for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine? Our expert panel discusses the US elections and the implications for the future of NATO and Europe.

Writer Siddarth Shrikanth, an expert in green investing, sets out how to make our economies work with, not against, our living planet.

Psychologist Karisha George explores resilience in modern times, examining the factors that affect how we handle contemporary challenges across the lifespan and cultures.

Learn about the environmental harm caused by medicines and the balance between public health and saving the planet with health economist Matthew Taylor.

Join financier, art collector and philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer for an in-conversation event as we explore the power of philanthropy to transform places.

An expert panel examines the economic and political shift taking place as the countries of the Global South begin to assert themselves and create a new world order.

Expert speakers examine the potential impacts of existing and emerging technologies on election results, and discuss if elections really matter in an age of powerful global corporations.

Our expert panel discusses the opportunities created by devolution and the power of good business. How can the new mayoral authority drive new economic, social and cultural strategies to improve the lives of residents of York and North Yorkshire?

How do we return to political climate consensus and retain public support for the transition to net zero? Our panel of experts discusses the key issues.

Our expert panel reflects on what World Heritage status is and what it can bring to York. Come along with your questions and join in the discussion.

Explore knowledge justice as our speakers take you on a journey from Barnsley’s ex-mining communities to rural South Africa.

Hear, see and take part in food story sharing at York St John University and learn about the Living Lab.

Put a bit of sparkle in your life as York Cares, in partnership with Hiscox, hosts its first ever Summer Sparkle Social Club. Enjoy food, music, dancing and some special views.