RGS / GA Festival of Geography

Do you like festivals? Course you do...

Like geography? Of course - love it!

How about a Festival of Geography! Yes please!

The Festival of Geography brings together colleagues from the Royal Geographical Society and Geographical Association (GA) for a joint celebration of geographical knowledge and understanding.

This special event is an opportunity for teachers at all stages to come together and share their passion for geography. Over a full day, attend sessions on creative and practical ideas for the classroom and get subject updates from experts in the field.

The day is bookended with sessions from the GA and RGS-IBG on the future of geography teaching and its value as a subject for students of all ages.

The festival consists of a full day of talks and workshops held live at the RGS-IBG in London on 16 June 2025.

Programme

• 10.00 - Welcome
• 10.15 - Geography: the Big Picture (Steve Brace, GA Chief Executive)
• 10.45 - Keynote lecture: Mark Maslin (University College London)
• 11.30 - Tea and coffee
• 11.45 - Creative curriculum ideas (Fiona Sheriff)
• 12.45 - Lunch
• 13.30 - Practical fieldwork ideas (Chloë Searl)
• 14.30 - Tea and coffee
• 14.45 - Subject knowledge sessions (Anjana Khatwa and guest)
• 15.45 - Choose Geography: embedding careers education into your teaching (Alan Parkinson, VP Education Royal Geographical Society)
• 16.15 - Close

Full details and a booking link can be found on this link.

I hope to see many of you down at the 'Home of Geography' for this special event...

It's really good to have a joint event again. 

I was part of the Action Plan for Geography team - at a time when we used to work more closely together. 

GA Conference 2025 and GEO Live

Preparations are well underway for GA Conference 2025 and Hina Robinson's conference.

The programme is on the GA website.

Good to see what Emma Rawlings-Smith is giving the Rex Walford Lecture, and Anjana Khatwa the Public Lecture - talking about her forthcoming book.

A feature of the GA Conference for some years now is the chance for young people to attend as well. This is called GEO Live.

Details are below. Sign up on this page.

GEO Live: Future Changemakers will take place on Thursday 17 April 2025 at the GA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Oxford.

This programme, designed specially for students aged 14–18, will enthuse them about geography and its wide-ranging applications, enable them to think beyond school toward university and possible careers in geography.

Teachers can bring up to six students each to the GA Annual Conference on Thursday 17 April, where they will take part in their own programme of sessions, including workshops and special talks with young geographers, influencers and academics.

Places are free of charge and available to students of GA members only. One teacher must be booked to attend Conference as a delegate to secure the places.

To book a place for your students, and for any queries, please complete the form.

2024 Programme: Future changemakers

Thursday 17th April 2025

9.30–10.00: Registration

10.10: Attend keynote lecture

11.30–12.30: Introduction to the day housekeeping and introduction to being changemakers

Changemakers Part 1

Exploring our own identity – what personal lenses do we have on our world outlook?

12.30–1.00: Lunch on site (students bring their own lunch) & opportunity to talk to students studying geography at University

13.00–14.00 Changemakers part 2

Issues facing our world and opportunities to take action – focus on climate change

2.00–3.00: Changemakers part 3

Green jobs

3.00–3.30: Question Time – Opportunity for delegates to address questions to our Changemaker Panel

3.30 pm End

Memories of Denys Brunsden

A piece of writing that I put together with the memories of Professor Denys Brunsden from Andrew Goudie and Anjana Khatwa was published in the Summer 2024 issue of GA Magazine.

Join the GA to see the full issue, and subscribe to the three other GA journals.

Check out some free samples here.

Image copyright: Geographical Association

RIP Professor Denys Brunsden

Via Anjana Khatwa on Instagram, I heard of the passing of Professor Denys Brunsden, GA President for 1986.

He did a great deal for the Association.

Condolences to Denys' friends and colleagues and particular to his family: Elizabeth, Martin and Judith.

Several people have already been sharing their memories of Denys. Thanks to Philip Anderson.

Updated end of July 2025

The BBC shared this story.

They point out that he was keeping busy with numerous projects.

More obituaries and messages:

https://www.geomorph.org/2024/10/obituary-for-professor-denys-brunsden-1936-2024-the-first-president-of-the-international-association-of-geomorphologists/  

From this document:

In 1956 he was enrolled as a geography student at King’s College of the University of London and had an opportunity to learn from Professor S.W. Wooldridge, one of the most eminent British geomorphologists of that time and a keen follower of the denudation chronology concept. No wonder, therefore, that in the early years of Denys’ research career issues of long-term landscape evolution were also strongly represented and his doctoral thesis was focused on the denudation chronology of Dartmoor. He will be associated with the King’s College for his entire academic career, until retirement.

".......after the funeral ceremony in Chideock in Dorset where he lived, his ashes were scattered onto the coastal landslide of Stonebarrow, going now slowly seaward. It is also necessary to mention the strong support Denys enjoyed throughout his life from his wife Elizabeth."

The Landslide Blog piece:

https://eos.org/thelandslideblog/professor-denys-brunsden

An online condolences book:

https://sendwishonline.com/en/business/group-card/Po3LRD7IsX0gre5JjxkUhwiEVHCF/board