One People Oration 2025: The courage to welcome - solidarity in a divided world
In one of his final public addresses before leaving office, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi reflects on a decade of global displacement, leadership, and moral responsibility.
What does it mean to lead with compassion in a world riven by fear, at a time when the responses to forced displacement hold the power to reshape our communities? How do institutions and individuals sustain solidarity amid rising division?
A flagship event for Westminster Abbey Institute, the One People Oration is both a farewell from a major international figure and a call to the next generation of public servants. Join us to bear witness.
About Filippo Grandi
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Filippo Grandi is the 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He was first elected by the UN General Assembly on 1 January 2016 for a five-year term. The General Assembly has since twice re-elected him to serve, and he will complete his term on 31 December 2025. Grandi was born in Milan in 1957 and has been engaged in refugee and humanitarian work for more than 30 years. From 2010 to 2014, he served as Commissioner-General of UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestine refugees, having previously been its Deputy Commissioner-General since 2005. He also served as Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan and has worked with NGOs and UNHCR in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and at its Geneva headquarters. |
Ticketing information
This event does not include entry to Westminster Abbey. We recommend looking at the Visit us pages to plan a visit during opening hours.
Timings
You are welcome to attend Evensong at 5:00pm before the talk.
Doors will open at 6:00pm and the talk will begin at 6:30pm.
This will be followed by an audience Q&A from 7:15pm.
Following the Q&A, there will be a drinks reception in Poets’ Corner until 8:45pm.
Access and security
Please have your ticket ready to show our staff (either printed or on your mobile phone).
On your arrival, your bag will be searched and we ask you not to bring any large items with you (for example suitcases, large backpacks or folding bicycles) as these will not be allowed inside and we are unable to store them for you.
The Abbey is committed to creating inclusive and accessible events for all. If you have any access requirements or questions about your visit, please contact us when booking. [email protected]
Filming and photography
Please note that filming and sound recording are not permitted at the Abbey. See our photography policy for more information.
Westminster Abbey Institute
Westminster Abbey Institute aims to nurture and revitalise moral and spiritual values in public life and service. It seeks to replenish and sustain public servants of all faiths and none, and to celebrate and animate public service as a force for good. The Institute draws on Westminster Abbey’s resources of spirituality and theological learning, rooted in its daily worshipping life and broader Christian tradition, to convene discussion, nourish reflection and inspire regeneration.
