Founder’s Day - The 2023 Sion College Lecture

Speaker: Lord Dannatt GCB, CBE, MC, DL

Former Chief of the General Staff

Wednesday 12th July at Lambeth Palace Library

Evening Prayer at 5.30pm

Richard Dannatt, Lord Dannatt of Keswick in the County of Norfolk, received his commission in 1971. His tours of duty included Northern Ireland and the Balkans and he served in leadership roles involving Afghanistan and the Middle East among others, as well as being involved in a number of areas concerned with many and wide-ranging organisational issues from the merger of regiments to HR issues such as LGBT rights. His army career culminated in his appointment as Chief of the General Staff (head of the Army) from 2006 to 2009.

Lord Dannatt will offer reflections on the role of armed forces in the World today, and how this relates to his own Christian faith and views on effective government. The lecture will be given on the basis of the Chatham House rule under which participants are free to use the information received but the identity and affiliation of participants may not be revealed.

Note that due to constraints on space it will NOT be possible to invite guests to this event this year

Entry to Lambeth Palace will be at the main gate from 5:15pm, with Evening Prayer in the Chapel at 5:30pm. Anyone not arriving in time for Evening Prayer should go to the Library entrance opposite the Evelina Children’s Hospital (the postcode for that entrance is SE1 7JT). After Evening Prayer there will be a drinks reception at 6pm in the Library, where the lecture will start at 6:30, followed by a buffet dinner at 7:45pm. The evening will finish with departure by 9:30pm.

If you have not yet registered for online payment you will be asked to do this and your registration will need to be validated by the Administrator before you can use the facility. You will only need to register once, and for any applications for subsequent events you will need only to log in. Payment is taken by PayPal, but you do not need a PayPal account. 

Please note

• Successful applicants (Fellows/ Members) will be notified by Tuesday 27th June, 2023
• Cancellations notified after Monday 3rd July, 2023 will not be refunded
• Attendees will be expected to honour any food choices submitted in advance
• It is Sion College policy that no events are recorded

Sion events are often over-subscribed and each place is generously subsidised. If you are offered a place but are unable to attend for any reason, please let the office know so that your place may be offered to another applicant. In the event of failure to attend without notice after being reserved a place, the Court will require a refund of the subsidy.  Application for a place at any Sion event constitutes acceptance of this proviso.

Event Details