Riley Declamation Prize 2017

Congratulations to Artur Harris (2016) on being awarded the 2017 Riley Declamation Prize.

The prize is awarded annually to a student who can show excellent in both speech writing and delivery.  The speech must be on a topical European theme, and it must last between 10 and 15 minutes; beyond that, the details are up to the entrants.

Artur Harris’ winning entry was titled ‘Look West’, in which he described “the complexity inherent in Polish self-perception”, and in particular their relationship with the categories of ‘East’ and ‘West’.  He discussed the changing nature of Polish people’s relationship with the West through the fall of the Berlin Wall and the increasing resistance to EU governance now that “the fence has been knocked down” .

The Riley Declamation prize was created in memory of Brian Riley (1959), who read Modern and Medieval Languages and Oriental Studies at Pembroke, specialising in German, French and Chinese.  He maintained his interest in foreign languages and cultures throughout his life.

For a full account of this year's declamations, please see our blog