The Leeds Salon is a public discussion forum founded in February 2009. The Salon organises discussions around political, cultural and scientific issues, with the aim of challenging any orthodoxies along the way, defending and developing the legacy of the Enlightenment and, above all, providing a space where free speech can take place. Find out more.
next salon
Thursday 6 March 2025
Are Dating Apps Good For Our Romantic Lives?
The use of dating apps is widespread. Most people have heard of apps like Tinder or websites like Match.com, but the online landscape is rich and varied – catering for every niche, with apps aimed at long-term relationships (Hinge), causal encounters and affairs (Grindr, Ashley Madison), marriage (Muzmatch, Salams) and friendship (Bumble). But are dating apps a good thing? Many exalt the liberating effect of […]
forthcoming salons
Saturday 5 April 2025
Forecasting Failure: A Short History of the Future
In the first of two Saturday afternoon talks at Mill Hill Chapel asking ‘What Happened to the Future?’, we welcome back Professor of Forecasting & Innovation, James Woudhuysen, to discuss a ‘short history of the future’. From the exuberance of Jules Verne to the forebodings of HG Wells, visions of the future are well known to say more about their own times than they do […]
salon & school debating news
The Womble Bond Dickinson / Leeds Salon Years 10&11 Debating Competition 2025
The Womble Bond Dickinson / Leeds Salon Years 10&11 Debating Competition 2025 starts in January when six schools will complete over three qualifying rounds to win a place in the final, to be held at Womble Bond Dickinson’s Leeds offices before Easter.
For the third year running, leading transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (Leeds) have agreed to be Headline Partners with Leeds Salon in its annual competition for 14-to-16 year-olds, now in its twelfth year.
Sixth Form Debating Competition 2024
Wednesday 27th November the Royal Armouries Museum (Leeds) hosted its second annual sixth form debating competition in partnership with The Leeds Salon, and this year sponsored by leading transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (Leeds).
The competition involved 6 schools competing to be crowned 2024 champions – Bradford Grammar, Guiseley School, Notre Dame Sixth Form College, Pudsey Grammar, St Mary’s Menston and The Grammar School at Leeds.
The school were divided into two groups of three. Bradford Grammar and Notre Dame won their groups and, after battling it out in a final debate on ‘Britain should pay reparations for its colonial past’, the judges voted 2-to-1 in favour of Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form Collage to become Royal Armouries 2024 champions (pictured left).
So, congratulation to Notre Dame and commiserations, but well done to, to Bradford Grammar for making it such a closely fought final.
There were also three Royal Armouries individual prizes awarded to the students who most stood out to our team of individual judges:
- Best Individual: Orin Mabe of Notre Dame Sixth Form College (centre).
- Highly Commended Individual: Iris Podesta of Guiseley School.
- Commended Individual: Zainab Mahmood of Bradford Grammar.
There was also a separate Leeds Salon Individual Prize awarded to the person who best represents the spirit of Enlightenment inquiry by asking lots of good, incisive questions, and this was won by Jamie White of Guiseley School.
Prize Sponsorship was provided by the Interdisciplinary Ethics Applied (IDEA) Centre of the University of Leeds. And the competition used the format and topic guides of Debating Matters.
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