Britain and the Balkans – 30 years after the Dayton Agreement
Schedule
Thu Nov 20 2025 at 05:00 pm to 06:30 pm
UTC+00:00Location
Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge | Cambridge, EN
About this Event
The Centre for Geopolitics is pleased to invite members of the University of Cambridge and other interested parties to a timely conversation on the subject of ‘Britain and the Balkans.’
The audience will have the privilege of viewing an excerpt from Fiona Lloyd-Davies’ latest project, titled ‘UNCONQUERED: Goražde, City of Heroes’ which will be followed by a panel discussion exploring the historical implications and future challenges of Britain’s presence in the Balkans.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion, with the participation of Fiona Lloyd-Davies, the director of the film, and Helen Smith, the head of the Western Balkans Department at the FCDO. The panel will be chaired by CfG director Professor Brendan Simms.
There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the discussion, which will be followed by a drinks reception.
Please be advised that due to concerns regarding author’s rights, video recording of the event is strictly prohibited.
About the Speakers:
Fiona Lloyd-Davies is a photojournalist and documentary maker whose work is focused on human rights abuses in conflict zones. She is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and has won various awards for her work. In 2000 Fiona produced a documentary Licence to K*ll, for which the Royal Television Society (RTS) awarded her the Best International Journalism of the Year. In 2005 her documentary The Baghdad Blogger: Salam Pax won another RTS award. In 2010 Fiona traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to film a documentary for BBC3 titled, The World`s Most Dangerous Place for Women and to work on an independent project titled, Field of Hope. She is also a former producer for the BBC show, Newsnight.
Helen Smith is the head of the Western Balkans Department at the FCDO. She was appointed as Minister Counsellor Political in June 2023. Between July 2021 and June 2023 she was Deputy Head of Mission and Minister Counsellor Political. Helen joined the Foreign Office in 2004 and has a wide range of diplomatic experience. Previous roles have included Deputy High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2015-2020, Deputy Head of the UK Somalia Unit, and Head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Operations Unit, advising the Chief Operating Officer on corporate strategy and leading a range of change and efficiency programmes. She has also been posted to the British Embassy in Warsaw as Head of Communications and Second Secretary Political from 2007 to 2010. Helen has a degree in Oriental Studies (Japanese) from Trinity College, Cambridge. She qualified as a Chartered Global Management Accountant in 2014.
About the Chair:
Brendan Simms is the founder and Director of the Centre for Geopolitics. He works on European geopolitics, past and present, and his principal interests are the German Question, Britain and Europe, Hitler’s global anti-semitism, Humanitarian Intervention and state construction. He has advised governments and parliaments, and spoken at Westminster, in the European Parliament (Brussels) and at think-tanks in the United Kingdom, the United States and in many Eurozone countries.
Where is it happening?
Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, Trinity Street, Cambridge, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
