The Oxford Ministry for the Future presents:

The Oxford Ministry for the Future, Saïd Business School, and the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment present:

'A Conversation with Elif Shafak on Nature and Humans: Connectedness, conflicts and rights'

Monday, 2 June 2025, 2—3.30 pm.

The responsible use of the planet’s resources is an existential challenge for humanity. This event will explore the relationships between nature and humans – our connectedness, conflicts and rights – and the role of storytelling in not only bearing witness, but also in imagining better ways of being.

We spotlight award-winning novelist Elif Shafak whose latest work, There are Rivers in the Sky, explores the politics and precariousness of water.

This event hosted by Hertford College, Saïd Business School and the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, is organised in partnership with Global Canopy, a data-driven non-profit that delivers transparency and accountability around the market forces driving deforestation and nature loss.

Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish author, public speaker, and academic. Born in France in 1971, she grew up in Turkey and has lived in various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Shafak writes in both English and Turkish, and her work explores themes of identity, belonging, gender, and multiculturalism. She is the author of numerous critically acclaimed novels, including The Bastard of Istanbul (2006), The Forty Rules of Love (2009), and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (2019), which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. A fierce advocate for freedom of speech and women's rights, Shafak is also a regular contributor to major publications and has delivered inspiring talks on global platforms such as TED.

Photography and filming may take place during this event for future use by Saïd Business School and The Oxford Ministry for the Future. For individuals who may wish to opt out of image capture at an event please contact

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