Award-winning war correspondent to deliver lecture
Quentin Sommerville, the BBC's Middle East correspondent, will deliver this year's Mountbatten Lecture
The lecture will focus on the access afforded to journalists during conflicts and the increasing difficulty to get close to the action.
Based on his experience reporting in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Ukraine and Gaza, Sommerville will examine how storytellers like himself, are encountering more significant barriers in these war-torn countries.
Before his career with the BBC, Quentin completed his studies in politics at the University of Edinburgh where he was also president of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA).
Book tickets
The lecture will take place at the Playfair Library in Old College at 4:30pm on Friday 22 March. It will be followed by a Q&A and reception.
The event is free and is open to all. Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis and must be booked in advance.
Global Storyteller
A Glasgow-native turned global storyteller, Quentin Sommerville has built a career reporting on the world's most dangerous hotspots.
His early days as a Shanghai and Beijing correspondent honed his skills for navigating across cultures, while his three-year stint as the BBC’s Afghanistan correspondent brought him face-to-face with the human cost of conflict.
Now based in Beirut, Sommerville covers the Middle East, from the ongoing conflicts in Libya and Syria to further afield in Eastern Ukraine.
Through his insightful reporting, he gives a voice to those living in the midst of turmoil, offering viewers a glimpse into the dark reality of war.
Mountbatten lecture
The Mountbatten Lecture is an annual event at the University of Edinburgh.
Each year, an expert on defence-related matters is invited to speak to staff, students and the wider public.
Previous speakers include astronaut Neil Armstrong, Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, broadcaster Kate Adie, and NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson.