Festivals, Cultural and City Events

Professor Jolyon Mitchell

Professor Jolyon Mitchell from the School of Divinity at just Festival, talks about the University’s many links with the August festivals.

Video summary

Professor Jolyon Mitchell says that he is delighted to host an exhibition called In Sight of Peace as part of his work with the University.

This exhibition brings together a host of outstanding examples of work from photographer Ian Berry who has been working in South Africa from the 1960’s to the current day.

His work covers the story of the move towards Apartheid, life within Apartheid and then the move beyond Apartheid.

He comments that although there are only 24 pictures, they have had many thousands of people through the door in Edinburgh's St John's Church, looking at these pictures and the story that they tell. So it is a way of making people raising questions about the role of photojournalism and peace building.

He says he is delighted to support and be involved in the different festivals here in Edinburgh. Partly because the University is based in the city and wants to contribute in the energetic life that goes on during the summer months - particularly in August when Edinburgh doubles in size almost.

Partly also because also academics throughout the University involved in ground-breaking international research and we want to share this beyond the walls of the University.

He says academics want to show some of the different areas of work they are involved in - particularly here [at just Festival] they want to show our work related to issues surrounding peace building in counties with conflict and how the arts might contribute to the peace building process.

This is just one example of many, many areas of research going on within the institution that he says the University is keen to share and also learn from other practitioners from around the world and visiting Edinburgh.

There are two days at the end of August this year that are part of the International Festival, where people can come and listen to members of the University talk about their work, raising issues on the arts and sciences.