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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2013/feb/27/leeds-speakers-corner-victoria-gardens
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| New speakers' corner looks a good bet for ranters, debaters and gentle persuaders in Leeds | New speakers' corner looks a good bet for ranters, debaters and gentle persuaders in Leeds |
| (30 days later) | |
| Street philosophers, ranters and campaigners could soon have a dedicated space to air their views at a speakers' corner in Leeds. | Street philosophers, ranters and campaigners could soon have a dedicated space to air their views at a speakers' corner in Leeds. |
| Last year, as reported in the Guardian Northerner, Bradford and Sheffield successfully campaigned to establish speakers corners similar to the one in London's Hyde Park. Now Leeds law post-graduate Andrew Raof is hoping to establish one in his city, encouraging debate and providing a platform for discussion. | Last year, as reported in the Guardian Northerner, Bradford and Sheffield successfully campaigned to establish speakers corners similar to the one in London's Hyde Park. Now Leeds law post-graduate Andrew Raof is hoping to establish one in his city, encouraging debate and providing a platform for discussion. |
| Raof says Leeds already has its own informal Speakers' Corner, at the popular Victoria Gardens on The Headrow, in front of the Leeds City Art Gallery and Central Library. He maintains that it has become a pivotal point in Leeds for justice and anti-war marches, as well as for war memorial services. | Raof says Leeds already has its own informal Speakers' Corner, at the popular Victoria Gardens on The Headrow, in front of the Leeds City Art Gallery and Central Library. He maintains that it has become a pivotal point in Leeds for justice and anti-war marches, as well as for war memorial services. |
| But now he and the national charity Speakers Corner Trust aim to get an official version going with regular events where anyone can stand up and start a debate on a topic of their choice. | But now he and the national charity Speakers Corner Trust aim to get an official version going with regular events where anyone can stand up and start a debate on a topic of their choice. |
| Raof, 25, said the idea of a speakers corner would provide an outlet for proper face-to-face debate - something he claims may be lacking in society as a result of the boom in online social media platforms such as Twitter: | Raof, 25, said the idea of a speakers corner would provide an outlet for proper face-to-face debate - something he claims may be lacking in society as a result of the boom in online social media platforms such as Twitter: |
| People tend to engage with each other on twitter and social media, but I think this is part of the problem in society these days. There's nothing quite like an intelligent face to face debate. It's one thing to use your keyboard and 140 characters for soundbites, it's another to use your mouth to speak and debate at length - I believe we don't use our mouths enough. | People tend to engage with each other on twitter and social media, but I think this is part of the problem in society these days. There's nothing quite like an intelligent face to face debate. It's one thing to use your keyboard and 140 characters for soundbites, it's another to use your mouth to speak and debate at length - I believe we don't use our mouths enough. |
| I hope a speakers corner in Leeds will spark an interest in more free speech and an active citizenship and make the city we live in a better and more connected place where we can exchange ideas and have open debates and communicate with each other. | I hope a speakers corner in Leeds will spark an interest in more free speech and an active citizenship and make the city we live in a better and more connected place where we can exchange ideas and have open debates and communicate with each other. |
| Raof aims to have the official speakers' corner up and running some time in March. He can meanwhile be contacted on speakerscornerleeds@hotmail.co.uk. | Raof aims to have the official speakers' corner up and running some time in March. He can meanwhile be contacted on speakerscornerleeds@hotmail.co.uk. |
| However, a Leeds council spokeswoman said the authority hadn't yet received an official approach for a speakers corner in Victoria Gardens and that the venue might need to move. She added: | However, a Leeds council spokeswoman said the authority hadn't yet received an official approach for a speakers corner in Victoria Gardens and that the venue might need to move. She added: |
| Victoria Gardens is a bookable event space and we'd be delighted to help find a more suitable home for speakers' corner should someone wish to contact us. | Victoria Gardens is a bookable event space and we'd be delighted to help find a more suitable home for speakers' corner should someone wish to contact us. |
| The Leeds campaign has been supported by the Speakers Corner Trust, a registered charity which promotes free expression, public debate and active citizenship. Its director is former MP Peter Bradley, who is passionate about free debate. He said a speakers corner in Leeds would be aimed at Leeds people rather than running on the lines of Hyde Park Corner in London which attracts many tourists. He added: | The Leeds campaign has been supported by the Speakers Corner Trust, a registered charity which promotes free expression, public debate and active citizenship. Its director is former MP Peter Bradley, who is passionate about free debate. He said a speakers corner in Leeds would be aimed at Leeds people rather than running on the lines of Hyde Park Corner in London which attracts many tourists. He added: |
| Bradford, Sheffield and hopefully now Leeds have taken up speakers corners in the space of six months. We're hoping people elsewhere will be inspired by this and start their own speakers corners. | Bradford, Sheffield and hopefully now Leeds have taken up speakers corners in the space of six months. We're hoping people elsewhere will be inspired by this and start their own speakers corners. |
Bradley said the city centre was a perfect venue as there was 'a debate to be had' over the future of city centres in general due to what he said was a loss of independent traders and the growth of big chains. He said there was a need to 'rethink what they are for' and allow people to reconnect with them through engagement, expression and debate. | Bradley said the city centre was a perfect venue as there was 'a debate to be had' over the future of city centres in general due to what he said was a loss of independent traders and the growth of big chains. He said there was a need to 'rethink what they are for' and allow people to reconnect with them through engagement, expression and debate. |
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