Global celebration of Robert Owen

A three-day conference to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Owen is to take place at New Lanark.
By Julie Currie
Published 19th Feb 2022, 07:00 BST
Jane Masters is delighted the celebration is now going ahead, a few months later than planned.Jane Masters is delighted the celebration is now going ahead, a few months later than planned.
Jane Masters is delighted the celebration is now going ahead, a few months later than planned.

New Lanark: A Living Legacy is a hybrid event, taking place both in person at the World Heritage Site and online, from Tuesday, March 1, to Thursday, March 3.

Featuring a packed programme of speakers and round-table discussions, the conference will explore the legacies of social reform and heritage-led regeneration.

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Speakers will include Kate Pugh OBE, non-executive director for culture at the UK National Commission for UNESCO, and Dr Wei Yang, president of the Royal Town Planning Institute for 2021.

The conference also celebrates the 20th anniversary of New Lanark’s UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription and the completion of the £4.5 million National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland funded restoration of the former millworkers housing programme.

Robert Owen was a pioneering social reformer who provided educational opportunities and improved housing and lifestyle conditions for employees of New Lanark Mills, creating a model for industrial communities that was adopted across the world.

Today, the former 18th century cotton spinning village attracts families from all over the world and produces its own hydro-electricity.Jane Masters, head of heritage and development at New Lanark Trust, said: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, 2021 marked a number of important milestones for New Lanark and, although a few months later than originally planned, we are delighted to present this global conference.

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"It has drawn speakers from countries as far as Japan and Mexico who all share a passion for the legacy and ethos of New Lanark – be it social reform, heritage-led regeneration or World Heritage.

"Robert Owen’s legacy is far reaching and relevant in 2022 as we continue to strive for all that he stood for – particularly educational opportunities and workers’ rights.”

The conference is being supported by South Lanarkshire Council, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Tickets can be purchased from the New Lanark Trust website with prices starting from £5.

Related topics:UNESCO