Aspirations for the 800th Anniversary

Click here to watch to Sir Robert Worcester, Chair of the Magna Carta 800th Committee, talk about Magna Carta and its relevance today.

Aspirations and Activities leading up to and during 2015

Governance

Queen Elizabeth II as patron
Create an Advisory Board
Establish a Committee and Sub-Committees to coordinate activities and support
Appoint PR/Marketing Advisors

Runnymede

1.  Renovation of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Memorial
2. Establish a Magna Carta Interpretation/Visitor Centre
3.  National Trust improvements to the site, including access and walkways
4.  US/UK Honour Guard and Flags at Runnymede
5.  New bus route between Windsor and Egham, improve public transport access and a ferry link
6.  Roundabout at A308, traffic calming, pelican crossings, reduce speed limit and heritage signs

Parliament

1. Campaign for a UK Public Holiday on 15th June 2015
2. Establish an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)
3. US Congressional Caucus and comparable legislator groups in other national assemblies
4. Comparable legislator groups in other national Commonwealth assemblies
5. UK parliamentary, US congressional and UN approval and support of the activities planned for the 800th

Multi-faith

1. Repeal of the Papal Bull of 1215
Magna Carta Evensongs and Sunday services across Britain in 2011
Magna Carta Evensongs and Sunday services at Temple Church in London, and the other Magna Carta towns in 2013
4. Magna Carta Evensongs and Sunday services at Temple Church in London, and the other Magna Carta towns in 2015
5. Peal of bells in 2015

Commemoratives

1. Commemorative stamps: one for each of the MC towns
2. Commemorative coinage: gold commemorative coin; coins in circulation with 10 MC towns on reverse
3. Commemorative stamps and coins in USA, Australia, NZ, and Commonwealth countries
Commemorative ‘branded’ goods with royalties to 800th Committee
5. A Hornsby toy cart of c. 1215 in a set of forms of transport through the centuries, to 2015
6. Recreate XIII century ‘beer’ (without hops) to brand as Magna Carta 800th ale for 2015

Academic

1. International academic seminar in Poland
2. An AHRC funded project to track down lost originals and create an online database of new commentary, images, translations and research findings about Magna Carta. This will include a conference in London in 2015.
3. History of Parliament Trust International Academic Seminar: “The Origins and Development History of Parliament Trust: The Origins and Development of a Constitutional Tradition.”
4. Other international academic conferences, e.g. APSA, IPSA, AHS and WAPOR

Education

Embed the place of Magna Carta in the National Curriculum
2. Create Magna Carta teaching resources for use in schools
3. Promote schools essay contest in 2015 in Britain and internationally
4. Promote English Speaking Union (ESU) debates in 2015 in all ESU countries
5. Work with the Historical Association (HA) to promote the HA “Great Debate” on Magna Carta in 2015
6. Work with journal publishers to promote special Magna Carta issues of relevant journals and periodicals in 2015
7. Work with the British Council to develop and distribute Magna Carta themed English language learning materials in Britain and internationally
8. Promote poetry and prose contests for adults and students
9. Work with the Department of Education to develop and distribute a Magna Carta facsimile and interpretation to schools in 2015
10. Encourage a pamphlet series of the history of the Magna Carta for each Magna Carta town for distribution in the schools of each town and for the web sites
11. Work with the Home Office and Local Authorities for a Magna Carta facsimile and interpretation to be provided to every new citizen as part of the citizenship ceremony held in 2015
12. Promote a Scouts badge / award on Magna Carta or democracy theme
13. Promote the programme of public lectures on Magna Carta
14. Promote a Magna Carta Day for schools starting in 2015

Events

Magna Carta Week in St Albans in 2013
2. Magna Carta Week in Bury St Edmunds in 2014
3. Magna Carta Week in London in 2015
4. Magna Carta Week in Canterbury in 2015
5. Magna Carta Week in Oxford in 2015
6. Magna Carta Week in Hereford in 2015
7. Magna Carta Week in Salisbury in 2015
8. Magna Carta Week in Durham in 2015
9. Three-month-long celebration in Runnymede from June to September 2015
10. Magna Carta Week in Wales in 2015
11. Magna Carta Week in Scotland in 2015
12. Magna Carta Week in Ireland in 2015
13. Ditchley Conference on the Legacy of Magna Carta in the 21st Century
14. Magna Carta Stakes during Ascot in 2015
15. Magna Carta Garden during Chelsea in 2015
Magna Carta Tapestry
17. Magna Carta Week in America
18. Magna Carta Week in Australia
19. Magna Carta Week in New Zealand
20. Magna Carta Week throughout the Commonwealth
21. Magna Carta Week in all other countries with Magna Carta’s role in national heritage, constitutional and democratic development, and/or observation of the Rule of Law and Human Rights

Exhibitions

1. Major Magna Carta exhibition at British Library (has two of the original four 1215 exemplars)
2. Lincoln Cathedral (has a 1215 exemplar)
3. Salisbury Cathedral (has a 1215 exemplar)
4. The Bodleian Library, University of Oxford (has 4 of the 17 exemplars).
5. Other exhibitions in London
6. Exhibitions in English cathedrals, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
7. Exhibitions in British public (and some private) libraries
8. Canberra, Australia
9. The National Archives, USA
10. The Library of Congress in Washington
11. Philadelphia, USA
12. Others in the USA
13. Exhibitions at other suitable international museums, galleries and cathedrals

Books

1. A new history book of the Magna Carta for British, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Caribbean, Indian sub-continent, and other English-speaking markets
2. A new history of the Magna Carta tracing the development of the ideas up to the Magna Carta, from the Roman and Greek period through the first code of English law of King Aetherbert of Kent and succeeding Kings of Kent to the Barons of the 12th/13th Century
3. A new biography of Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, and his role in the development of the 1215 Magna Carta
4. A picture book of Magna Carta history and events, photos, maps and illustrations
A Magna Carta political novel
6. Seek to commission a Horrible Histories book on the Magna Carta / King John

Media

1. Reith Lecture for 2015, US Justice of the Supreme Court Stephen Breyer
Local BBC and other TV regional coverage in the Magna Carta towns in Britain on their local events
Local radio coverage in the Magna Carta towns in Britain on their local events
4. BBC Question Time from Magna Carta towns in England.
5. Any Questions? (radio) from Magna Carta towns in England.
6. Moot courts: UK Supreme Court, Friday, 30 July 2015: ESU moot courts in c. 40 countries, finals in Supreme Court, London, both broadcast on BBC
7. BBC/History Channel Documentary television series covering the significance of Magna Carta and its impact on constitutional democracy and human rights in the world today.
8. BBC co-sponsored and franchised drama series, syndicated worldwide, based on a contemporary novel by a well known author.
9. Other news, current affairs, history, heritage and other programmes, including a debate, possibly tied into the planned ESU worldwide debate with the relevance of Magna Carta as the topic, with the ESU finalists flown to London to take part in the debate of the BBC World Service
10. International network coverage of Magna Carta events on the television
Website creation, maintenance and development to be interactive focus point
Extensive press coverage, news and features, newspapers and magazines and an extensive new media (social and digital) presence from the autumn of 2011
13. Ask Google to display Magna Carta theme on 15th June 2015
14. Liaise with human rights organisations in UK and internationally for joint co-operation / mention of Magna Carta in their events

Music and Arts

1. An opera, composed for the occasion
2. An English folk opera of the early 13th Century, performed for one week in Runnymede and repeated on successive Saturday nights in all the Magna Carta towns
3. Ask Poet Laureaute to compose a Magna Carta poem
4. A ‘Magna Carta Prom’ at the Albert Hall and other Magna Carta Concerts worldwide in 2015
5. Anthem to the Magna Carta performed at Albert Hall, the Kennedy Centre, Metropolitan and other suitable concert halls throughout GB and the world
6. Pop music tributes to the Magna Carta (incl. Magna Carta theme at Notting Hill Carnival 2015)
7. Calypso tributes to the Magna Carta
8. Magna Carta concerts in universities and schools
9. The Globe Theatre to include King John during 2015
10. Magna Carta play, touring the Magna Carta towns and in the West End; USA?
11. Other musical tributes to the Magna Carta

Legacy

1. Create a legacy tribute to Magna Carta, perhaps in the form of a high profile scholarship scheme involving all those countries where a connection to Magna Carta is felt
Using survey research, establish a baseline of knowledge of and support for the Magna Carta and track the impact of the 800th Commemoration in Britain¸ and other countries
3. Ensure that the Magna Carta Trust has capacity to sustain the continuing projects
4. Leave behind a written, audio and video record of the work of the 800th Committee to guide those who will be leading the Commemoration the 850th Anniversary in 2065

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Alice Richmond

Deputy Chairman, Magna Carta 800th Committee

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