October 13, 2011
50th Anniversary Dinner for the Magna Carta Trust
By The Rt Hon Baroness - Scotland QC
Middle Temple, London
I am delighted to have been asked to speak to you this evening. This is an event which marks a number of important themes. As we have heard, we celebrate a major anniversary – the 50th anniversary of the Magna Carta Trust, and we look forward to the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta itself in 2015. This gives us an opportunity to mark again the importance of respect for the rule of law, of which Magna Carta is a potent symbol and embodiment, and which is as important today as it was in the 13th century. It is also an opportunity to recognise the support and generosity of the American Bar Association and to celebrate the heritage and the values which we as British and American lawyers have in common.
Not all our citizens are as conscious of this heritage as they might be. We have a television quiz show (I understand) called The Biggest Game in Town. Recently a contestant on that show was asked: “What was signed to bring World War I to an end in 1918?” You can probably guess I’m about to tell you that the contestant gave the answer “Magna Carta”. So the 800th anniversary celebrations will have to include some awareness raising.
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50th Anniversary Dinner for the Magna Carta Trust
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