AUTHOR Michael Morpurgo unofficially launched the 2015 York Festival of Ideas last night, when he joined actress Alison Reid, violinist Daniel Pioro and the Storyteller's Ensemble at York Minster for an evening of words and music based on his holocaust novel The Mozart Question.

Officially, however, the Festival kicks off on Tuesday. Philosopher AC Grayling will be discussing the nature of truth at the Tempest Anderson Hall. He will be followed by the disgraced former Conservative cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken (see story on facing page), who will talk about his life in journalism, politics - and prison.

Then, for the next couple of weeks, York will be positively fizzing with ideas and events. The overall theme for this year's festival is secrets and discoveries. And the line-up is probably the best yet in the festival's brief history.

It includes a NATO general and a Guardian investigative journalist going head to head over the Edward Snowden leaks; screenwriter Andrew Davies (who brought us the TV version of Pride and Prejudice which featured Colin Firth stripping off and plunging into a pond) talking about film making and literary adaptations; Nobel Prize-winning economist and philosopher Amartya Sen pondering the nature of democracy; and a session on how to take the perfect penalty kick.

To find out more, or to download a brochure, visit yorkfestivalofideas.com/2015/

Meanwhile, here are a few highlights:

BLOB Secrets of Penalty Kicks. Find out how to take the perfect penalty (suitable for children over 7 with parental supervision) Foss Sports Hall, York St John University, Tuesday June 9, 10am-11.30am and 4pm-5.30pm. Tickets free from bit.ly/1a2mLMv or 01904 876565 BLOB Truth, Trust and Trysts: philosopher AC Grayling explores how the truth can be destructive as well as good.

Followed at 7.15pm by Secrets from Journalism, Politics and Prison. Former cabinet member Jonathan Aitken reveals 'secrets from a life in journalism'.

Opening night, Tuesday June 9, Tempest Anderson Hall, 5.30pm. Tickets free.

BLOB What are the demands of democracy? Nobel Prize-winner Amartya Sen discusses the nature of democracy.

University of York Central Hall, Wednesday June 10, 6.45pm, tickets free.

BLOB Rowntree York Revealed: listen to recordings of Rowntree workers describing their lives, and join Bridget Morris of the Rowntree Society as she discusses Rowntree's unique heritage.

St Helen's Church, Thursday June 11. 11am-4pm exhibition. 6pm lecture. Free, no ticket required.

PLUS Rowntree York: 1000 memories uncovered. Wall to wall display of old pictures at the Friends Meeting House in Friargate from 10am to 4pm throughout the festival, or listen to memories on an 'audio post' in Rowntree Park, near the reading café.

BLOB Andrew Davies in Conversation.

Ron Cooke Hub, University of York, Friday June 12, 6pm. Tickets free.

BLOB Future Cities: How will we live next? Lancaster University's Professor Nick Dunn looks at how technology will change our cities - and the way we live in them - in future.

Ron Cooke Hub, University of York, Sunday June 14, 3.15pm. Tickets free BLOB Behind the Scenes at the York Archaeological Trust. A chance to visit the trust's store to see and handle archaeological treasures not on display.

421 Huntington Road, Tuesday June 16, 10.30am-12 noon and 2.30-4pm. Tickets £4 from jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk/events or 01904 615505 BLOB Prostitution in Victorian York. Author Frances Finnegan's illustrated talk about an unappreciated aspect of York's past.

Room K/133 King's Manor, Thursday June 18, 6.30pm. Tickets free.

BLOB Surveillance, Snowden and Security. Guardian journalist Ewen MacAskill and NATO deputy chief of staff Major General Gordon 'Skip' Davis join a panel discussion about the implications of the Edward Snowden leaks and their publication in newspapers.

University of York, 3pm-4.30pm, June 20. Tickets free.