MEMBERS of the public have been invited to discuss the coronavirus recovery programme at this year’s Festival of Ideas.

The online panel discussion, in partnership with Make It York, will explore how the city can harness the community spirit demonstrated throughout lockdown to achieve inclusive economic recovery in a way that benefits everyone - with audience members able to join in the conversation through interactive Q&As.

A panel of speakers, chaired by Greg Dyke, former BBC Director General and now Chair of Make It York, will set out York’s ambition to play a key role in a national and international road to economic and societal post-Covid-19 recovery.

The discussion will explore whether York could act as a national pilot location for positive solutions in the coming months, due to its size, economic structure, universities and geography.

Professor Charlie Jeffery, Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, will outline ideas for driving skills, innovation, growth, inward investment and support for inclusive economic growth. Signe Jungersted, CEO of Group NAO, helped transform tourism in Copenhagen, and will discuss the future nature of travel and tourism.

York-based Juliana Delaney, CEO of Continuum Attractions, will talk about resilience and the impacts of lockdown, while Walter Boettcher, Chief Economist at Colliers International, will provide a national perspective and outline the reforms and change needed as we plan for the future.

Joan Concannon, Director of York Festival of Ideas, said: “We are thrilled to be launching this year’s Festival with an event exploring how people in York are working together to make a difference in our City.

“As a University our values and commitment to being a university for public good has never been more important and the COVID-19 pandemic has increased our commitment to finding new ways to work with partners across the City to find positive solutions to the crisis and to identify how we can create a roadmap to recovery for York.

“I’d like to thank all our partners, supporters and speakers for helping us to pull together such an amazing Festival programme in record time.”

Greg Dyke, Chair of Make It York, added: “Planning recovery post Covid-19 is hugely complex challenge and there is no doubt that it will be tough. But in some ways it gives York a real opportunity to be ambitious about how economic recovery and growth is driven forward.

“York is a unique city with a history of being able to reinvent itself and show adaptability and resilience in the face of what may seem like insurmountable challenges - and in this event we are setting out to explore how we draw on that spirit in our recovery plan for the city.”

To find out more, visit yorkfestivalofideas.com.