The Disrupted Festival of Ideas is tackling a subjective topic this year with their theme ‘the truth’. From 11am this Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, guest speakers will discuss whether the truth can be manipulated, changed by opinion, and question the age-old saying that “the truth will set you free”. Held in the State Library of WA in the Perth Cultural Centre, panels and discussions will be led by local and international speakers across a program that is designed to spark conversation.
Keynote speakers for the event are Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Leigh Sales, Prof Geoff Gallop, Dr Tracy Westerman, and Bri Lee. Every event is free and will be live-streamed alongside the hashtag #DisruptedFestival for anyone who can’t make it in person. A full copy of the program is available through the State Library website, in conjunction with a summary of the highlights below.
Dr Tracy Westerman: The Truth About Suicide Prevention
11am, Saturday, Discovery Lounge
Western Australian of the Year 2018, Adjunct Professor Tracy Westerman has dedicated her career to promoting and educating in the area of Indigenous mental health. As the truth about suicide rates in Indigenous communities unfold, Westerman urges us to see why optimism is critical to Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention.
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki: What is Truth?
4.45pm, Saturday, Discovery Lounge
Do mobile phones really cause cancer? Do vaccines cause Autism? Was the Great Fire of London started by a Catholic Frenchman? “Facts” like these have been disproved over and over and yet they remain. Join Dr Karl as he takes a deep historical dive to uncover the mis-truths that have infiltrated our everyday. Dr Karl will be signing copies of any of his books at 3.30pm on Saturday and 4.30pm on Sunday.
Leigh Sales: Any Ordinary Day
11am, Sunday, Discovery Lounge
What would you do if everything you believed to be true changed in a moment? The day a life turns upside down usually starts like any other. But what happens the day after that? Dual Walkley Award-winner Leigh Sales discusses her new book, Any Ordinary Day, which investigates how ordinary people endure the unthinkable and are forced to explore their own truth in the face of great adversity. Sales will be signing copies of her third book Any Ordinary Day at 10am on Sunday.
The Disrupted Festival of Ideas takes place this Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28 at the State Library of WA. A full program of events can be found here.
