Dr Graeme Chesters is a former Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Rotary Centre, University of Bradford, UK. The world's leading centre for the study of Peace and Conflict. His academic expertise is in international relations, world affairs and understanding conflict and the prevention of violence. Graeme has taught people conflict resolution, mediation and peace keeping techniques all over the world, including politicians, diplomats, journalists and NGO workers. This work led him to be nominated for a Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) and for a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). He has published a range of books and articles in both the academic and popular press.

Graeme is also a multi-award winning and internationally exhibited photographer whose work documenting the High Arctic and its peoples (Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard) led him to be invited as Artist in Residence at the Spitsbergen Artist Centre, on Svalbard in 2022. Graeme's exhibition 'Arctic People' will be the northernmost photography exhibition in the world in 2023, when it opens in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. He has his own photographic studio in Lancaster, England and in addition to his award winning documentary photography he is accomplished in both landscape and portraiture. Combining his academic expertise and photographic skill Graeme is often called upon to lecture about the history of war and conflict photography as well as the relationship between photographs and our understanding of people, place and change, most notably in the remote areas of the High Arctic.

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INDICATIVE PRESENTATIONS - PEACE AND CONFLICT

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What do we mean by peace? The Nordic Model of Peace and the Nobel Peace prize
- The word peace seems to have so many meanings, but what do those trying to resolve international conflict mean when they use it? Is it just the absence of something, of war or conflict, or is peace a 'process', and what does a peace process look like from the inside? In this presentation we will examine the history of peace and we will focus on the Nordic Model. We will discover why the Nordic countries are so closely associated with the pursuit of international peace and and how peace processes have transformed the lives of people around the world.

Conflict Resolution - What is it and why do we all need it?
- In this presentation we will explore examples of how people in different cultures and communities have acted to reduce conflict. We will look at methods of conflict resolution from inter-personal conflicts, to neighbourhood and community disputes, all the way to peace making processes between states. Are there conflict resolution skills we can all practice, what are they and how might we get better at using them?

War Photography - its history and impacts.
- In this presentation we will ask ourselves - Why do photographers go to war and what do they hope to achieve by documenting conflict? We will look at the work of famous war photographers from Robert Cappa to Don McCullin, Lee Miller to Tom Stoddart and James Nachtwey. How have they made sense of their roles, what experiences shaped their work and what impact did they have on those who saw their work in newspapers, magazines or exhibitions. We will look at the techniques and contexts in which these techniques were developed and try to understand what makes an image that can change the way the world sees a particular conflict.

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INDICATIVE PRESENTATIONS - ADVENTURE AND EXPLORATION

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Polar Exploration - from the 'Heroic Age' to modern expeditions
- In this presentation we will look at the history of Polar exploration through the viewpoints of contemporary polar explorers and expedition leaders. We will look at the contested accounts of who made it to the North Pole first? Recount the race to the South Pole between Scott and Amundsen and ask how these expeditions differ from those of contemporary scientific and fact-finding expeditions today. Based upon extensive interviews with contemporary polar explorers, including those who have reached both the North and South poles and who have crossed Antarctica unsupported, this presentation will look for the common characteristics of polar explorers, and ask how the people, places and technical equipment have changed over time.

Life in the High Arctic: people, place and change
- Longyearbyen on Svalbard is the northernmost permanently inhabited town in the world. In this presentation we will look at the people who call it home, their reasons for being there and what motivates them to stay. This presentation is based upon time spent interviewing and creating portraits with the community of Longyearbyen during a period as Artist in Residence at the Spitsbergen Artist Centre. We will examine the common issues facing people living in the high Arctic, their sense of place and community, the impacts of climate change and the daily dilemmas of living and working in an inhospitable but incredibly beautiful landscape.

True North: A place, idea or feeling?
The idea of 'True North' is a romantic one - and finds expression in literature, art and culture. This presentation will examine why the 'North' maintains such a grip on our collective imagination, as a place to be feared, explored or documented, from the tales of the Icelandic Sagas, Viking conquests, and mythical beings inhabiting icy wastes, to the exploits of explorers and the experiences and stories of those who have always called the North home. We will examine how the North became synonymous with adventure and exploration and ask whether true north is a place, idea of feeling?

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INDICATIVE WORKSHOPS ON PHOTOGRAPHY

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Workshop: How to take photographs people want to see.
In a world saturated with images, how can we create photographs that others want to see? How can we use photography to tell stories, create impact and communicate our creativity? This workshop explores simple techniques for making your photography compelling, it examines a range of genres from portraiture to landscape and wildlife photography illustrated using my own photographs and explains how these techniques can help you succeed in having your work seen by a wider audience.

Workshop: Introduction to photography in ice and snow.
This workshop will explain how to use your camera in cold environments, how to capture ice and snow, how to utilise the exposure triangle and get off automatic, why your white balance is so important and how to frame and interpret a scene in a way that makes it visually interesting for your audience.

Workshop: Photography in the polar regions: history, photographers and skills.
How have photographers interpreted the polar regions, from the historic days of polar expeditions and the work of Frank Hurley documenting the final moments of the Endeavour, through to contemporary documentation of the impacts of climate change by James Balog in his project 'Chasing Ice'. In this workshop we will think about how we can use our cameras to document the polar regions and the ways in which we can shape and inform the understandings of those whom see our work on our return.