16 October, 6.30pm
In the Footsteps of Marco Polo by Stanley Johnson
Published by Unicorn Publishing Group
The author in conversation with Francesco Bongarrà
A journey through China in the footsteps of Marco Polo, from the old world to the modern, travelling from the Summer Palace of Kublai Khan in Xanadu to Beijing. An extraordinary story of travel, discovery and a dream come true.
In the summer of 1961, Stanley Johnson, accompanied by Tim Severin and Michael de Larrabeiti, set out from Oxford on two BSA 500cc Shooting Star motorcycles to follow Marco Polo’s route from Venice to Beijing. Although they came tantalizingly close to the Chinese frontier, they were forced to divert to India. With one motorcycle out of action, the three of them rode the remaining machine down the Grand Truck Road from Kabul to Calcutta. In 2023, Stanley set off again with his fourth son, Max, to finish the journey he had started sixty-two years earlier. With a brilliant camera-crew in tow, they followed Marco Polo’s precise route across China, all the way to the Summer Palace of Kubla Khan in Xanadu and on to Beijing itself. This book tells the tale of an extraordinary dream come true.
Book your place HERE
Stanley Johnson, a former MEP, has worked for the World Bank, the United Nations and the European Commission in Brussels. He won the Newdigate prize for Poetry in 1962, the Greenpeace Prize and the RSPCA’s Richard Martin award in 1984, and the RSPB Medal and the WWF Leader of the Living Planet Award in 2015. Between 2019 and 2023, he served as the International Ambassador for the Conservative Environment Network (CEN). He is currently President of the Gorilla Organisation, Chairman of GEDU-Global Education Advisory Board, and Adviser to the World Coastal Forum. In 2017 he was the oldest contestant ever to appear in the reality television show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. He is the author of twelve non-fiction works on environmental and demographic topics, two volumes of memoir and eleven novels, one of which – The Commissioner – was made into a film starring John Hurt.
Important: Welcome to our new home
We are delighted to welcome you to the new home of the Italian Cultural Institute London.
To help ensure a smooth and efficient entry, please note the following:
- Each ticket must be issued in the full name of the person attending (first name, any middle names and surname), exactly as shown on their official identity document.
- A valid government-issued photo ID is required for entry.
- Please arrive at least 30 minutes before the event begins.
- We kindly ask you to read all the regulations in force at the Institute’s new premises HERE.
Checking these details before you arrive will help us welcome everyone efficiently and ensure a smooth experience without delays.
For organisational and safety reasons, admission may not be permitted.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We look forward to welcoming you to our new h