20 November, 6.30pm
ICI London hosts
The 2026 Leconfield Lecture, part of the annual programme of the British Italian Society
Hyperdiversity: Challenge or Opportunity? A talk by Prof. Francesco BIllari, Rector of Bocconi University in Milan
We live in the most diverse era in history. Diversity gets a bad press, but it allows us to tap into all the talent that has been left on the sidelines. If we do nothing, however, we risk decline. How can Italy, or indeed Britain, innovate policy and institutions to adapt to this hyperdiverse world?
Join us for a talk by Prof. Francesco Billari, Rector of Bocconi University in Milan and a leading international scholar in demography. Drawing on his experience at Oxford University and the Max Planck Institute, he will explore how diversity can become a source of talent, innovation and opportunity – and what is at stake if we fail to act.
ICI London hosts the Leconfield Lecture, organised by the British Italian Society. The Leconfield Lecture is named after the first Chairman of the British-Italian Society, Hugh Wyndham, who was Chairman for 12 years in the 1940s and 1950s, and became Lord Leconfield in 1952. After Lord Leconfield’s death in 1963, Sir Ashley Clarke, then Chairman of the Society, inaugurated this series of prestigious lectures. Since 1978 the Leconfield Lectures have been the main event in the Society’s annual calendar (no Leconfield Lectures were held in the years 1970-72, 1975 or 1977). The lectures have always been given by a speaker of particular distinction.
More details HERE
Book your place HERE
Prof. Francesco Billari is Professor of Demography and Rector of Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. He has been a professor at Oxford University and Nuffield College and research director at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. He is also a Fellow of the British Academy and an Affiliate of the Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania. His main research interests are population change and its implications, fertility and family, transition to adulthood, life cycle analysis, population forecasting, digitalization and demography, and comparative surveys. His work has been published in leading scientific journals on demography, economics, epidemiology and public health, geography, sociology and statistics.
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 home.