Leslie Bethell Annual Lecture on Brazil

15 October 2026 17:00 to 20:30

15Oct

For more than six decades, Leslie Bethell has shaped the field through his pioneering research, teaching, and leadership, as editor of The Cambridge History of Latin America, Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies (London), and Director of the Brazil Centre (Oxford).

This annual lecture will celebrate his extraordinary contribution to the study and understanding of Brazil and Latin America, ensuring that his legacy continues to inspire future generations of scholars and students.

Keynote Speaker: Corrêa do Lago

André Aranha Corrêa do Lago is an economist graduated from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and a career diplomat. He has held positions in the fields of international organizations, trade promotion, protocol, and energy. He has worked on sustainable development and climate issues since 2001, serving as Brazil’s chief negotiator on climate change and also during the Rio+20 Conference. From 2023 to 2025, he served as Secretary for Climate, Energy, and Environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before being appointed President of COP30.

In honour of: Professor Leslie Bethell

Professor Leslie Bethell, who will be joining this event, is one of the most influential historians of modern Latin America, especially Brazil. After earning a first‑class BA and PhD in History from the University of London, he held senior posts at Bristol, UCL, the University of Chicago, and St Antony’s College, Oxford. He is the author of numerous books and essays on Brazilian history, culture and politics, and was a Visiting Professor at King’s College London, Brazil Institute, from 2011 to 2017.

He directed the University of London’s Institute of Latin American Studies and later founded the Centre for Brazilian Studies at Oxford. Bethell is a member of the Academia Brasileira de Ciências and one of twenty foreign members of the Academia Brasileira de Letras. His contributions have been recognised with major Brazilian honours, including the Ordem do Cruzeiro do Sul and the Ordem Nacional do Mérito Científico.

Since his retirement, he has lived in Rio de Janeiro.

Introduced by: Antonio Patriota

Ambassador of Brazil in the UK, Antonio Patriota, previously served as Ambassador to the United States, Italy, Egypt, Eritrea, and as Permanent Representative to the UN, where he chaired both the Commission on the Status of Women and the Peacebuilding Commission. A career diplomat with postings in Geneva, New York, Beijing and Caracas, he studied at Brazil’s Diplomatic Academy and the University of Geneva.

Thank you very much to those that contributed to the Just Giving page to make this series possible.