LSESU Grimshaw Club

Join the Grimshaw Club for a visit to the Swiss Embassy on Thursday 7 May, 11.30AM-12.30PM!

Sign-ups will open at 2PM tomorrow. The form will be closed on 28 April, or once a capacity of 40 has been reached. The link can be found here: https://forms.gle/E6Nhaaj7X2rX2u676

This event was organised by Outreach Officer Aronima Biswas and VP Jinyi Li.

On 14 March, the Grimshaw Club, in collaboration with 8 student societies, had the pleasure of hosting the annual London Diplomacy Ball.

Taking advantage of London’s position as a global hub for diplomacy, the London Diplomacy Ball aims to bring together diplomats from around the world and students aspiring to careers in diplomacy for an evening of meaningful professional and cultural exchange.

We were delighted to welcome 15 diplomats from across the globe, offering students a valuable opportunity to learn from their experiences:

Jennifer Upton, Former British Diplomat and Army Officer
H.E. Ambassador Maurice Makoloo, High Commissioner of Kenya
H.E. Guido Juvenal Martinelli Merida, Ambassador of Panama
John Everard, Former British Ambassador to North Korea, Uruguay and Belarus
Giovanna Gómez Valdivia, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Peru
Marian Yun, Head of Partnerships, UN World Food Programme London Global Office
Mir Nurani Rupoma, Counsellor, Bangladesh High Commission
Siham Rami, Counsellor, Embassy of Morocco
Bruno Santos de Oliveira, Counsellor, Embassy of Brazil
Esteban Pronato, Counsellor, Embassy of Argentina
Octavio Perales Sánchez, Head of International Cooperation, Embassy of Mexico
Jorge Enrique Córdoba Currea, Education Attaché, Embassy of Colombia
Victoria Armayor, First Secretary, Embassy of Argentina
Paulina Kruminaite, Second Secretary, Australian High Commission
Erza Arighi, Third Secretary, Indonesian Embassy

Led by Diplomacy Ball Officer Charlie Mylechreest, this event was made possible through the collaboration of the LSESU Grimshaw Club, United Nations Society, International Development Society, Amnesty International Society, UCL Diplomacy Society, UCL IR Society, KCL Diplomacy Society, Oxford Diplomatic Society, as well as SOAS Politics and UN Society.

We are especially grateful to our keynote speaker, Jennifer Upton, for her reflections on diplomacy, negotiation and influence, as well as the Oxonian Diplomatic Chapter for their valued support.

We extend our sincere thanks to guests for contributing to an evening defined by curiosity, exchange, and inspiration.

This event was photographed by Luka Lacey.

The Grimshaw Club had the honour of hosting LSE’s Day of the London University Diplomatic Summit on 9 March under the theme ‘Bordered Realities: Security, Mobility and Meaning in Global Politics’.

We explored how boundaries and divisions (tangible and imagined) shape the understanding of states, societies and individuals on forms of im/possibility, welcoming 15 speakers and over 80 students across three panel discussions:

‘Weaponising Interdependence? Trade, Technology and National Security’, applying the logics of interdependence and insecurity to the challenges facing the multilateral trading system today;

‘Constructing the Migrant: Race, Racialisation and Discourse’, addressing migration and identity politics in an age of mass media while examining exclusionary forms of belonging and citizenship reproduced from empire;

‘Living with Unfinished Pasts: Memory and Reconciliation After Conflict’, revealing transferable lessons to how we understand society amidst armed conflict, while shedding light on how we champion peace in our local communities.

Recognising the privilege that having access to these spaces comes with, we hoped to lend visibility to organisations doing meaningful work locally. We are proud to have worked with The Baytree Centre, a social inclusion charity for women and girls.

The Summit highlighted the contingency surrounding ‘Bordered Realities’ — divisions are made meaningful because (and only when) people believe in them. The Grimshaw Club was truly honoured to have provided a space to deconstruct these ‘borders’, interrogate their assumptions and find constructive ways forward.

Thank you to all who joined us! This event was organised by VP Jinyi Li as well as Ylva Sophie Kopineck, Olivia Álvarez Giorgi, Nigel Pang, Zahra Salihi, Aronima Biswas, Olivia Neuray, Tanvi Sureka and Cara Spitzer.

This event was photographed by Luka Lacey and Belle Venize.

Join us for a chat with the South African High Commission next Tuesday!

South Africa’s G20 presidency provided insight into how middle powers are reforming multilateralism and what this means for the world order, which is facing unprecedented pressure.

In this student dialogue, diplomats from the South African High Commission will join us to discuss the priorities of South Africa during its G20 presidency and its legacy on South Africa’s middle power diplomacy in the current world order. We will also examine the Just Energy Transition Partnership, including its significance in South Africa’s energy transition and bilateral relationship with the UK.

The format will be a presentation followed by a free and easy Q&A. Hot drinks will be provided!

This event was organised by Outreach Officer Aronima Biswas and VP Jinyi Li. No registration is required!

Join us for a chat with the South African High Commission next Tuesday!

South Africa’s G20 presidency provided insight into how middle powers are reforming multilateralism and what this means for the world order, which is facing unprecedented pressure.

In this student dialogue, diplomats from the South African High Commission will join us to discuss the priorities of South Africa during its G20 presidency and its legacy on South Africa’s middle power diplomacy in the current world order. We will also examine the Just Energy Transition Partnership, including its significance in South Africa’s energy transition and bilateral relationship with the UK.

The format will be a presentation followed by a free and easy Q&A. Hot drinks will be provided!

Come join us for our end of year pub social with UCL Diplomacy Society! Celebrating the end of term with drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and peers!

📅: Wednesday 25th March 2026
⏰: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
📌: The Perseverance Pub, WC1N 3NB

Economic Diplomacy Today: Trade, Negotiation and Influence offers a unique opportunity to explore a concept that shapes global affairs in powerful ways, yet often goes unnoticed in everyday debate. Economic diplomacy sits at the intersection of trade, politics, investment, and international influence, making it an increasingly important part of how states pursue their interests in a changing world.

Bringing together experienced practitioners, this event will open a conversation on what economic diplomacy really means in practice. Together, we will explore questions such as: how does economic diplomacy intersect with security? Is it more cooperative or competitive? What are the main trends shaping it today? What role does public diplomacy play in supporting economic goals? And what should students interested in this field know if they hope to build a career in it? This event is designed to make economic diplomacy accessible, relevant, and engaging for anyone interested in the future of international affairs.

This event was organised by Outreach Officer Olivia Álvarez Giorgi and VP Jinyi Li.

We are excited to announce that the Grimshaw Club will be visiting the Peruvian Embassy on Wednesday 25 March, 4-6PM! Join us for a chat with the Ambassador and tour of the art gallery at the Embassy.

Sign-ups will open at 11AM tomorrow, and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. There are 30 slots in total. The link can be found in our bio!

This event was organised by Outreach Officer Sara Hughes.

Last weekend, Grimshaw Club members headed to the heart of the EU for Europe Weekend 2026, hosted by

From the halls of the Fondation Universitaire to the Parlementarium, we spent 48 hours diving deep into the future of European security and strategic power.

The Highlights:
🎙 High-Level Panels: Discussing NATO, defence budgets, and “Hamiltonian moments” with H.E. Amb. van de Voorde, Andrea Palasciano, and Dr. Samuel B.H. Faure.
🤝 Diplomatic Wisdom: Learning the “art of the possible” from a roundtable of three Belgian Honorary Ambassadors.
⚖️ Strategy & Unity: Exploring how the EU can move from “Europe by default” to “Europe by design” with Mr. Stefaan De Rynck and Mr. Jim Cloos.
🗣 Skills in Action: An eloquence workshop and parliamentary debate to sharpen our public speaking.

Huge thanks to the organizers for a weekend of brilliant dialogue and new connections across 🇫🇷, 🇩🇪, 🇧🇪, and 🇬🇧.

Join us for a panel discussion next Wednesday on international human rights law with international lawyers and former UN leadership!

In an international landscape marked by persistent crises and imbalanced power, the role of international law is under scrutiny, with growing questions over the capacity of legal institutions to act fairly and effectively. Historically, international law has been criticised for reflecting global power asymmetries, raising concerns over whose interests are protected and whose voices are excluded.

This event will explore the function of international law in responding to contemporary crises, with particular attention to how claims to sovereignty, legitimacy and justice shape both the use and limits of legal intervention. Drawing on postcolonial perspectives, the discussion will also examine how international law was rooted in colonial encounters and exclusion, producing unequal structures that persist in spite of its ‘universal’ label. By situating law within context, the event seeks to critically assess the challenges of applying international norms in a world of enduring inequalities and hierarchies, evaluating its effectiveness in humanitarian crises.

This event is open to all LSE students — there are 70 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis on the day (no signups required). This event was organised by Speaker Officer Chiara Boglione, Outreach Officer Sara Hughes and VP Jinyi Li.