Series 8:
Speeches, 1972-1989
This series comprises drafts of speeches written and delivered by White in the last two decades of his life. While a small number of the speeches relate to awards that he received, most present White's views on contemporary issues with which he was particularly concerned. Topics covered in the speeches include the Green Ban movement, patriotism, nuclear disarmament, democracy, human rights and the environment, with many containing interesting insights as to White's philosophy and world view. Also of interest is a speech delivered in Athens at the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Greek student uprising and fall of the military dictatorship, which White attended at the invitation of the Greek Government in 1983.
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Speeches, 1972-1984 Draft speeches by White, mostly typescript, some with corrections: untitled speech giving White's views on Jack Mundey (c.1982); short handwritten notes on nuclear disarmament with statement on Aborigines and mining companies (c.1982?); 'Role of the Australian citizen in a nuclear war' (1983); 'Town Hall rally' on urban development (Sydney, June 1972); 'Address to the Librarians of Australia' (Mitchell Library, September 1980); 'National Book Council Awards' (Melbourne, October 1980), together with NBC Seventh Annual Literary Dinner agenda and head table plan; 'People for Nuclear Disarmament' (Melbourne, October 1981); 'The state of the Colony' (1981); 'A letter to humanity' (Sydney, November 1982); 'Speech at demonstration for nuclear disarmament' (Sydney, April 1982); 'Citizens for Democracy' (1983); 'Patrick White at celebrations of the student uprising and fall of the Junta' (Athens, November 1983); 'Australian patriotism' (Sydney, January [1984?]). A presentation folder given to White on the occasion of his 1983 Athens speech is filed at Series 8, Folder 3.
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Speeches, 1984-1989 Draft speeches by White, mostly typescript, some with corrections. Including: 'The search for an alternative to futility' (c.1984); speech given at the launch of Australia and Nuclear War edited by Michael Denborough (ANU, March 1984); 'Hiroshima Day' (Sydney 1984); 'Peace & other matters' (Auckland, November 1986); 'To Artur Lundevist' (1986), on the occasion of his 80th birthday in Stockholm; 'A sense of integrity' (La Trobe University, July 1988); in absentia speech written for Friends of Wolli Creek rally (October 1984).
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Papers relating to the 10th anniversary celebrations of overthrow of the Greek military dictatorship, 1983 Presentation folder for official guests of the Greek Government attending the 10th anniversary celebrations of the overthrow of the military dictatorship, containing: program; address by Xenophon Peloponnisios, President of the Association of Imprisoned and Exiled Anti-Sedition Citizens; and 3 certificates given to White in honour of his support of the resistance movement. A speech delivered by White at this event is filed at Series 8, Folder 1.
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