In their own words: 80 years of Wilton Park

“My time at Wilton Park is something I’ll always carry with me. As a disabled international student, I often find that discussions about accessibility happen around us, not with us, but Wilton Park was different. It was one of the few spaces where I felt my lived experience was truly valued and heard.

Sharing my story about the challenges disabled students face, particularly around the lack of caregiver visas and funding support, was deeply personal. Seeing those concerns reflected later in the official report was both humbling and affirming. It reminded me that when personal experiences meet policy dialogue, real change becomes possible. It was also a privilege to connect with colleagues from the Department for Education, Department for Business and Trade, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Beyond the discussions, being at Wiston House in West Sussex felt like stepping into a Bridgerton scene: calm, reflective, and full of purpose. What stayed with me most, though, was the kindness and openness in the room. It reminded me that progress isn’t just about policy, it’s about people who are willing to listen.”

“Wilton Park is a very special place which creates a fantastic opportunity for learning and exchanging ideas. And these ideas are not abstract but practical, generated by people from diverse countries wrestling with tricky problems and learning from each other. From Industrial Strategy to higher education, the discussions I have participated in have always left me more optimistic that even in difficult times progress is possible.”

Haboubacar attended a Wilton Park conference in 2023 to explore how climate finance can address the root causes of famine. The dialogue drew on experience and evidence from Somalia and Niger to develop solutions for overcoming barriers faced by fragile and conflict-affected states in accessing climate finance. It brought together key stakeholders to build the actions and momentum needed to harness climate financing for resilient and sustainable food systems, helping to prevent and reduce humanitarian crises, especially famine.

“I had the honour of being at this prestigious and historic venue, which has served as a source of reflection and action that has had a profound impact on humanity and present and future generations. Wilton Park is the building where the minds that contribute most to sustainable development, international cooperation, trade relations, progress, and the flourishing of humanity are born.”

Donald attended two Wilton Park dialogues on the International Trade Centre and Trade Facilitation in preparation for the Ninth World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference held in Bali, Indonesia.

“Wilton Park is a unique place where people from all over the world come together to freely discuss global issues of the day and genuinely express themselves. It is, in many ways, a multilateral forum akin to the United Nations General Assembly.
I participated in two important conferences on the International Trade Centre and Trade Facilitation, in preparation for the World Trade Organization’s Bali Conference. The ideas and insights I picked up from fellow participants still assist me today in my university lectures on International Relations. It was very empowering to meet senior trade officials from the UK and many other countries, and I learnt that trade facilitation is an essential dimension of economic development in today’s globalised world, especially from a developing country perspective.

I was also very impressed to see a team of young university students at the meeting. When I asked what they were doing, they told me they had come to assist their senior minister with trade information they had gathered. I always tell my colleagues that we need to involve our young people at an early stage in development issues.

I was equally struck by how the seating arrangements were organised to avoid the same people sitting together each time. You had to pick a number, and it couldn’t be exchanged, meaning you made friends from different countries along the way. As a result of my Wilton Park participation, the experience has been everlasting, and the group photos remain some of my most valued keepsakes, still part of my office furniture today.”