Lucy Colback embarked on an extraordinary four-year quest to capture the voices of World War II survivors across continents. From the rugged Burma Road in China to the beaches of Normandy, from American veterans to Soviet teenagers, German soldiers, and Japanese civilians, she gathered stories from both sides of the conflict.
Her journey was not just about history; it was about humanity. Through personal testimonies and visits to battlegrounds and museums, Lucy uncovered the gap between official narratives and lived realities. These stories reveal courage, loss, and resilience—and challenge us to rethink what war truly means.
In her talk, Lucy shares what drove her to undertake this odyssey and the lessons she learned along the way.
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The Speaker
Lucy Colback is not just a journalist—she’s a storyteller who has roamed the globe in search of voices and histories that matter. With a keen eye on geopolitics and the enduring impact of World War II on today’s world, Lucy brings a unique perspective shaped by both scholarship and experience.
A Cambridge graduate in Chinese, she has studied in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, and Hong Kong, and lived in India, Pakistan, Singapore, London, and New York. After two decades in the finance sector, Lucy reinvented herself as a writer for the Financial Times.
Fluent in Mandarin and French, Lucy champions the idea that we should see beyond age and race to connect as humans. Her adventures span the Himalayas, the islands of Greece and Asia, and train journeys across Europe and China. More details: https://afterbursts.com/
PROGRAMME
Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am, Hong Kong Time
(Friday, 6 February, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, PST)
Venue: Online talk by Zoom
Admission: $50 for members, $60 for guests /non-members
Registration: Please email <membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk> and provide your membership number, if applicable, at the time of registration. Please kindly complete your registration by advance payment via Stripe's payment links below (using your Credit Card):
Members ($50):
https://buy.stripe.com/28EeVef3S54c1qzb4d5EY2S
Non-member / Guest ($60):
https://buy.stripe.com/9B6bJ28FudAIc5ddcl5EY2T
Details about the other payment option will be sent on registration. Upon receipt of payment, your registration will be confirmed by email. Registration will be closed at 12 noon on 6 February 2026. Zoom links will be sent before or by 6 February 2026.