As the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet has witnessed and reported on some of the most consequential events of our time. She has reported from Iran and Afghanistan since 1988, played a leading role in the BBC’s coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings reporting from Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria, and has covered major wars as well as efforts to make peace in the Middle East since 1994. In 2022 she covered the Russian invasion of Ukraine live from Kyiv as Putin’s tanks crossed the border. And most recently having reported on the ground in Iran in February 2026, Doucet has been a hugely insightful voice explaining the consequences of the U.S-Israeli led war on the country and what it means for the world. 

Doucet is renowned for her compassionate, human-centred reporting often in times of war and suffering. On September 15, she comes to the Intelligence Squared stage to share her reflections and insights from the frontlines.

Doucet will also discuss the themes and approach of her Women’s Prize-shortlisted book, The Finest Hotel in Kabul, a vivid history of Afghanistan as seen from the iconic Inter-Continental Hotel. Drawing on years of interviews with its staff and guests, the book traces the country’s tumultuous history – from the Soviet withdrawal and civil war to the US invasion and the return of the Taliban – through the prism of this landmark hotel and the lives of the staff who kept it running during war and peace.  

Join us for an evening of discussion at Union Chapel, and have your questions answered in the audience Q&A.

Praise for The Finest Hotel in Kabul

‘The Finest Hotel in Kabul plays to all Lyse Doucet’s strengths. Clarity, empathy, depth of knowledge and innate grasp of fine detail . . . a most readable account of joy, despair and resilience in one of the world’s most fascinating countries.’ MICHAEL PALIN

‘An incredible book – vivid and beautifully written, it captures the soul of Afghanistan through an age of hopes and heartbreak, as well as one of constant change. A tender, wise and quietly devastating book.’ ― PETER FRANKOPAN, author of The Silk Roads

‘What a beautiful book – inventive, compassionate, witty, brilliantly structured. An extraordinary introduction to Afghanistan, and a tribute to one of the finest correspondents of our age.’ ― RORY STEWART, author of Politics On the Edge and The Places in Between

Please note that, due to the nature of her work as a foreign correspondent, Lyse Doucet may be required to report on major global events at short notice. In that case, she may appear remotely, or the event may be postponed or cancelled.