This year marks the 150th anniversary of the National Secular Society, and to mark the occasion the society will be holding a conference and gala dinner in London on Saturday, September 3, featuring Jacques Berlinerblau, above, as the keynote speaker.
Berlinerblau authored the internationally acclaimed How To Be Secular – a passionate defence of the virtues of secularism.
“Secularism 2016: Living Better Together’ will be made up of panels of guest speakers, with discussions on education, human rights, and Islam and social cohesion.
It will also feature Turkish parliamentarian Safak Pavey, who will be speaking on secularism and the promotion of human rights, alongside Tehmina Kazi, formerly of British Muslims for Secular Democracy, and NSS Executive Director Keith Porteous Wood.
Paul Rowe, the chief executive of Educate Together – the education charity named ‘Secularist of the Year 2016’ for its work modelling inclusive schools, will be joined on the education panel by NSS Campaigns Director Stephen Evans, to discuss faith schools, the place of religion in schools and how to build an education system fairer to children, parents and teachers.
The final panel is on Islam and social cohesion, where the writer and journalist Douglas Murray will be speaking alongside Maajid Nawaz, the founder of counter-extremism think tank Quilliam, and Raheel Raza, the Canadian Muslim author of Their Jihad – Not My Jihad.
As the conference marks the 150th anniversary of the NSS, historian Deborah Lavin will be speaking on the fascinating history of its founder Charles Bradlaugh, the MP who was barred from taking his seat in parliament on account of his atheism.
After the conference our gala dinner will be an opportunity to hear from former presidents and honorary associates and for guests and speakers to talk and relax with other members, supporters, and NSS staff and directors.
Tickets for both the conference and gala dinner are still available, so get yours today before they sell out. Follow this link to book online.