Humanists UK Convention is just three months away

31 March, 2022

As March comes to a close, Humanists UK Convention 2022 is now less than three months away.

The weekend begins with the wildly popular Friday evening comedy, featuring Humanists UK patron Angela Barnes, The Blame Game’s Colin Murphy, Newsquiz’s Eleanor Tiernan, and hosted by Northern Ireland Humanists patron Tim McGarry. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, it opens up into a weekend of plenaries and panels, discussions and debates, covering our humanist heritage, apostasy in the UK, and some crucial Humanists UK and Northern Ireland Humanists campaigns, such as blasphemy repeal and so-called ‘conversion therapy’.

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Throughout the weekend, guests will hear from too many fantastic speakers to name individually, with many humanist favourites among them, including: Professor A C Grayling, philosopher and author of over 30 books, including The Good Book and Democracy and its Crises; biblical historian and author of God: An Anatomy, Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou; and – we can announce – psychologist, magician, and author of Quirkology, Rip it Up!, and 59 Seconds, Professor Richard Wiseman.

And Dr Adam Rutherford will deliver the keynote address – his first as President of Humanists UK – on the Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics.

It is almost three years since the Humanists UK Convention was held in person. It is always a highlight of the humanist calendar – one weekend in the year to get away from all the noise, to explore another city, to hear (and contribute to) fascinating discussions about the world we live in – and to meet friends old and new.

Tickets are available from humanists.uk/convention2022.

Notes:

Humanists UK Convention 2022 will take place in Belfast over 24-26 June. Confirmed speakers and acts include:

Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK; Kate Devlin, author of Turned On: Science, Sex, and Robots; Madeleine Goodall, Humanist Heritage Coordinator; A C Grayling, philosopher, author, and Vice President of Humanists UK; Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; Laura Lacole, campaigner and model, who, with husband Eunan O’Kane, secured humanist marriage in Northern Ireland in 2017; Gary McLelland, Chief Executive of Humanists International; Adam Rutherford, geneticist, author, and next President of Humanists UK; Imtiaz Shams, co-founder of the Faith to Faithless ‘apostate’ support service; Francesca Stavrakopoulou, biblical historian, and author of God: An Anatomy; Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Campaigns Officer at Humanists UK; Richard Wiseman, psychologist, author, and magician; comedians Angela Barnes, Tim McGarry, Colin Murphy, Eleanor Tiernan; and more, with many others still to be announced.

For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk or phone 020 7324 3072 or 020 3675 0959.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by 100,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.