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2008 All-Ireland Humanist Summer School

Humanism in the Global Village

Carlingford Heritage Centre, Co. Louth

Friday 29th, Saturday 30th, Sunday 31st August 2008

jointly hosted by

Belfast Humanist Group
Humanist Association of Northern Ireland
Humanist Association of Ireland

Introduction: Humanism in the Global Village

Programme of Events

Speaker Profiles

Carlingford Heritage Centre

Accommodation

Application Information

* * * * *

Humanism in the Global Village

Humanism has been for many years an international movement. However, most groups had small beginnings arising from the needs of the local or national community. This is true in Ireland, North and South, where religious denominations claiming moral superiority over the population had been the norm. Those who professed no religion, ipso facto, were deemed immoral and without ethics, and were therefore disregarded.

The world wide nature of Humanism has made the voice of Humanists louder and more confident; the voice of international Humanism, the International and Ethical Union is heard at UN level. The growth of the 'global village' means that Humanists can now share their actions, difficulties and aspirations world wide.

The All-Ireland Humanist Summer School is pleased that representatives with knowledge and experience of the wider world and those from 'home' will be sharing their experiences this year. One of India's famous leaders, Jawaharlal (Pandit) Nehru (1889-1964), wrote 'Nor am I greatly interested in life after death. I find the problems of this life sufficiently absorbing to fill my mind.” We hope the talks, conversations and issues at the summer school will be sufficiently absorbing for one weekend.

Programme

PROGRAMME
Friday 29th
20.00 Informal Gathering Four Seasons Hotel in reserved area
Saturday 30th
09.15 Registration
10.00 Introduction and Welcome JUSTIN KEATING
10.30 How Religion interacts with Politics and Human Rights DIANA BROWN
11.15 Q and A
11.30 Tea and Coffee; sale of books, CDs, DVDs
12.00 Climate Change: Threat and Opportunity JOHN WOODS
12.45 Q and A
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Workshops
15.00 Slieve Foy ramble for the energetic
20.00 Dinner: Four Seasons Hotel (paid in advance)
Sunday 31st
10.00 Humanism in Iraq and the Islamic world DR WUJUD LAFTA
10.45 Q and A
11.00 Tea and coffee
11.30 Speaker to be announced (watch this space!)
12.30 Close

Speaker Profiles

JUSTIN KEATING
President of HAI, Emeritus Professor of veterinary medicine, writer, former TD and government minister
JOHN WOODS
Director, Friends of the Earth, Northern Ireland
DIANA BROWN
Diana was on the board of Population Concern (recently renamed Interact Worldwide); also a co-founder of the World Population Foundation. She was IHEU's UN NGO Representative in Geneva for two years and has also edited the International Humanist News.
Dr WUJUD LAFTA, M.D.
Secular Humanist Association, Iraq. Currently has refugee status in Italy. Fourth speaker to be announced
CHAIR
Les Reid, Chairman, Belfast Humanist Group

Carlingford Heritage Centre

According to Irish legend, the giant Finn MacCool roamed the land around Carlingford, and on his last day he gathered a large piece of earth and threw it out to sea. He then lay to rest and ended his life as the mountain Slieve Foy, which rises behind the seaside town. The shape of his body can be seen in the shape of the mountain. And the earth he threw? Naturally, it became the Isle of Man.

Carlingford, a beautiful medieval town located 65 miles from Dublin and 55 miles from Belfast, nestles between Slieve Foy, Carlingford Lough and the Mourne Mountains. It has more ancient buildings than any similar sized town in Ireland, and one of them - right at the foot of the mountain - is the Heritage Centre. This former place of worship is now a secular venue and therefore a perfect setting for a Humanist gathering.

Accommodation

Accommodation must be booked separately. Carlingford has several hotels including the new Four Seasons, The Park and McKevitts and well as Bed and Breakfast accommodation.

Carlingford is a very popular spot for visitors and tourists. The best places to stay fill up quickly, so please make sure to book your accommodation as soon as possible!

Carlingford Tourist Office, Co Louth, Tel. 00353 (0)42 937 3033. Email info@carlingford.ie www.carlingford.ie

You can find a list accommodation links here.

Applications

To attend the summer school please book by sending your contact information together with payment to any of the following

Humanist Association of Ireland
Ann James, Rose Cottage, Coach Rd, Balrothery, Balbriggan,
Co. Dublin, Tel: 00 353 87 9817861
anncjames@hotmail.com

Humanist Association of NI
Alan Watson, 34 The Cutts, Derriaghy, Belfast BT17 9HN
Tel: 028 9062 0427
alan.watson34@btinternet.com
www.nireland.humanists.net

Belfast Humanist Group
Patricia Bartlett, 7 Coates Gardens, Carrickfergus BT38 7XA
Tel. 028 9336 4221
geoffhindley@googlemail.com
patricia@bartlett4483.freeserve.co.uk
www.belfast.humanists.net

Events must be paid for in advance.

Costs:
Full weekend: €45/£36
Saturday events only: €30/£24
Sunday events only: €15/£12

Concession rate for unwaged: half above rates.

Dinner on Saturday €30/£24

Note: Coffee and Tea are provided during in the morning, but lunch is not included. Carlingford offers a number of venues that do lunches and attendees are free to join others at any one of these or make their own arrangements.