As is usual at this time of year, our city centre was almost overflowing last weekend, with tourists young and old, and from several different continents/countries.

But you wouldn’t have to have been particularly perceptive to have realised that there was also something unusual going on in the Sheldonian, the Examination Halls and at Blackwell’s.

It was the 2014 World Humanist Conference, with its near 1,000 participants, including many from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America, and probably constituted the largest gathering of such folk since the millennium.

The theme of the conference was “Freedom of thought and expression”.

At the end of the conference, we agreed a “Declaration on Freedom of Thought and Expression”.

The World Humanist Congress, held every three years, is a unique event which, this time, brought together humanists from 67 countries under the auspices of the International Humanist and Ethical Union.

Regrettably, all the tickets were snapped up some months ago – but Blackwell’s hosted free, unticketed, events throughout the weekend which featured some of the better known speakers/authors.

The shop also created a temporary “Humanist” bookshop which, by all accounts, was certainly of interest to our overseas visitors.

Unsurprisingly, Oxford’s flourishing humanist community was well represented.

John D White, Chairman, Oxford Humanists, High Street, Chalgrove

 

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