The local UN Association organises an annual Celebration of Human Rights, based on the UN Declaration of Human Rights, with a different local group acting as host and choosing a theme based on one of the articles.

This year we are hosting the event and we chose Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Free speech is especially topical this year, in view of the attempts by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to introduce an international blasphemy law, and individuals being arrested in the UK for expressing their opinions on social media sites like Facebook. As most of the contributors to the UN Celebration will be representatives of local religious organisations who are affiliated (as we are) to Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource, it will be interesting to hear what they make of the theme. Each group, and other organisations who’ve been invited, will make a short contribution to the celebration.

Local politicians and media people have been invited, including the Mayor of Ipswich. The venue is the Atrium on the ground floor of the West Building at University Campus, Suffolk, where we’ve been meeting for the past year. We’ll be there on December 11th from 8pm. Please come and hear a variety of opinions on this very important subject.

Everyone is very welcome and refreshments will be provided, but if you let us know you’re coming it would be helpful. Click here to RSVP.

Click here for a map and directions (pdf).

Image from The Indian Muslim Observer