St Mary's and the Tablet to Host Event on Freedom of Speech and Religious Belief

As part of St Mary’s University, Twickenham’s 165^th anniversary celebrations, it will co-host a panel event on the conflict between freedom of speech and respect for faith groups with The Tablet in London on Tuesday 17^th November 2015. St Mary’s Vice-Chancellor Francis Campbell will be joined by former Home Secretary The Rt Hon Jack Straw and author Dr Adrian Pabst. The debate will be chaired by the BBC’s Religious Affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt. The joint event at Westminster Cathedral has been arranged to mark two significant anniversaries; the 165^th anniversary of St Mary’s and The Tablet’s 175^th year of continuous publication. The panellists will explore where the balance should be struck between open debate and respect for different faith groups. In a 24-hour media cycle, with global events constantly throwing up questions around extremism and tolerance, and social networking opening up ever more platforms for debate, there has never been a more important time to consider this issue. The debate is on Tuesday 17^th November from 6.30pm in Cathedral Hall, Westminster Cathedral, and will be followed by a drinks reception. The event is free and open to the public, for more information or to book tickets please contact tabletstmarys@lexcomm.co.uk.