Public Forum

Mourn the secular humanists killed in South Asia and build inclusive and pluralist societies in our homelands

Sunday, June 21, 2015
2 PM – 5 PM
Policy Room 7000
SFU Harbour Centre Campus 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

Moderator: Zahid Makhdoom
Panelists: Ajay Bhardwaj, Aden dur-e-Aden, Anis Rahman, Harjap Grewal

Over the past few years there has been a systematic attack on secular humanists who have spoken out against the rising tide of religious fanaticism and politicized religion across South Asia. Not only has there been a growth of intolerance and violence against minorities but attempts to challenge these through speech and writing have been met with intimidation and violence. Activists, journalists, teachers, and writers have been threatened, beaten, and killed in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka by Hindu. Muslim, and Buddhist extremists, with impunity and often the complicity of the state. How shall we oppose this and work to build inclusive societies in the homelands we have left and the land where we have made our home?

Zahid Makhdoom is a champion of human rights and the rule of law; Ajay Bhardwaj is a filmmaker and graduate student at UBC; Aden dur-e-Aden is a graduate student at UBC; Anis Rahman is a graduate student at SFU; Harjap Grewal is a human rights, civil liberties, and environmental rights activist.

South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD), https://www.sansad.org;

sansad@sansad.org.
For more information: Chin Banerjee, 604-421-6752