The challenge of being faithful to your conscience in a climate of illiberal ‘tolerance’ will be the focus of a conference taking place in Belfast tomorrow.
The event, at the Wellington Park Hotel, has been organised by by The Iona Institute NI.
A host of experts will take part in the conference - entitled `The Future of Conscience in an Age of Intolerance' - including former police ombudsman Nuala O’Loan, who is campaigning for conscience rights through her sponsorship of a parliamentary bill which seeks to protect the freedom of conscience of medical professionals.
Also taking part in the event is Dr Helen Watt, a Senior Research Fellow at the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Oxford, whose publications and research interests include reproductive ethics, action theory and issues of cooperation and conscientious objection.
Tracy Harkin, Iona NI spokeswoman, said: "Freedom of conscience has become a major issue of our time. The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion are the hallmark of any genuinely pluralist and democratic society".
The conference will take place tomorrow from 10am to 1.30pm.
