Date: 31Mar 2015
Violations of elementary human rights are occurring on an unprecedented scale today and have reached a scale that has been rarely witnessed since the end of the Cold War. Ongoing conflicts around the world have manifested themselves in the form of increased discrimination, violence and even warfare; more than 100,000 casualties are estimated to have resulted from conflicts in Syria and Iraq alone, and various other crises are erupting worldwide. Sectarian tensions and violence motivated by religion are frequently presented as the primary causes for such conflicts: not only are religious conceptions of society and law alleged to compete with each other, religion has often been portrayed as universally incompatible with the requirements of a secular, modern society. But is religion truly at the root of such incompatibility? What kind of society should we strive to create in order to make peace between different religions possible?
This seminar invites students and staff of the university to present their thoughts, ideas, and concerns in relation to these questions. Subject to prior registration, HKU students gave speeches in the form of a well-prepared statement. All other attendees were also encouraged to participate in the debate.
