Welcome to the Atheist Alliance International and Humanist Canada 2010 Convention! This groundbreaking event has created much anticipation over the past several months and here we are on opening day!
There are many reasons to be excited about this convention and it includes a number of firsts. It is the first AAI North American Convention outside of the USA. It is the first Atheist-Humanist convention that will feature Canada’s both official languages and likely the first to offer simultaneous translation. This allows us to feature a mix of Anglophone speakers and Francophone speakers from English Canada, Quebec, the USA, Europe and elsewhere. This is truly “Atheists without borders!”
There has been no time in recent history when bringing together the forces of rational thought has been more important. Governments are subject to the creeping influence of the religious right, narrow and inflexible ideologies threaten our freedom and security, and globalization has thrust us into a multicultural world that many different civilizations must learn to inhabit. The sanity of humanist thought is essential to helping citizens survive this clash of cultures and emerge as an enlightened, compassionate and free society. The presentations delivered this weekend will address these issues and offer us much to learn, enjoy and appreciate. But a good conference offers more than education and intellectual stimulation.
This convention also provides opportunities to mingle and get to know your fellow humanists and atheists. There will be meal events, comedy nights, movies and dancing. After the official end of the convention, walking and amphibus tours will be available for those who wish to further enjoy the wonderful city of Montreal.
So here we are at the AAI-HC 2010 Montreal Convention! On behalf of Humanist Canada, I wish you a wonderful conference, a marvelous time, and encourage you to take advantage of all that this weekend has to offer.
Humanistically yours,
Simon Parcher
President, Humanist Canada