2-day int'l meet on secular thought from tomorrow

Vijayawada (NTR District): Coinciding with 120th birth anniversary of Gora and 110th birth anniversary of Saraswati Gora, the Atheist Centre here is organising a two-day international conference on 'Secular Thought and Social Action' from January 7, informed Dr G Samaram, Director of Atheist Centre.

Addressing the media here on Thursday, Dr Samaram recalled that Gora propagated positive atheism to prove that atheism is not a negative concept. There is no need to criticise any religion or god and without belief in supernatural power, people could lead happy lives, he said.

Stating atheism stresses on humanism and equality, Dr Samaram said that the conference focuses on spreading scientific knowledge and scientific outlook. He asserted that the future and the growth of developing nations is interconnected with secularism.

Representatives from about 20 countries apart from those from the country are participating in the conference. The Modern Rationalist Joint Editor Veerasamy Kumaresan will be the chief guest and Freedom from Religion Foundation-USA co-founder Dan Barker will be one of the guests of honour along with district Collector S Dilli Rao,former deputy speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad and MLA Gadde Rammohan.

The conference would cover various issues including 'Media and Secularism, Secular social work, Critical thinking and Free Inquiry, Atheism as a way of life, Extremism and Fanaticism-A bane of progress.

Dan Barker would inaugurate the Gora and Saraswati Photo Exhibition at Charles Bradlaugh Hall on Saturday before inauguration of the conference.