As opposition to the Pope's forthcoming visit continues to gather pace, a number of leading human rights figures will head a public meeting in Richmond, today.
The head of the Roman Catholic church, Benedict XVI, will visit the UK in a £20 million state-funded visit, next month.
His first event in London, on 17 September, will be at St
Mary's University College in Twickenham, south west London. There, the pontiff
will talk about his views on education, which have included his support
for separate faith schools and the right of these schools to
discriminate in their admissions policy and their recruitment of staff.
"The Protest the Pope campaign rejects the promotion of religiously
segregated education. We believe in the right of all children to an
unbiased education, where school admission policies are
non-discriminatory and where there is no discrimination in recruitment
and employment," said Protest the Pope spokesperson and human rights
campaigner Peter Tatchell.
"Protest the Pope is supporting a coalition of local groups and people, based in south west London, who have organised a public meeting to express their disagreement with Pope Benedict's opposition to women's rights, gay equality, fertility treatment for childless couples, embryonic stem cell research and the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV," he added.
David Pollock, President of the European Humanist Federation, will join Tatchell as one of the event's keynote speakers.
Keith Porteous Wood, Chief Executive of the National Secular Society, will also talk about the pressure growing at the United Nations on the Vatican, while Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society, will talk about the Protest the Pope Campaign and the six main reasons why we are against against honouring Joseph Ratzinger with a State Visit.
The public meeting will take place today at Richmond Library, Old Town Hall, Whittaker Ave, Richmond.
It will start at 7.30pm, with speeches from spokespersons for the Protest the Pope campaign, followed by a Q and A.
