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July 2007

What can Cultural Europe do for Political Europe?

20/21 October 2007 at Sarum College, Salisbury, Wiltshire

I have pleasure in inviting you to attend a conference organised by Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust in collaboration with Sarum College (programme and reply slip attached), and very much hope that you may be interested in taking part.

As you will see, we have attracted a number of key speakers who will help us reflect on the theme from different perspectives. We will be looking at questions concerning the causes of the current divisions within Europe, what reforms are necessary to help it achieve common aims for its institutions whilst respecting Europe's cultural and religious pluralism; how can personal human rights be safeguarded.

As numbers are limited for residential accommodation please respond as soon as possible to secure your place. Please enclose a cheque with your registration for £90 (residential) or £60 (non-residential), made payable to Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust. If you know of anyone else who would be interested in receiving an invitation, please let us know.

We would be delighted if you could join us and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Judy Keep

Secretary Enc: Programme

Please return the reply slip below, with your cheque, to Judy Keep, WPCT, Copper Beeches, Gough Road, Fleet GU51 4LJ.

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REPLY SLIP

What can Cultural Europe do for Political Europe?

20/21 October 2007 at Sarum College, Salisbury, Wilts

..... I would like to attend the conference and enclose a cheque for £90 (residential)/

£60 (non-residential) made payable to Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust.

….. I am unable to attend, but would like to receive the report afterwards (£6.00 + £0.50p P & P)

Name ………………………………………………………….…………………………………..

Organisation ………………………………………………………….……………………………………

Address ………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

………………………………………………………….Postcode……………….…………

Telephone …………………………Email: ………………….………………………………………….

Special dietary requirements ………………………………………………………….………………………………

What Can Cultural Europe do for Political Europe?

A conference organised by the Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust

in collaboration with Sarum College, Salisbury

and with sponsorship from the James Madison Trust

at Sarum College, Salisbury, Wilts

October 20-21, 2007

Saturday, 20 October

4 p.m Registration and tea

5 p.m Introduction by chairman of conference: Sir Stephen Wall, followed by

Keynote speech: speaker: Lord Hurd of Westwell

5.30 p.m. Discussion

6.30 p.m. Dinner

7.45 p.m. Session One: the faith, the culture and the politics of Islam in Europe:

Speakers: Dr Sara Silvestri, Lecturer in Religion and Global Politics, City University, Associate Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre, Brussels; and Fadi Hakura, Associate Fellow, European and Middle-East Programme, Chatham House, Professor Ziauddin Sardar, writer; contributor, New Statesman; Lecturer, City University

Sunday, 21 October

8 a.m Opportunity to attend early morning communion/mass

8.45 a.m. Breakfast

9.30 a.m. Session Two: the role of faith communities in the making of Europe

Speakers: Mihail Neamtu, New Europe College, Institute for Advanced Studies, Romania

and Tariq Ramadan, Visiting Fellow, St. Antony's College, Oxford.

    1. a.m. Coffee

11.00 a.m. Session Three: Europe: secular or religious?

Speakers: Mgr Noel Treanor, COMECE, Brussels (tbc); Dr Evan Harris MP, Hon. Associate

of the National Secular Society

12.15 p.m Interfaith act of worship

1.00 p.m. Lunch

2.15 p.m. Group discussions

1.  Do we see the EU as being `in the doldrums' and if so what do we think are the principal causes? How can EU institutions achieve common aims and at the same time respect religious and cultural diversity? Would reform of the EU in a federal direction help to achieve this aim?

2. How can/should Europe's religious and cultural pluralism be reflected in the democratic institutions of the EU and in its policies? Should the EU be a secular institution? How should it safeguard personal, religious and other human rights?

3. Is the cultural and religious diversity of to-day's Europe a help or a hindrance to the achievement of the EU's goals? How can the different religious traditions make the best contribution to the future of Europe?

3.30 p.m. Final session with reports from group rapporteurs, Danny Alexander, MP, Canon Guy Wilkinson,

Mrs Win Burton and conference rapporteur Revd Dr Tim Macquiban; response from panel of speakers and chairman's concluding remarks.

4.30 p.m. Tea and departure.

THE WYNDHAM PLACE CHARLEMAGNE TRUST

Patrons include: THE CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER, THE BISHOP OF ST. ALBANS, THE CHIEF RABBI

Chairman: Sir Stephen Wall GCMG LVO Vice Chairman: The Rt Hon Lord Archer of Sandwell QC

Executive Secretary: Mrs Judy Keep Hon Treasurer: Mr Lawrence Fullick

Office: Copper Beeches, Gough Road, Fleet, Hants GU51 4LJ

Tel/Fax: 01252 612527 email judykeep@yahoo.co.uk

Registered Charity No. 1080157