Join Colloquia in a conversation with Jacob Mchangama and Faisal Al-Matar about the recent European Court ruing to uphold anti-blasphemy laws, Asia Bibi’s death sentence for alleged blasphemy, and the vote in Ireland to overturn this ‘medieval law’. Are anti-blasphemy laws necessary or permissible to ensure social peace?

The event will be formatted in three parts:

7:30-8:15pm Jacob and Faisal

8:15-8:30pm Hot Seat with Colloquia Members

8:30-9pm Audience Q&A

Mr. Mchangama is a Danish lawyer and human rights expert. In 2014, he founded Denmark’s first judicial think tank, Justitia to promote the rule of law and fundamental human rights and freedom rights in Denmark and internationally. He was a Visiting Scholar at Columbia’s Global Freedom of Expression Center. In 2017, he launched the podcast “Clear and Present Danger: A History of Free Speech” available on iTunes and online.

http://www.freespeechhistory.com/

https://quillette.com/2018/10/30/upholding-the-jihadists-veto/

Mr. Al-Mutar is an Iraqi-born award-winning counter extremism advocate, satirist, speaker and writer. He was admitted in to the United States as a refugee in 2013. He founded the non-profit organization Ideas Beyond Borders, which counters extremism at its root through education, translation, and the spreading of good ideas. In 2016 he received the gold President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama for his volunteer service.

https://www.ideasbeyondborders.org/

This event is sponsored by Colloquia, The Critical Thinking Unit, Columbia AEI Club, Columbia European Society and Le Groupe d’études géopolitiques (GEG).