Peter Boghossian: Free Speech Hard Conversations + Whats at Risk

Saturday 16 May 2026, 5:30pm to 7:00pm

In an age of increasing polarisation, shrinking public discourse, and the rising pressure to self-censor, the ability to have genuinely open, honest conversations has never been more urgent, or more rare.

Join us for an evening with philosopher, author, and street epistemologist Peter Boghossian, as he explores why free speech isn't just a legal principle but a practical necessity for a functioning society and what we stand to lose when we stop engaging with ideas that challenge us.

Drawing on his work in applied epistemology and his experience facilitating dialogue across deep ideological divides, Peter will explore:

• Why hard conversations are essential, not despite their discomfort, but because of it
• How to engage with people you profoundly disagree with, without losing the thread of your own reasoning
• The difference between genuine dialogue and performative debate
• What healthy discourse actually looks like, and how to practise it in your own life
• Why protecting free expression matters for everyone, regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum

This is not an evening about scoring points or winning arguments. It's about recovering something we've quietly allowed to erode: the courage to think out loud, to be wrong in public, and to genuinely listen.

Whether you're passionate about free speech, frustrated by the state of public conversation, or simply curious about how we can talk to each other better, this event will leave you with practical tools and renewed conviction.

Come ready to think. Come ready to be challenged.