Our team is juggling cases, campaigns, legislative work, professional membership launches, AND there's a whole host of events on the calendar before we reach Christmas, too.

One of our favourite parts of our roles is meeting supporters like you. Without people championing our work, and spreading the word, our work would be meaningless. 

Read on for all of our upcoming events - we hope to see you at one soon! 

Join us for our AGM in November: Register here

We look forward to hosting our third AGM in November in Auckland. It’s a fantastic opportunity to gather together with a range of people who may agree on nothing else but the importance of free speech for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous New Zealand.

Register to join us here!

We're thrilled to have Prof. Nigel Biggar over from the UK as our keynote speaker as part of a wider New Zealand tour with us. 

Prof. Biggar is an author, Oxford Professor, and Chair of the Free Speech Union in the UK. He was also intricately involved in the drafting and progression of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act in the UK to protect free speech and academic freedom at English universities. 

Also at our AGM, we'll facilitate four panel discussions on the state of free speech within politics, academia, media, and the legal profession with experts in each field. Keep an eye on our website for more information.

When: 9th November, 12pm-5:30pm

Where: Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland CBD

Hear more from Prof. Nigel Biggar during our tour in November

If you can't make it to the AGM, you can still hear from Prof. Biggar in Wellington and Christchurch, and see media coverage of his visit too. 

Prof. Biggar is the Emeritus Regius Professor of Moral Theology at the University of Oxford and a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Pusey House, Oxford. A celebrated author, Prof. Biggar has written 10 books, many dozens of academic articles, and contributed to major publications such as the Financial Times and the Telegraph. His recent works include Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning (2023) and What’s Wrong with Rights? (2020).

Along with being the Chairman of the Board of the Free Speech Union UK. Prof. Biggar lectures at prestigious military institutions. Beyond teaching and writing, he is an avid historian with a passion for visiting battlefields, including a memorable trek across Crete, retracing the steps of WWII heroes.

RSVP to hear Prof. Biggar in Wellington, Christchurch, or Auckland at our AGM. 

Join us in December to hear from Dr. Peter Boghossian

In December, Dr. Peter Boghossian will join us all the way from the US. 

Dr. Boghossian is a distinguished philosopher dedicated to applying philosophical tools across various contexts, including prisons, schools, and corporations. With over 25 years of teaching experience and more than 30,000 students reached, his work focuses on enhancing critical thinking and moral reasoning.

His doctoral research, supported by the State of Oregon and the Oregon Department of Corrections, utilised the Socratic method to improve inmates' reasoning skills and reduce criminal behaviour. Currently, Dr. Boghossian serves as a Founding Faculty Fellow at the University of Austin and Director of the National Progress Alliance, while also contributing extensively to major publications like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

His professional background includes roles as a Councilman for Oregon, Chairperson of the Prison Advisory Committee, and faculty positions at Portland State University and Oregon Health Sciences University.

You may be particularly interested in his book, How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide. Listen to Dr. Boghossian talk about this on a recent Shape of Dialogue podcast. 

RSVP to hear from Dr. Boghossian in Auckland, Hamilton, and Christchurch in December. 

Both Prof. Biggar and Dr. Boghossian have vastly different views (Biggar, a theology professor, and Boghossian, the author of A Manual for Creating Atheists) and they approach the fight for free speech from different directions. 

However, what they share is the belief that without free speech, which is increasingly under threat, our societies will be more violent, divided, and poor.

We look forward to presenting you with both guests and hope to see you at an upcoming event. 

Making our way across the country: Our 'Town Hall' Meeting Series

We're often in the main centres for our tours, but hearing from the regions matters to us too.

While not always at a town hall, these events replicate the format of a traditional town hall meeting where you get to bring your thoughts and questions. 

So far, Jonathan and the team have travelled between Invercargill, Dunedin, Timaru, Blenheim, Nelson, Napier, Gisborne, and Wellsford for these town hall style meetings.

Before the end of the year, they're heading to Masterton, Dannevirke, Palmerston North, and Lower Hutt. And we look forward to reaching more regions in 2025!

Come along to learn about the fight for free speech in our nation, and tell us about the free speech issues affecting your community.

If we're hosting an event near you, we'll get in touch. Not sure if we have your address details? Let us know here so it's up-to-date!

Legislation can only do so much. For New Zealand to have a culture that values freedom for robust dialogue and debate, we all have to defend it.

Our events are a way to be inspired and equipped to defend your voice and the voices of those around you, no matter the context you're in.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Roderick Mulgan Council Chair Free Speech Union www.fsu.nz

PS. Have you read our annual report yet? I think you'll enjoy it. It's packed with everything the team has worked on in the past year and what we're looking ahead to as well.