A SERIES of talks on freedom and civil liberties take place in Salisbury this summer celebrating the exhibition 'To Be Free'.
The first event 'In Conversation', is where The Rt Hon. Baroness Chakrabarti CBE (former director of Liberty and ex-Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales) talks about freedom with the Dean of Salisbury, The Very Reverand Nicholas Papadopulos.
The phrase 'Charter of Liberties' is a symbol of Baroness Chakrabarti’s commitment to human rights and civil liberties and recently, Baroness Chakrabarti championed an amendment to the Public Order Bill that ensured journalists who observe or report on protests could be protected from abuses of police power.
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The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury said: “I am very much looking forward to exploring some of the challenging issues we face today with Baroness Chakrabarti.
"The barge that will house around 500 migrants in Portland is to be docked just under an hour away from this Cathedral, bringing the current immigration debate right to our doorstep.
“These are the sorts of conversations we should be having both as a Cathedral, a church and the custodians of one of the most influential legal documents in British History.”
Baroness Chakrabarti has also spoken out about how to build solidarity with migrant communities and protect those who are the most vulnerable in society.
The conversation is expected to be wide-ranging.
The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos said: "I don't know what she will say but the cathedral is a sacred space, it links us to the parts of the world with different faiths- some are unable to share the same freedom which is fundamental to the Christian life."
A current exhibition at the Cathedral focuses on five elements of freedom - freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of movement and freedom from fear.
The centrepiece is artist Cornelia Parker's Magna Carta - a 13-metre-long embroidery which has been sewn by MPs, lawyers, barons, artists, civil rights campaigners and prison inmates.
Artist Cornelia Parker said: “I conceived the embroidery back in 2014 as a means to raise questions about where we are with the principles laid down in the Magna Carta ahead of its 800th anniversary.
“Eight years later those intentions remain as strong, allowing us to consider the challenges to all kinds of freedoms that we face in the digital age and at this current time.”
Baroness Chakrabarti will be in conversation with The Dean of Salisbury on Thursday, July 13 at 7pm.
Tickets for Art and Liberty with Baroness Chakkrabit can be booked via the Salisbury Cathedral website.
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