The Freethought University Alliance, a coalition of atheist, humanist, secular and skeptic campus groups from universities across Australia, will be launched at The Rise of Atheism, 2010 Global Atheist Convention.

The Alliance will connect student leaders and help them work together and grow as a collective student movement dedicated to furthering science, reason and secular values in Australian society. The Alliance will provide students with useful advice, resources and networking opportunities, and also support students planning to start new aligned groups on university campuses.

The 2010 Global Atheist Convention is pleased to be sponsoring the launch event of the Freethought University Alliance, to be held at 12:30PM on Friday 12 March 2010 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Special guest PZ Myers, famous atheist and science blogger, will be a guest speaker at the event, which is open exclusively to university students and includes a free lunch.

To register, send an email to jason@umss.org with your name, university and student number.

Places are strictly limited and are filling fast.

http://ausfreethought.org

AN ATHEIST convention in Melbourne has sold out six weeks before it opens despite no aid from any level of government, organisers said yesterday.

Convention organiser and Atheist Foundation of Australia president David Nicholls said the state government had ''stabbed the people of Victoria in the back'' by not helping, forcing organisers to hire smaller venues.

The Global Atheist Convention, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 12-14, features a stellar line-up of presenters, including the world's best-known atheist, Richard Dawkins.

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Tickets for The Rise of Atheism, 2010 Global Atheist Convention are now sold out! The Convention, to be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre 12 - 14 March 2010, has attracted substantial Australian and international interest and tickets have sold out more than five weeks before the Convention starts.

David Nicholls, President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia said "We are thrilled with the support for the Convention, from the presenters, the attendees and the many people who have volunteered their time and expertise. With over 2,500 attendees, the Global Atheist Convention will be the largest gathering of freethinkers in Australia's history, and may be the largest atheist convention ever! The Convention will be a celebration of global atheism, a wonderful opportunity to hear the thoughts of scientists, philosophers, writers, comedians and many others, and a statement to political leaders of our concern about the negative effects of religion on society."

Even though tickets have sold out we are still receiving a substantial number of enquiries about sales and we are sorry that many people who would like to attend will miss out on this unique event. Given the strong interest in the Global Atheist Convention we are investigating filming options for a DVD of the event and hope one will be on sale shortly after the Convention" Nicholls continued.

Stuart Bechman, President of Atheist Alliance International, co-host of the Global Atheist Convention added, "The response to The Rise of Atheism Convention has been absolutely fantastic! This will be the largest convention AAI has been involved with and we're excited that atheism and secularism are so well supported in Australia. With such a high level of interest we will have to consider returning to Australia for future conventions."

Presenters at the Global Atheist Convention include Richard Dawkins, Peter Singer, Phillip Adams, PZ Myers, AC Grayling, Taslima Nasrin, Catherine Deveny, Dan Barker, Robyn Williams, Julian Morrow, Craig Reucassel, Maggie Millar, Lyn Allison, Tanya Levin, Leslie Cannold, Jane Caro and many more!

For further information on the Global Atheist Convention visit www.atheistconvention.org.au.

We'll see you in Melbourne!

In today's Sunday Age, Michael Bachelard has a feature article on the world-wide trend towards outspoken atheism (the so-called New Atheism that we hear so much about), which he relates to the forthcoming Global Atheist Convention in Melbourne. (I am scheduled to speak at the Melbourne Convention along with far more celebrated writers and thinkers such as A.C. Grayling and Richard Dawkins ... and many others from Australia and elsewhere.)

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