A noontime discussion between award-winning essayist and novelist John Ralston Saul and human rights leader Sheila Watt-Cloutier packed the house at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences yesterday, and organizers couldn’t be happier.
Yesterday’s popular program — one of many happening at Carleton University as a part of Congress — is typical of what’s been happening since the event began Saturday and is a sign of more to come over the next six days, said Alison Faulknor, director of programs for the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, which organizes Congress.
“The campus is bustling,” she said. “We have over 7,400 people registered so far.”
While the event attracts intellectuals, authors, artists, researchers, scholars and students from all over the world, members of the public are welcome to attend many of the events, said Faulknor.
“We have people like economist and author David Foot who will be speaking,” she said.
Foot speaks on workplace trends in the new millennium tomorrow.
On Friday, Jennifer Corriero and Susan Ormiston present A Civic-minded Digital Generation: Has Technology Tuned out Youth?, which is also expected to be popular, Faulknor said.
Its appeal to both delegates and members of the public is what’s so unique about Congress, she said.
“There is a series of layers to Congress … There is so much activity on campus,” she said.
