The Belfast Salon, upstairs at the Spaniard, Skipper Street, Belfast

international | environment | event notice Saturday July 26, 2008 13:19 by Pauline Hadaway and Siobhan O Dwyer - The Belfast Salon info at belfastsalon dot org

Enemies of Progress- a public conversation, Tuesday 29 July at 7pm

Surely no right-minded individual could admit to being against 'sustainability'. Or in favour of 'unsustainable' development. End of argument? Not according to Austin Williams, author of a new book, The Enemies of Progress, who argues that the drive for sustainability is killing creativity and holding back development.

But with the days of plentiful, cheap oil gone and with international terrorism and food security back on the agenda, has necessity truly
become the mother of invention? And, anyway, isn't creativity about finding solutions which overcome
restraints?

Come along on Tuesday 29 July at 7p m, meet the author and join the debate

What is the Belfast Salon?

In homage to the spirit of 18th century political salons, Pauline Hadaway and Siobhan O’Dwyer founded the Belfast Salon last year, wanting to broaden public space for argument and debate. Membership is growing substantially as the Salon meets monthly to discuss and debate the big ideas of the day. The French Salons were typically organized by aristocratic ladies and yet become centres of radical thought and intellectual ferment ushering in a new revolutionary age. We may lack aristocratic credentials, but we share a passion for ideas and argument, not only for enjoyment’s sake, but because we believe ideas are important and because we want to know where the world is going and how we can play a part in shaping its future.

The Belfast Salon just built a new website, www.belfastsalon.org alongside securing an extremely convivial base- Upstairs at the Spaniard on Skipper Street, Belfast (across the road from Merchants Hotel). We've also got some hot debating topics lined up for the summer and autumn.