The Merton Equality Conversation 2020

The College looks forward to hosting the upcoming 2020 Equality Conversation on Monday 3 February.

The University and Merton College prioritise the protection both of academic freedom and of their members from unlawful discrimination. We seek to foster a culture of robust expression of opinion and debate that does not tolerate any form of harassment or victimisation. We and the University are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse environment and to ensuring that all our staff and students, including LGBTQ+ members of the community, are able to thrive and realise their potential. We aim to create an inclusive culture and a workplace and learning environment that prizes academic freedom while being free from discrimination, harassment or victimisation. All events at Merton, including the Equality Conversation which we host annually, take place within this framework. 
 
The code of conduct originally included in the event booking form was intended to ensure that people could participate in the conversation without fear of disruption or harassment. The code was not intended to restrict or undermine freedom of speech or academic debate in any way. We have made changes to the wording on the event booking form in order to clarify our position. We remain wholly committed to open and free discussion as well as to the promotion of equality and diversity in an environment of respect.