The symposium on Charlie Hebdo at Queen’s University Belfast is back on.

In a statement released today, Queen’s University said:

“Following the completion of a comprehensive risk assessment, undertaken in line with approved protocols, the University is pleased to confirm that the Charlie Hebdo Research Symposium, organised by the Institute for Collaborative Research in the Humanities has been approved.”

The conference, titled Understanding Charlie: New perspectives on contemporary citizenship after Charlie Hebdo, will now be hosted by Queen’s Univeristy’s Institute for Collaborative Research in the Humanities on 4-5 June.

Jo Glanville, director of free speech advocacy group English PEN, welcomed Queen’s University’s decision, telling Little Atoms: “It’s very good news that the conference is now going ahead. We need as much opportunity for debate as possible at a time when the ability to exercise the right to freedom of expression remains highly vulnerable.”

Good. Now if only the Soft-headed Six or Thirty Four or One Hundred Fifty would have some sense.