Think-in on social exclusion – with only 10% women

FREEMASONS from Grand Lodges and Grand Orients of eight countries came together for what was described as “an unique gathering in the world” by EU president Herman Van Rompuy.

The 13 groups joined with the Irish atheist organisation and societies of humanists, secularism and free thought for a think-in on poverty and social exclusion. This was the brother gathering to that of a few months ago when the churches gathered for a similar consultation with the EU.

Neither, despite Mr Van Rompuy’s description, was unique in that both had male majorities with about 10% female participation.