If you are interested in what atheism actually is, come to the conference. It's a great opportunity. There will be serious thinkers and writers there to speak their thoughts, and to have them discussed.
(ducking and running already so this is said kind of over my shoulder) It's a lot more fun to talk about the failings or strengths of individual atheists and religious individuals on and off this Forum, but atheism itself is worthy of exploration by virtue of its inherent reasonableness, no?)