News from IHEYO
IHEYO has started 2004 with intensified energy and effort! The newly elected Executive Committee met in January in dark but beautiful Norway to prepare IHEYO 2004. Here is a brief update.
Activities
Besides improving our constitution and further strengthening IHEYO as a formal organization, we are working on the following activities for 2004:
1) Continuation of the IHEYO Internship Programme.
2) International Humanist Youth Conference in
Kampala, Uganda 20–24 May.
3) Having our Second General Assembly.
4) Preparing for the 2005 IHEYO Conference.
5) Joining the European Youth Forum.
6) Strengthening youth Humanism in Europe through the European Planning group.
7) Support our affiliated organizations in Africa and
Asia with their projects and plans.
8) Publishing the regular e-newsletter Youthspeak.
9) Start planning a secretariat’s office with staff supporting IHEYO for 2005.
10) Publishing more information and continuing with the online Humanist youth world database.
We expect that our International Conference in Kampala in May will lead to many new plans and initiatives. And we always welcome new suggestions.
One-Day Humanist Youth Workshop in Ghana
Youth leaders, students, human rights activists, and other representatives of organizations concerned with young people met in Ghana for a one-day conference on the theme ‘Humanist Visions for Africa’ on 3 April. The speakers included Yemi Johnson, IHEYO General Secretary. The day served as an introduction to issues that will be taken up further in the Kampala conference in May (see below), launched Humanist activities in Ghana, considered the particular needs of the region from a Humanist youth perspective, and enabled valuable interchange of ideas between young Ghanaian Humanists and their counterparts from other countries.
IHEYO-UHASSO Conference: Global Humanism for Peace and Social Justice
We are currently busy preparing for the 3rd IHEYO conference, organized in cooperation with the Humanist Organization of Uganda, UHASSO. The Conference will focus on Humanist education, leadership training, peace and social justice. We see Humanism as offering the most hopeful framework for amicable resolution of conflict, and the ending of social injustices suffered by individuals and groups all over the world. Humanist education of youth is very important in this respect. These and related topics will be addressed in workshops and keynote speeches, in training sessions and discussions on concrete projects. At the time of writing, six workshops are planned: Humanist Education; Leadership and Grassroots Work; Humanism and Global Peace; Women and Humanism; Poverty and the Third World; and Secularism and Human Rights. They will analyse the central themes of the conference from different angles.
There will be ample time for practical and theoretical exchanges. And there will also be social activities, a peace rally, and visits to local projects. The conference will bring together 100 young Humanists and young human rights activists from Africa, Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world. The interest so far has greatly exceeded our expectations and our practical ability to support. We expect the conference to be invigorating and memorable.
Why Join IHEYO?
The second General Assembly of IHEYO will be held at the IHEYO-UHASSO conference in May, and we look forward to receiving applications for IHEYO membership from Humanist organizations. The deadline for applications has been extended up to the Kampala General Assembly. We need formal members to support IHEYO and it is beneficial to your organization too!
By joining IHEYO
Ï You support us in our role of representing Humanist ideals at the international level, and supporting Humanist youth groups and youth across the world. Such support is very important for groups in countries in which Humanism is not yet strongly developed.
Ï Your organization will have easy access to Humanist groups and projects around the world concerning youth, and especially to IHEYO’s international projects.
Ï You can benefit from IHEYO’s support for your international or local project, by giving it more publicity, and so on.
Ï You will have a voice in the representation of youth Humanism at the international level.
Membership of IHEYO
There are two membership possibilities for Humanist organizations: full membership and consultative membership. There is also the possibility of joining IHEYO as an individual member for no fee.
Full membership is open to youth branches of Humanist organizations and Humanist organizations dedicated to the activities of people under the age of 35. Full members have a right to vote. Consultative membership is open to any Humanist association. Consultative members do not have a vote at the General Assembly, but they do have speaking rights. The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of IHEYO and meets yearly.
IHEYO offers its members an active network. It offers support to plans and international projects through the volunteer work of its EC and other supporters. Members will receive our e-newsletter Youthspeak and introductory free issues of International Humanist News. For more information, please visit our updated website.
Supporting IHEYO Financially
It is also possible to support IHEYO financially as a group or individual, so that we may undertake more projects. Donations can be made for a specific project or for IHEYO in general. Such support is much needed to do our activities. This year, for instance, we have been granted financial support by the Institute of Humanist Studies, Hivos (Humanist Development Organization), and the Norwegian Humanist Association. Without such support, our activities would not be possible.
To donate to IHEYO, visit our website (www.iheyo.org) for further information or donate directly to: IHEYO, Coupure-rechts 4; B-9000 Gent, België, account number: 635-1676901-16, IBAN: BE72-635167690116, Swift: BNAGBE BB, Name and address bank: Delta Loyd-bank, Korenmarkt 14, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
Gea Meijers
IHEYO President
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