For the past eight years, the Humanist Freethinker Association Havelland in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Germany and the Atheist Centre in India have had a youth exchange programme. Under this arrangement, Humanist youth of both the countries have the chance to travel and visit each other’s country for two weeks in turns. The influence of our exchange programme n the participants could not have been bigger. Influenced through the totally different lifestyle and development of the other country, participants come back home with a life changing experience which affects their personalities in ways that are difficult to capture in words. I can only say that for the participants the programme is not just a programme: it is a big friendship, a family, a piece of world, which belongs now to our family and the world. All different – all equal, the motto from the Humanist World Congress in 2002 underlines this experience too.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

At the last exchange in 2004 when the Indian youth were visiting Germany, a declaration was written addressing the global problems and questions of our living together in a secular and humanist way. Inspired by Gandhi’s statement “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”, the Declaration covers Humanism, Tolerance, Equality of gender and Globalization.

Edited extracts:

Globalization

Globalization means the bringing together of cultures, which improves global communication and understanding. At the centre of globalization should be humanism. We promote the slogan: “All different, all equal”, which means equal in the sense of human rights and values and different in the sense of preserving individuality of a person, concerning religion, culture and personal interests. We should take the differences as a chance to widen our horizons. As globalization is a very complex and big theme, we are focusing on two major aspects, where we see high potential for us as youth to take action in the future.

1. Improvement of intercultural understanding

To reach that aim it is important to promote cultural education in schools. This has to start at an early age, so prejudices can be prevented. Following the tradition of Humanism we want to extend educational programs at school. Moreover we have to increase the number of youth exchanges and support the usage of media.

2. Profiting equally from globalization

Actions have to be taken at a political as well as at a local level. To reach this aim at the political aspect we need global rules and regulations to ensure a human way of globalization. To achieve this aim we want to focus on public relations. At the local level we have to promote humanity among people by means of discussions, workshops and living as a role model. Our vision for the future is making the world a global village with equal opportunities for all humans.

Silvana Uhlrich

Humanist Freethinker Association, Germany