Over 12,000 demonstrators marched from the Place de la Republique to the Place Richelieu-Drouot in Paris to commemorate and defend the 1905 French Law of Separation of Religion and State. IHEU's Executive Director Babu Gogineni was one of the three speakers who addressed the demonstrators at the end of the march. Here is a translation of his speech in French:

Dear Friends,

Today we celebrate and commemorate a law which is of vital significance to modern civilisation. We meet here today also to pay homage to the contributions of our spiritual ancestors, the Freethinkers Aristide Briand and Emile Combes who helped create a law that indeed defines the French republic. The 1905 legislative measure is the promulgation into law of a vital concept for the survival of democracy. It is a concept which will not allow any citizen to be discriminated against on the basis of religion. It is a concept which denies privilege or unjust advantage - whether one is a member of the clergy, whether one professes a religion or whether one has rejected religion, all are equal in the eyes of the law.

The capacity to judge for ourselves, the ability to distinguish good from bad, and the willingness to act in harmony with these conclusions - it is this that gives us a conscience; it is this that distinguishes the human from other forms of life; it is this that gives us our human dignity. And human dignity is the basis of Human Rights. When we defend the freedom of conscience, we defend and promote Human Rights. Today is also Human Rights Day - 57 years ago on this day, the nations of the earth proclaimed the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

The 1905 law which was formulated a hundred years ago was to guarantee a vital Human Right - the freedom of conscience. Certainly, this law was an achievement for the Libre Pensée Franà§aise, but if laicité guarantees Human Rights, and if Human Rights are universal, how can laicité be a French particularity? Let there be no doubts: laicité is a human achievement with universal applicability.

Laicité is a system or an arrangement which confines religion to the strictly private domain. It is an arrangement which ensures the separation of religious affairs from political matters. It is an arrangement which guarantees state neutrality towards all sections of society, whatever their religious or non religious affiliations are. It is a means of guaranteeing Human Rights for all.

When we demand the strict Separation of Church and State, of Mosque and State (which seems to be the urgent need in France!), of the Temple and the State, of the Synagogue and the State, when we ask for a state which is neutral, why do they characterise us as anti-religious?

Are we anti-religious? No! But we reserve for ourselves the right - or indeed the obligation - to be anti-religious when religions are anti-human. We are anti-religious:

• Only when religions try to preserve their unjust privileges
• Only when religions want to subvert the principles of democracy
• Only when in the name of freedom of religion they impose on our science lessons their fantastic theories on the origin of the universe and on the evolution of life
• Only when religious doctrines influence our social policy.

In taking such a stand we are not engaged in anti-religious activities, we are involved in the fight for democracy. We do it because we wish to promote human values and we wish to preserve our heritage of civilisational achievements. Unfortunately, today in France, there are politicians who have declared themselves in favour of a revision of this law. They say that it is a law which is out of date.

• Yes, it is an out of date law if democracy is an out of date concept.
• Yes, it is an out of date law if freedom is an out of date concept.
• Yes, it is an out of date law if you admire modern countries like Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia

Let us ask of those who so admire the alliance between religion and state "If you admire countries like Sudan or Saudi Arabia, why do you not emigrate to these paradises?" In any case that is where they belong, these citizens of yesterday!

In France and in the United States, in England and in Canada, in India and in Nigeria, the attacks on our cherished values are the same. Religious fundamentalism is an international phenomenon today. We must therefore construct an international front to oppose religious fundamentalism. Let us join hands in constructing the international front before it is too late. The dangers that we can see on the horizon for laicité are scary. And these threats demand a vigorous response - today we have demonstrated that we can rise to the occasion. It is our success. It is also our duty".

Babu Gogineni