On 23 and 24 June 2006 the European Humanist Federation held a symposium and a General Assembly. Goal of the meeting: to strive for a secular Europe. Jenoff van Hulle reports.

Symposium

What was once the scene of the cruel dictatorship of the extreme right generalisimo Francisco Franco, is now a quiet village. Tourists sauntering peacefully in search of some shade, or sluggishly sipping at a Granizado de limon. The air conditioning locked in a heavy battle with the shimmering warmth of the sun. Technology and nature flatly opposed to each other. The height of modernity.

Or is it? In the tiny little streets of Toledo, time seems to have made a U-turn. Muslims, Jews and Christians lived here together for centuries and left behind indelible tracks in the streets, monuments and buildings of the capital of Castilla-La-Mancha. A sense of fraternity amongst the three monotheistic religions. If not for the many swords and combat equipment in the local tourist shops of Toledo that reminded me of the numerous bloody conflicts, fought in the name of God and that are being fought even now in the name of God, I would have believed that religions could coexist peacefully under God’s benevolent gaze.

So, the battle and the struggle of Humanists for a secular society is not an anachronism, nor was the organisation of a symposium on the 23rd of June on the Promotion of secularism in Spain, Europe and in the EU.

At this symposium J. F. Baron, president of Europa Laica and R. Gallego, president of Granada Laica talked about the situation in Spain. David Pollock, trustee of the British Humanist Association explained how to organise lobbying on European questions, P. T. Nagy gave an overview of the secularisation in post-communist Hungary and J. M. Ducomte talked about the discrimination of non-believers.

General Assembly

On the 24th of June the European Humanist Federation organised its General Assembly. The main issue of the day was the difficult question: how to organise a peaceful inter- cultural and inter-lifestance society? Difficult, as in reality religion and politics seem to seek each other’s company more and more. Besides that, the members of the European Humanist Federation elected a new board: David Pollock (President), Rob Buitenweg (first vice-president), Julien Houben (second vice-president), Suzy Mommaerts (Treasurer), Georges Liénard (Secretary-General), Marianne Marchand, Werner Schultz, Luc Devuyst, Jean-Michel Ducomte, Baard Thalberg and Tryntsje De Groot (members).

The message delivered by the new President at the first meeting of the Board of Directors was quite clear as regards the much-needed mission of the European Humanist Federation: The European Humanist Federation has to represent and stand up for the godless in Europe and to resist the encroachment by religious moralisers who seek to impose their values on us by law or by force. Moreover the European Humanist Federation has to maintain and promote our shared positive values and beliefs, and it is our task to ensure that those who govern us, and society at large, give us the respect in real life that the European Convention of Human Rights guarantees us in theory – equal standing and protection with religion.

Jenoff Van Hulle is International Relations Officer of the European Humanist Federation