INTERNATIONAL HUMANIST AWARDS

The International Humanist of the Year Award was given to Professor Paul Kurtz. Given IHEU distinguished service awards were Abe Solomon, a longstanding board member and President of the Indian Secular Society, and Paul Postma former Treasurer of the IHEU.

Paul Kurtz was introduced as a man who had reached beyond the humanist circle to society at large. He was prepared to go out and argue and discuss - he even went to a faith healing meeting and exposed several of the most successful priests in the US. He has written many books about how to live the good life and possessed a happy constitution. He had been Professor of Philosophy at New York State University; he had developed the world?s largest humanist publishing company; he had been behind the building of the large Centre for Inquiry in Buffalo, USA.

Paul in response asked, ?Should we give in to the forces around us or hope? We should not be naive optimists, and many feel overwhelmed with the world?s problems. We must look back and see what has been overcome in the past. He remembered John Dewey?s 90th birthday party. There were many fears at that time, including the fear of nuclear confrontation, but Dewey made a rousing speech calling for a perspective that allowed hope for the human race.?

He argued for the importance of humanism: · The scientific revolution had been a humanist revolution

· The spread of democratic ideas had been a part of humanism

· Secularisation is spreading everywhere and will continue to increase

· The growth in education continues - every child has a right to know

· The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a humanist document

In the long term there is some basis for optimism about human development. We must combat difficulties and solve problems. There is no deity who will do it for us. We must save ourselves.

Abe Solomon had served in the international humanist movement through a long life. He was a very long standing member of the IHEU Board. A particular achievement was the founding of the IHEU Endowment Fund. In accepting the Distinguished Service Award, Abe Solomon said that he had gained more than he had given. He quoted Shaw that money was not the root of all evil, but ?Lack of money was the root of all evil.? He quoted someone he had spoken to many years earlier: ?One who is born must die, why not die for a good cause.? Abe Solomon added, ?One who is born must live, why not live for a good cause.? Abe Solomon has certainly done this.

Paul Postma served as treasurer of IHEU for about 20 years. It is a demanding position which he carried out faithfully. Without such a person, IHEU could not function. He was unable to accept the award in person, but sent a message saying that organisations like IHEU, who could not afford many staff, relied on volunteers for important work. He was pleased to have put some energy into the functioning of IHEU?