IHEU’s 2008 General Assembly was held in Washington DC, USA on 5th and 8th June 2008 before and after the 17th World Congress on Reclaiming Humanist Values. President Sonja Eggerickx opened the meeting with her address covering the increasing work that IHEU has achieved over the past year. She laid particular emphasis on the support that IHEU is extending to member organisations in Africa and India without dictating the method by which the philosophy of Humanism has to be spread. That this is a successful strategy can be seen by the manner in which change has started taking place, though in a small way, in these areas.

Panel discussions

Human Rights: to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration, there was a session moderated by VP Rob Buitenweg at which the meeting discussed the dire developments at the Human Rights Council, which had now been taken over by the Islamic states and where it was now impossible to discuss religion.

Representing Humanism: a session moderated by Treasurer, Roger Lepeix, which highlighted the way the NGO involvement in UN processes was changing, with less opportunity for them to work directly at UN meetings.

Campaign Against Untouchability: Babu Gogineni reported on his work on the campaign. He explained the issue of Untouchability in different countries in the world and that IHEU had a project ‘Adopt a Village’ working with member organisation, Social Development Foundation. He said that IHEU was in contact with organisations who would join together to form a Global Alliance Against Untouchability which was planned to be launched at a conference in London, held in conjunction with the next IHEU GA in June.

IHEU’s work in Africa: as IHEU’s two representatives in Africa, Leo Igwe and Deo Ssekitooleko,were unable to get US visas to attend the meeting, Barrie Berkley gave a presentation of their work. The IHEU focus on Africa began 4 years ago at the 2004 GA in Kampala. Leo works in West Africa and is IHEU’s representative at the Africa Commission for Human and People’s Rights. He had also held a conference against witchcraft at which there were 80 participants. He is also organising a conference later in the year against Untouchability, the Osu people in Nigeria. Deo works in East Africa and in Uganda where there were three Humanist schools being set up: Isaac Newton School, Mustard Seed School, and the Humanist Academy. He is planning a conference for Humanist organisations in East Africa in February 2009.

Administrative issues
New Member Organisations: Society for Humanism (SOCH) Nepal; Tarksheel Society of Punjab; Council of Ex Muslims of Britain, and Asian Rationalist Society of Britain were accepted by the GA as new Associate member organisations.

Elections: Mel Lipman and Ron Solomon were elected as Vice Presidents for three years, and Larry Jones and Rob Buitenweg, the Vice Presidents who were standing down, were thanked for their work for IHEU. Jack Jeffery was elected as First Vice President.

Finance: the 2007 accounts were approved and Knox Cropper were reappointed as auditors and the budget for 2008 noted.

IHEU-Appignani Bioethics Center in New York: after 4 years the funding for the center as originally set up had ended, but the good news is that Louis Appignani has funded the American Humanist Association to continue the center and the Director, Ana Lita, will continue following the transfer of ownership to the AHA.

Paid consultants: there now six paid people working for IHEU: Babu Gogineni, International Director, based in India; Leo Igwe, International Representative for West Africa, based in Nigeria; Deo Ssekitooleko, International Representative for East Africa, based in Uganda. Sangeeta Mall, Editor of IHN. In London are based Lee Chester, Finance Officer and Robbi Robson, Administrator and Company Secretary. Jeremy Gibbs is the volunteer Web Master.



Revision of IHEU’s Byelaws: the progress of this work was reported and new draft Byelaws will be sent out to member organisations in November for consultation, with an amended version brought back to the 2009 GA for approval.


Awards
At the Congress award dinner the
International Humanist of the Year award was given to Philip Pullman, the internationally renowned author.
Distinguished Service to Humanism – 2008 award was given to Roy Brown, a past President of IHEU, particularly for his work representing IHEU at the United Nations’ Human Right Council in Geneva.
Lifetime Achievement award was given to Levi Fragell for his work building up the Norwegian Association and his international work developing the membership of IHEU. Sadly he was not able to attend at the last moment due to illness.